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

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Granddaughter Brenna and me.

Granddaughter112

  Here’s a picture of me and granddaughter, Brenna. Isn’t she a beauty? And smart too.

  Hope everyone had a nice Christmas holiday and got all the presents they wanted. It was a big time around my house, lot’s a people and lot’s of food. It was great.

  2011 was a good year for me and my book, ‘Bloody Omaha – My Remembrances of That Day by James Robert Copeland.’ The digital book, they call it an eBook, sells better than the print version. That’s the way book sales are today, the eBooks outsell the hardbacks and the paperbacks. People even read on their phones now. Whew! Now that’s something.

  We’re hoping 2012 will be kind to our book sales as well. It’s a little book, only 106 pages in the print version, but it has 39 pictures, that make the story more enjoyable. The book was fun to do and just between you and me, I’m thinking about doing a 2nd book. Sort of a follow up to the first one. I’ll include some stories that me and the biographer left out of first one.

  I was lucky to have returned from that horrible War and that beach, Omaha Beach. I remember all the soldiers who didn’t make it off that beach. If you’re the praying-kind, say one for all the soldiers who fight or died in Wars. Thanks.

Respectfully, James Robert Copeland, S/Sgt., Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion, World War II Survivor.

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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2012 at 8:36 PM

    Ranger Copeland,
    I have just downloaded your book from Amazon and I am looking forward to reading it. I have conducted 10 Battlefield tours with my students from St. Andrew's College in Aurora Canada and I have, no doubt, stepped where you have stepped. I remain humbled by the experience and when I return to Omaha next year, I will think of you. A simple thank you doesn't feel sufficient...but that is how I feel. God Speed, Ranger.

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    Replies
    1. The Remembrance TreeMarch 15, 2013 at 10:46 AM

      I'm real sorry for not reading your comment til over a year later. Need to tell the biographer to keep better track of these things, regardless, I'm sorry.

      So you're from Canada, our good neighbors from the North. I met quite a few Canadians over there and they were tough as hell. Guess that's what impressed me the most about them, they were stiff and hardy whatever their size. The Brits always thought of us warriors, both Canadians and U.S. guys, as one kind. They were right. They called us the 'guys from over there.' Canadians are good people. People in the U.S. don't know that fact much, that people in Canada are good people. I do because when your in war, you learn a lot about people.

      I'm glad you visited Omaha Beach. I never been back there. Bloody Omaha was one place I didn't want to see again. It was a terrible site last time I stood there. I'm glad you care enough to take others to visit that damned beach. Also, students in college, that's great. You are a good person for taking others there, visiting a place where so many died, fighting in that war. Thank You for remembering me and all those men who died at Omaha Beach.

      Respectfully, Ranger Copeland

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