“Thanks to the story in World War II Magazine and other media, we were able to raise about $220,000 for the huge church windows,” McCoy continued, adding that, “More than 4,000 people donated money for the project, and the story in World War II Magazine was a significant source of those donations.”

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Walter Braly, the late pilot’s younger brother, said the 15 members of the Braly family at the dedication were taken under the wing of Marie Therese Remy, née Schouppe, the teenaged girl who, with her brother, pulled Houston Braly’s body from the wrecked Mustang and hid it from the Germans.

Meeting Mme. Remy, now a 76-year-old retired school principal, made the ceremony even more meaningful, Braly said. “It was wonderful what she did for us, and for Houston,” Braly said. “She and my mother became very close because of her role in Houston’s burial. After the war, my mother would send her and others in Remy food and clothing parcels because they had so little and our family owed her so much.”

The parades, speeches and fly-bys were impressive indeed, but I was most moved by one of the many toasts directed toward us old airmen. It went: “France is France today because of you!”

Frank Perkins
Fort Worth, Texas

Another Trip to the El Djem Bridge

I read with interest “Raid on Rommel’s Railroad” in the November 2000 issue. I am presently living and working in Tunis, Tunisia. As I was reading about Dan DeLeo’s mission I realized that the bridge in question was at a small town called El Djem, which is located about four hours’ drive south of my home. After considerable map reading and asking friends just where El Djem is, I planned a Sunday drive to find not only the town but also the obscure bridge that was not located by the airborne team sent to find it on December 24, 1942. Well, off I went with two Tunisian friends to find the lost bridge in a 4×4 truck. We traveled for approximately four hours and found El Djem with no problem. Trying to locate the bridge, however, was somewhat more difficult.

We went to the train station and started to ask questions. I located a very old man who said he knew what we were talking about, and he gave us directions to the bridge. It is off the beaten path by a few miles, and getting there was a rough ride to be sure. My efforts, however, finally paid off and, as we rounded a bend in the dry riverbed, there it was in all of its glory. It is still in use today and has been rebuilt with new spans. The original bridge spans are still on the ground directly below the new bridge because the construction crew could not move them to a different area.

I have to tell you that as I stood on the bridge and looked south to where the airborne team was dropped, I could not help but think how lost those poor soldiers were, as the place is indeed isolated! Thanks so much for your great magazine and keep up the good work.

Jeffrey Richards
Tunis, Tunisia

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