T h e S t a r Issue 53 "We Speak Their Names" June 2009 Bachants Featured in Newsreels, Stars and Stripes War-Fame Triplet Finds Answers by Nancy Bachant photograph of my father in the trenches, looking at a picture of his A just-born triplet daughters before he was killed in the Normandy Invasion, holds a special place in my heart. The Bachant triplets (Nancy, Karen and Ja- net) were born on March 30, 1944. A little over four months later, on August 1, our fa- ther was killed along with his entire crew in Normandy outside of Avranches, on the road to Rennes, when his half-track suf- fered a direct hit from a shell launched by a German “88” anti-tank gun hiding in the Muriel Bachant, with her triplet daughters, while PFC Herbert hedgerows. Our father never met us, his Bachant was Missing in Action, in a photo printed in newspapers triplet daughters, and I have spent many around the country during World War II. years researching the details of his life to share with my sisters, our mother, and our Inside: children. Features My journey of discovery about our father Last Wish ..................................... 3 included researching historical archives, 'Mama Jo' Fund ............................ 5 creating framed pictures and making mem- New Orleans Board Meeting ......... 6 ory albums. I was inspired by AWON and I am grateful for the guidance this organiza- Dutch Painting ............................ 10 tion gave me in seeking the closure I need- ed. Departments For the last ten years I have been research- AWON Board Message ................. 2 ing his unit, requesting his records, find- Reaching Out ............................... 8 ing newspaper articles, and collecting other New Members .............................. 9 WWII items. I ordered and received four AWON Connections .............. 16, 17 Gold Star lapel pins (one for each of us, and AWON Board News .................... 22 one for our mother), service medals, and ...and much, much more! ...continued on page 18 The Star • JuneThe 2009Quarterly Newsletter of the American WWII Orphans Network 1 Board Messages by Barry Barr-Finch Editor's note: This is the second which we wouldn’t have done in a series of columns that rotates in a public place. among the board of directors, I know that some gatherings who discuss AWON activities they have had Sharing Circles like lead. This issue's column is about AWON FOUNDER AWON's Regional Coordinator Pro- we do at the conferences. Ann Bennett Mix gram, which is guided by Barry Sometimes members gather Barr-Finch. to go to a special place like a memorial. Each LRC can do AWON OFFICERS Some of you may have heard what works best. President the term “Regional Coordina- Judi Kramer, who shares the Judy Geis Hoffman tors” and know what that is all duties of LRC with me for the Vice President about, but I know that many state of Washington, assists Ed Peters more do not. me with selecting a date, time, Secretary Bonnie Crane Blackford Hellums Some time back I took on and location for the event. Treasurer the job of Director of Region- Then I send out the notice Norm Burkey al Coordinators. It has been a to my email list. She writes work in progress and may not or calls all those who do not AWON DIRECTORS ever “arrive.” What I do is try have email. We also post it on Barry Barr-Finch to get local members togeth- the list serve. That lets peo- Norma Nicol Hamilton Kathy Le Comte er for some kind of gathering. ple who might be visiting the Bob Meek The idea is that orphans meet area know so they can join if Gerry Conway Morenski on a somewhat regular basis. they like. The conferences provide a We try to publish any pictures setting for this, but less than of “where two or three” gather AWON ADMINISTRATION half our members get to con- in The Star. I also send out Database Manager Ann Bennett Mix Pub. Relations Patricia Gaffney-Kindig ferences for one reason or an- the photos to the attendees. Bookstore Manager Walt Linne other. Some never get there. When an LRC is planning on The Star Editor Kathy Le Comte That is where Local Regional a gathering, they can con- Asst. Editor Rosalie Miles Francisco Coordinators (LRC) come in. tact me for an updated list of Webmaster Rik Peirson In many states we have members. I always send them ListServ Moderators Judy Hathaway, someone who is supposed to the names of members whose Judy Hoffman be putting together some op- membership has lapsed, as portunity for local members to well. It should be a gathering on the Web: www.awon.org meet and share their stories. for orphans, not just mem- These can be in public places bers. Email us at: [email protected] like restaurants, or private Another function of the LRC homes, for example. In Wash- is that you can be a go-to per- The Star is a quarterly publication of ington State, we try to meet son for situations when there the American WWII Orphans Network twice a year. In the past we is an issue with a local mem- (AWON), a nonprofit 501 (c) 3, nonpolitical, public service organization, serving the have always been at restau- ber, such as a sickness or children of U.S. servicemen killed in WWII. rants, but as you might see death in the family. The Star is published and mailed from here in The Star, we met in a I encourage you to get in- Springfield, Illinois. ISSN 1941-370X (print) 1941-3769 (online). Copyright 2009 by the member's home this last time. volved in this wonderful en- American WWII Orphans Network. All It was very successful and we rights reserved. were able to see two videos, ...continued on page 3 Issue #53 1M (06-09) 2 American WWII Orphans Network Playne's Last Wish Fulfilled Editor's Note: When AWONer Karen tears, just the cards I got dealt. a pacemaker which gave her Whitney Playne died in December, she re- I really have a sixth sense that the ability to keep on going. quested that her story be written and sent this all comes from the stress in Like many of you, Karen to The Star. Karen was very grateful for AWON and her AWON family. Here, we the womb syndrome... My amaz- knew very little about her fa- honor one of her last wishes. ing recovery is the training Mom ther, Pfc. Everett Earl “Bud” provided. She taught me to stand Playne. Her mother would by Joan Albarella on both feet and come up fighting not discuss her father and aren Whitney Playne even though her step-father passed away on De- was a good and kind “Dad,” cember 27, 2008, from Karen always felt there was K an empty hole in her life. a heart attack and complica- tions of vascular disease. It When her mother died, was her wish that she share Karen was finally given sev- the story of her search for her eral letters and military docu- father with her AWON broth- ments wrapped in a rubber ers and sisters. band, including the telegram In a response to AWON mem- and insurance and benefit pa- ber Rik Peirson’s welcoming pers, as well as an obituary, email in early 2001, Karen in- cemetery contract, sympathy card, and two letters written troduced herself: Karen Whitney Playne I just retired from the State Uni- in 1945 by one of her father’s Army buddies. versity of New York at Buffalo, no matter what. So I could take She wrote: thirty years of service, decent care of myself and not end up in Mom suffered greatly... Four pension. Can you believe “the the predicament she was in when months pregnant, husband kids” are pensioned off? And I my Father was killed. I guess I killed, zero money. I have yet to have to be one of the younger got a little of the MP spirit born find out if my Father even knew ones, born in 1946... into me, too. they were expecting me. And I I ended up taking early retire- In 2004, Karen learned that know, although she never said ment because I had open-heart four of her five bypasses were it, that she knew he didn’t hit surgery at 43, five bypasses... No occluded. By 2006, she had his head on some dumb bridge. What actually happened I have Message, from page 2 We really need to have more yet to discover. Mom filled me of these positions filled. Right with hints and stories without deavor. It is a great way to now some of the places where ever really coming right out and meet people with similar there are no LRC are parts of telling me anything about my backgrounds, share your sto- Texas and California (they are father. It’s unreal, really, how ries, and possibly make some both huge states), Louisiana, suddenly I’ll flash on something new friends. If you don’t know Missouri, Tennessee, South she taught me and it’s a clue. your LRC, contact me and I Carolina, northern New Eng- Karen was forever grateful to will put you in touch. If you land, and the Dakotas. And members of AWON for help- think that you might like to some of the states where we ing her find the resources and help with this project, I can have LRCs need more help. contacts necessary to discov- help you work out that as well. For a list of current Local Re- er more about her father.