Arthur Adell Hudson, son of Sarah Ola Thomas Hudson and Floyd Hudson, was honored at Louge'sur-Maire, France in May 2009. A plaque was dedeciated to him along with 5 other soliders that were killed while they were liberating this French village during World War II. All died together on Aug 17 1944 as they were taking cover behind a abandoned German tank. Another German tank spotted them and fired upon the tank they were behind. Accounts say that Adell died from a fractured skull.

This all came about from a helmet that was collected by a local villager that belonged to Jason Barron, one of the 5 soldiers that died with
Adell on that day. This villager searched and found Jason's family, a brother and niece in hopes of returning his helmet to them.. This is
what prompted the dedication ceremory for Adell and his fellow commrades. Linda Barron Heintich, Jason Barron's niece, has written a
book, detailing the accounts of Adell and the 5 other soldiers. The book is called , "Jason's Helmet."

The American helmet, saved by a French farmer after German troops retreated from the Louge-sur-Maire area, remained in France for 65 years. Then, internet research made it possible to trace the family of the soldier to whom it once belonged.

“We are seeking the family of 1st Lt. Jason H. Barron who was killed in action in France during World War II. The helmet of the young soldier was found 65 years ago. We wish to return it to his family.”

Linda Heinrich read the note and sent an email to its address in France.

A man named Rene Brideau replied, “We have the helmet of your uncle …”

She began compiling folders from the Guidry, Hudson, Koepl, Williams and Price families. They would be important for public ceremonies the French were planning as a tribute to their liberators from Nazi Germany. She and other members of her family, including her husband, Brian, were making plans to attend the event.

Frenchmen Roger Pillu and a neighbor had been looking for news about the Louge-sur-Maire area after the war moved past. They came to an abandoned German tank and saw a kind of tarp spread unevenly on the ground nearby.

When they raised it, they saw the bodies of six Americans.

Pillu remembered it this way:

“Horrified by this macabre discovery, we decided to alert the American reinforced division that camped not far from the borough … the captain took us on board his jeep to the place of the drama. The captain had himself raised the awning and searched his six dead mates. He had withdrawn the watch bracelet of one or two and had given orders to remove the personal effects of his glorious soldiers quickly.”

Pillu remembered, “The captain didn’t remain anymore at the site. Left behind were the helmets of these heroes, of which one carried the name of Barron, struck by a bullet.”

Pillu passed the helmet along to a friend, Roger Bignon, on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Louge-sur-Maire, since Bignon had lived about 300 yards from the site of the battle.

The helmet was kept until 2009, when they were able to find Linda Heinrich and her father, Emerson Barron, the brother of Lt. Barron, and set up the 65th anniversary celebration of the liberation.

Arthur A Hudson