The invasion of Europe in WW II took place on D-Day, 6 June 1944; the amphibious assault was preceded by an airborne assault early in the morning. Included in that assault was the newly formed 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping that day was trooper Everton Bushnell. A quarter of a century later, his son, Ellsworth Bushnell, fought in Vietnam as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. This past summer the third generation of Bushnells wore the All-American patch of the 82nd into combat as Sergeant First Class John Bushnell deployed to Iraq. This is a great family with a proud tradition of serving their nation in time of war. In this season of giving, I wonder why more families don’t have the tradition of giving their service in defense of their nation.
