During World War II, the French Resistance played a vital role in the Allied victory. Supported by Brittain's Special Operations Executive in London, Resistance networks were formed, led and equipped by SOE agents. The Auduc family provided essential support to the network formed around Le Mans, France, by an American OSS agent and a French SOE agent. The Auduc's oldest son, Jean-Jacques, became the youngest Resistance fighter to be awarded the Croix de Guerre. He was also awarded the U. S. Medal of Freedom and the French Legion of Honor for heroism as a 12 year old. Other members of this heroic family were similarly distinguished. The downing of two B-17's on July 4, 1943, brought the Auduc's face to face with the five surviving U. S. airmen and changed each other's lives forever as the airmen were first sheltered and then repatriated to England. The graves of those airmen who perished were resolutely guarded by French citizens. The Auduc family and their fellow resistants teach us how much people will sacrifice to gain freedom from an oppressor. American, British, Canadian and French worked in cloaked secrecy and harmony to rid the world of the greatest evil in recorded history. U. S. airman Sgt. David Butcher stayed with the Resistance for eight months, training its members in the use of the weapons parachuted to them. Other downed airmen were assisted by underground networks to escape to Spain and eventual repatriation to England. American Army Captain and OSS member Fred Floege twice parachuted into France on missions for the SOE. During his second mission, he organized and led a large group of resistants in the east of France who stymied German movements before and during the D-Day landings. This is a true, previously untold story of undaunted resistance to the Nazis. Alfred Auduc awes with his reckless determination to thwart the Nazis even while imprisoned in concentration camps along with his brother and other resistants from his region. His mother at age 66 harbors a radio transmitter and its operator while receiving munitions drops on her farm. The end of the War is not the end of the Auduc's story. Through them we learn how the Marshall plan helped to restart European's lives. But we also learn how the deep scars of their incarceration pain them throughout their lives. For many years, Jean-Jacques Auduc has belonged to a French association whose mission is to remember Allied sacrifices to liberate their country. Jean-Jacques relates his story to French school children; he proudly carries the American flag at commemorative events; and, he restores and maintains Allied monuments. Jean-Jacques chooses to use his meager funds in this way rather than on a TV set or a computer or the internet or other comforts. Perhaps the proceeds from this book may allow him some comforts in his eighties. My wife, Claire, who translated the several bios which are included in this book, Jean-Jacques, who so much wished to have his family's and friends' stories preserved, and I thank you for your interest. Kendrick Kirk This book has been endorsed by Sir Peter F. Ricketts, the British Ambassador to France.

My mother's trials began when she was a very young child with her parents arguing daily in their home. The sudden death of her own mother was very devastating, and changed her own life completely. It was then that her love of God and His Blessed Mother began in earnest. She learned to pray, trust and believe in them. She knew she was never really alone.

Mother enjoyed her life to the fullest despite the difficult things she suffered.

Dancing and reading brought her a lot of pleasure. She was also second in her graduatiing High School Class. She loved acting in her drama classes and was told that she was good. A sense of humor was also present and is shown within the context of her story.

When mother reached her forties she developed a brain tumor which eventually disfigured her. Her thoughts and feelings are described here along with her descriptions of God's loving nature.

Her final trial was the dreaded Alheizmer Disease. She will describe in her own words how she felt when she realized that she had this disease.

God shows His goodness, compassion love and comfort throughout her life and my wish is that through my mothers story, the reader will also be blessed and comforted.