ARKANSAN HONORED: Little Rock residents Jim Argue Jr. and his wife, Elise, recently returned from a trip that included a visit to the Normandy beaches in France and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.
"The visitors center is especially well done, much like what you'd expect at one of our national parks here," said Jim Argue, former president pro tempore of the state Senate. "It included a movie, Letters, a story told through their letters and interviews with family members that highlighted five young men who died at Normandy on June 6, 1944."
Through it, he learned of an Arkansas connection.
"One of the soldiers highlighted was Gene Sellers from Arkansas," Argue said. "While I was overwhelmed by the sacrifice these young men made, I also felt a sense of pride that one of our very own was chosen to be highlighted in the video."
Pfc. Harold "Gene" Sellers of Jonesboro is recognized as the first American soldier to lose his life on D-Day. The Walnut Ridge native joined the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division when World War II began and was part of a large force of paratroopers that dropped behind enemy lines the night before the invasion and the Battle of Normandy, according to information from the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 21.
The film features portions of letters from Sellers to his family and interviews with his sister Wanda Vance and his high school friend, Carroll Gott of Jonesboro.
Information about Sellers at the memorial states:
"Before the main body of airborne troops descended into Normandy, a small and courageous group of pathfinders led the way for the invasion. Private First Class Harold Sellers parachuted into France with the other pathfinders in his regiment, but never made it to the ground. He was killed in his parachute by enemy soldiers after landing in a tree not far from Utah Beach."
Go to tinyurl.com/ofqe8g2 to view the film.
LIVE -- FROM JUANITA'S! Brooks Wheelan (former Saturday Night Live cast member) will perform at Juanita's in Little Rock's River Market District on Nov. 14. The comedian also has a new Comedy Central Half Hour special that premiered Saturday night. Earlier, he released his debut stand-up record, This is Cool, Right?
NEWS FIT TO PRINT: After delivering untold thousands of copies of this paper (and its predecessor, the Arkansas Democrat) daily to their fellow Beebe residents and those in places from Garner to Tonyville for more than 32 years, Linda and Ellis Yingling recently hung up their proverbial newspaper bags. Linda is 74 and Ellis is 78, and failing health ushered the newspaper carriers into retirement. The pair, who delivered papers from a vehicle, are still adjusting to a new sleep schedule after years of going to bed by 6 or 8 p.m. and waking up at half past midnight.
"We're still trying to get used to it," Linda Yingling said.
Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
SundayMonday on 09/20/2015