Abner Holben

ASN:38511012

Company Morning Reports

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Photo Gallery

Private Abner Holben

September 18, 1944 - Glider manifest Holland Campaign - Abner Holben, Casimir Sobon, Calvin Hightower, Gennaro Deangelis, Joseph D’Appolonio - 75mm Howitzer & 30 rounds of Ammo, equipment and water

Reverse side of flight manifest

Above photos courtesy of the Casimir Sobon and Holben families

STL Archive Records

“A Poem”

Farmer's Boy

He loved to build model planes

And dreamed someday of flying

This farmer's boy would get his chance

Sent overseas to join the dying

Courageous heart he joined the paratroops

Too tall but they trained him anyway

Burdened with cannon and shells and gear

Borne in a glider on that fateful D-day

Taking it to the enemy below

All American they were called

Unsung heroes everyone

Some would come give their all

Sent to smash the Nazi beast

Waiting below with it's sharp Panzer teeth

From Ste Mere Eglise to that terrible Bulge

Then across the Rhine to bring Hitler's defeat

But a heavy price would be paid

By this brave farmer's boy

Who dreamed one day of flying

As he built his model toys

Now bound to a bottle

To silence his pain

War's horror replayed

Again and again

A life forever changed

Answering his nation's cry

Just a simple farmer's boy

Who wanted to fly

J.R.Holben

Abner Holben, 63, died March 24, 1988. God bless this hero.