David Niven took part in the Allied invasion at Normandy during World War II, though several days after D-Day. He served in a secret reconnaissance and signals unit. Through the years he was often asked for stories concerning his experience in combat. Niven wrote best-selling books about his days in Hollywood, but was reluctant to discuss the war in France. When periodically obliging such inquiries, this was what he would say: “I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war.”