Tony Vickery, 82nd Airborne - My Discovery and Quest.

On visiting Killymoon Castle in Cookstown, County tyrone I discovered where a young American Soldier had written his personal information on a wall.

Private Tony J. Vickery was serving with Headquarters Company 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army.
When writing he included the Army Post Office 469 Number as well as his home city of Atlanta in Georgia.

Having found this I needed to learn more -

Private Vickery's Army Service Number was 141147495 and his Nickname was the "Milk Bar Commando" because Milk Shakes were his favourite drink.

A non-smoker who did not drink alcohol Tony Vickery had became a technician 4th Grade when he parachuted into Normandy on 6th June 1944.

On the morning of 11th June 1944 Tony Vickery was on sentry duty whilst the Soldiers he was with were catching up on some sleep in a ditch when a group of German Soldiers came into view from nearby woods. He waited until they were approximately 10 meters from his position before opening fire with his Machine-gun. The fight lasts less than Half and Hour during which Tony is Killed in Action.

He is found lying on the edge of a bank behind which he had concealed himself. He is on his back and had been shot in the throat whilst in front of him are the bodies of the Germans he had killed.

When I found this I simply HAD to visit his Grave so went to Normandy in May and took some photographs.

Next step was to try and contact the Vickery Family in America.
Within a couple of weeks I was speaking with his niece on the telephone!
Since then I have been in contact with two other Family members which is fantastic.

I sent them all the photographs I have taken of his writing and Headstone and asked for some photographs of Tony which were emailed to me.

A couple of days ago I received pictures including his Purple Heart so I believe that my journey has now come to an end.

It is fantastic to find where he had written his name. I knew his Family would be unaware of this so to send them a picture of what he had written was brilliant. - To me he had written his own Epitaph.
In Normandy I read aloud what I had about him when standing at his Grave.

You can see more about Tiny by scrolling down https://www.ww2ni.com/countytyronepart1.htm


Tony J Vickery - Gone But Not Forgotten!

Andy

 

Andy well done mate excellent work

 

Well done Andy G.

Keeping names of the departed alive. Thank you.

The American D-Day soldiers who left messages in a castle

Kind regards, always,

Jim.