My father, James Howard Hardy was born in Jackson, Mississippi on January 12, 1919. He was raised by his parents, Adolphus and Mamie Lou Hardy in the small town of Ecru, Mississippi. He had a younger sister, Sarah, who still resides in Ecru today.

He was a graduate of Ecru High School and Mississippi State University. He graduated in 1940 with a Bachelors degree in Business, and accepted an Army commission in the same year.

Dad played in the semi-pro baseball team of Pontotoc during the mid to late 1930's, and was known as"Hotsie" by his teammates. Semi-professional baseball was popular spectator sport throughout the state in those days. Often sponsored by business firms or "passing the hat" at games. Howard was known for his love of good times, fast and fancy cars, and his sense of humor. He also was a member of the Ecru Baptist Church and the Cherry Creek Masonic Lodge.

Dad served first with the Fourth Division, 22nd Infantry at Fort McClelland. He then transferred to the Paratroopers and participated in the North African invasion. He served for nine months in North Africa before being assigned to the 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division, "M" Company.

He met and married Margaret Lane from Anniston, Alabama, while he was stationed at Fort McClelland in Anniston. They had one daughter, me ... they named me Diane, and I was born on June 8, 1944, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana

The 106th arrived at the front December 11, 1944. Only five days later the Germans launched their operation "Wacht am Rhein", known to American people as "the Battle of the Bulge". The 106th was right in the middle of the German advance ... It is widely reported that the 106th bore the brunt of the German breakthrough in December and were decimated in the Germans' crushing offensive in the Ardennes.

Secretary of War Stimson singled out the 106th for special commendation on its "gallant stand" against the German drive, which cost the division reportedly 8663 dead, wounded and missing, more than half its strength. For our family however this wasn't the worst news ... My father had been killed during fierce fighting near St Vith, a small Belgian town that had been annexed by the Germans. Official sources pinpoint the date of his death on December 21, 1944 ... however soldiers who served with him, have written me that he was killed by artillery fire "tree bursts" on December 19, 1944 ... He was only 25 years young ...

In the next days after my father's death, the 106th continued to resists the Germans. It's widely acknowledged that although the Germans crushed the 106th Infantry Division, the delay that this and other inexperienced divisions caused the German advance, proved in the end fatal to the entire offensive. During December 1944 and January 1945 the odds slowely turned and the German forces were in many cases obliterated ...

In 2005, with the assistance of John Kline, I wrote some of the men who served in "M" company asking for information and memories of my father. I received touching replies by email, US mail, and phone from men who remembered him. Some of their memories they shared were that "Captain Hardy was admired by all the men of M/Co. who would follow him anywhere, "he was never too busy to stop and talk with me", "he was professional and did his job well", "and he was a good and kind man". These veterans gave a wonderful gift - the gift of their memories to a daughter who wanted to know more about her father.

In June 2007 I traveled to Belgium to visit my father's burial site for the first time. It felt good to finally be at Henri-Chapelle and with him again. While there I met Isabelle Engels, a Belgian woman who has adopted my father's grave site. Isabelle has adopted seven graves at Henri-Chapelle as a way of thanking the American soldiers for their war effort and sacrifices made in Belgium. It gives me comfort to know that Isabelle visits and honors my father. Isabelle is on the left in the photo below and Diane on the right.

I currently reside in Durham, New Hampshire with my husband, Jim. My father has two grandchildren. Jason, 35, who is a physician in Seattle, Washington and Lindsey, 21, who is a college student in Boston, Massachusetts.

These days my father Captain James "Howard" Hardy rests in the beautiful American Military Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle. He is remembered and honored by me, his daughter Diane and my husband Jim, by his grandchildren Lindsey & Jason, by his entire family, by Isabelle Engels, by John Kline and his fellow veterans. Howard is also remembered and honored by every visitor of the American Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle and by every visitor of this website.

Special thanks to Howard's daughter Diane Pollard, her husband Jim,
Howard's sister Sarah and her daughter Leila
Isabelle Engels and John Kline.