D-Day Hero Frank DeVita Recalls Lowering the Ramp in 'First Wave' at Omaha Beach

[drmeow]

9. I think I met him

in 1978 - we made a trip to DC and spent time with all the extended family. However, I was only around 14 so what did I care? By the time I would have met him, he would have been 81 or so. I was much more interested and excited about meeting my cousin-once-removed, his nephew - Astronaut Michael Collins (who I also met at a big Collins family reunion about 15 of so years later). I've certainly met his kids and grandkids, nieces, nephews, and other grand nieces and nephews in subsequent years.

We didn't get to know that side of the family well as they were all in NY, NJ, DC and we were in CA. My sister spent more time with them as she went to Georgetown from 1980 - 1984 (he died in 1987) - she certainly is much closer to (what I think are) his grand or great grand kids. I have a hard time keeping his and Michael Collins' lines straight so I'm not sure if the people I know better (who I last saw in the late 2000s/early 2010s) are his descendants or Michael Collins' siblings and their kids!