| G.I. Joe & Lillie, a true story about... Dedication The good soldier who fought the war and the woman who loved him is a story as old as time. As we approach the uncertainties of the future, it is good to know that this kind of love, faith and dedication does exist. Yes, I believe it does and, yes, I believe it always will.” Loyalty “Surely, there is no greater love than the love of the soldier, one for the other, when under fire in a foxhole or lost in a jungle or huddled up close inside the belly of a transport plane while waiting for a parachute jump into a ton of flack and shrapnel thousands of miles away from home.” Faith “God meant for these two to meet, fall in love and marry. It is as simple as that.” — Joseph S. Bonsall, Jr. — author, G.I.Joe & Lillie Heroism “Between the mines going off and the constant mortar fire, plus all the racket the navy was making, I thought I had gone plumb deaf. My hearing kept fading in and out. Men were dying all around me …” “Later, they pinned the Bronze on me. I didn’t deserve it. They should have pinned it on the dead guys. They were the heroes that day.” — Joseph “G.I. Joe” Bonsall, Sr., United States Army World War II, Bronze Star Medal for valor at Utah Beach Patriotism “You might think it crazy, but, except for the bad haircut they gave me, I simply loved being in the Army. Most of the girls in my outfit were also under age, and it was amazing how well we behaved. As for me, I was afraid that if I did something wrong, they might find out my age and throw me out. I was so proud of my uniform and flag. Our boys were dying everyday for our country and when I would hear the national anthem, I would cry for them. I got down on my knees and prayed for them, one and all.” Love “He was the most handsome man that I had ever seen. Sitting there in that uniform he looked like a movie star. At least to me he did. I fell for him in a heartbeat. I would have married him on the spot.” — Lillie Maude Collins, Women’s Army Corps Excerpts taken from G.I. Joe & Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love and Loyalty |
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