Tuesday was the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, the day in which Allied Forces further pressed the Western front against Nazi Germany. YHC decided that the Judge was the perfect site to tell the tale of the American AirBorne divisions’ contributions to the Freedom we now enjoy.
St Mere Eglise, Normandy, France. 1:15 am on June 6, 1944. A fire has begun to engulf a building that borders the town square. The town’s people have formed a fire-line from the town water pump to the fire itself. At that moment, men from the 101st Airborne begin landing in and around the square. Already at the alarm, German soldiers begin pouring their malice into the not yet fully armed Americans. Very few escape unscathed. 4 men pay the ultimate price. The town goes quiet once again, save the Norman church bell ringing in alarm, and the roar of the C-47 Dakotas heard overhead.
1:45am another stick of paratroopers begins descending into the town square. Two men are hung up on the church steeple. They would survive to fight another day. Others, sadly, would land in trees and on telephone poles, or directly on top of the awaiting Germans. Again some would escape to harass the Germans elsewhere, but the town would remain under German control until nearly daybreak.
St. Mere Eglise sat directly on the N-13 highway which connected Cherbourg to Paris. It was a main route used by the Germans, and by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel’s plan, enabling them to speed any counter attack to the coming allied invasion. The 82nd Airborne’s primary goals in the pre-dawn hours were to secure the town, various crossroads that straddled other important routes, and to capture other German strongpoints. On the other hand, the 101st Airborne was to land closer behind Utah beach, clear the causeway exits for the beach landings, and take out vital artillery emplacements that fired down on the beaches. Rommel had ordered the rivers dammed, and subsequently the fields flooded, to impede an inland march from the beaches by the invasion force. This action also allowed the Germans to concentrate their defenses. Both divisions had to accomplish their tasks with haste to impede the German response.
15 PAX safely exited the C-47s (fartsack) and made it to the rally point (SF). Disclaimer sort of given. “We’re under fire, roll out!.”
“But Sir, we’re surrounded.”
“Son, we’re paratroopers. We’re supposed to be surrounded.”
Mosey to the center of town for warm-up. Proxy: Main courtyard of NCMA.
- SSH x20, Good Mornings x15.
Mission quickly explained. Must escape town before the Germans get the drop on us. Partner up and tackle the objectives with the utmost speed.
Clear the causeway to Utah beach.
- Jog the path behind the amphitheater to the intersection with the bridge to the left
- 20 squats, 20 mericans, 20 Freddie mercs
Take out the artillery battery of 88’s – It is often said of the German 88 millimeter cannon that more soldiers converted to Christianity because of the 88 than the entire combined ministry of Peter and Paul. Wait a minute…these aren’t 88’s…they’re 105’s. Only a feat of arms can conquer these bohemoths.
- Jog to the battery (the Dojo)
- 15 Irkins, 15 dips, 15 derkins, 15 dips
Prior to the attack, we were joined by a lone lost soldier from the 101st in the personage of a Private Michael Gruman. “Jump in with us Private. You’re not lost, you’re in Normandy”
Clear the landing field for the 325th Glider-Borne Infantry
- Jog to the corner of the parking lot
- 20 squats, 20 mericans, 20 Freddie mercs
Gather up other troops to strengthen the attack on St. Mere Eglise
- Jog to the base of the staircase
- 20 squats, 20 Mericans, 20 Freddie Mercs
Attack the town. The church bell is still ringing. Hopefully they won’t hear us. Feat of arms should do the trick
- Bunny hop up the staircase, and take the town from the East
- 15 irkins, 15 dips, 15 derkins, 15 dips
Attack failed. Need more troops. Check all previously taken strong points and try again continuously until daylight.
6:06 Time to “roll up the stick” for a final attack. The first man out of the plane, once landed, follows the direction of the plane and picks up paratroopers along the way until all men in the stick are accounted for. Final attack was successful. St Mere Eglise is quiet with the sound of Freedom. The Germans have retreated for now. Time for celebratory Mary.
- 50 xLBCs
Mission complete
COT & NMM
- On D-Day, elements of both American Air Borne divisions took St. Mere Eglise for good at 5am. As a result of a cloudy sky and many rookie pilots, Air Borne troops were scattered all of over the Cotentin peninsula, and thus fought in mixed units throughout the night and coming days.
- The first troops to hit the beaches would do so around 6:30am. Partially attributed to the effectiveness of both Airborne Divisions, the assault at Utah beach went exceptionally well. It also helped that Utah, was not as ominous in respect to its terrain, and was poorly manned by the Germans. This was not the case at Omaha, and Pointe Du Hoc. The over 100ft tall cliffs were littered with cannon, machine guns, and minefields which in turn proved a horrific task for the men that had waded ashore through what only can be described as absolute hell.
- The fartsack can be the death of many men. YHC is thankful for the men that choose to exit the bed and post every morning. You PAX, make me better. May God richly bless each of you.
- Fluoride wins the Virtual trophy today. The War Daddy stayed out front, and never relinquished. Post next week at the Judge as he celebrates 57 years on the #BigBall.
- Humbled for the opportunity to lead this am. Do the hard stuff today. 73 years ago, men younger than most of us tackled something extremely monumental which still echoes loudly in the history of the world.
- Fluoride took us out mightliy
