Ranger Copeland: What kind of dog is this?

Bloody Omaha: My Remembrances of That Day (Paperback, Fall - 2010) by James Robert Copeland, S/SGT., 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion

I remember receiving sniper fire from above in a similar scene as pictured here -- none of us thought we'd make it. I did make it and here is my story.

It begins from my childhood in West Virginia, where my family and my family's family, worked in the coal mines.

When war broke out (Pearl Harbor), I enlisted in the Army and became Army Ranger -- fighting that fateful day, on the bloodiest beach, June 6th, 1944.

As a home health aid my wife Linda discovered James Robert Copeland. Linda and I were surprised with his energy, his vitality and his story. It didn't take much conversation to convince him of the importance of recording his story for posterity. We had several interviews over the past year and each time JR (as Ranger Copeland likes to be called), reminded me he felt his time was running out. He wanted me to hurry in my writing so he could see the finished book.

JR Copeland will be 89 years old this year. There has never been a time when I didn't find him cordial, informative and quite lucid in his conversation. Hopefully JR will see his story published -- this man is a magnanimous individual, besides being a war hero. I hope my writing does justice to his great story.

--garry m graves, biographer

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

What kind of dog is this?

The dog circled in the first picture is my dog, my first dog, Chigger. Don’t know what kind he was but he was my best friend. I forget what the occasion was but my Mom and Dad had me dress up and pose with Chigger. I was eight years old when this picture was taken. It was 1929. Garry, my biographer, seems to think Chigger may have been a Norfolk or Norwich terrier, like the other two dogs shown in the pictures. Thing was…these dogs had their beginning in Europe where I…urr, ugh…almost had my ending, at Omaha Beach. Hehe.

If you think you know what kind of dog Chigger was I sure would appreciate you letting me know. Thank You, Ranger JR Copeland.