"Lest we forget"
Posted on 05/28/2018 8:08:48 AM PDT by GreyFriar
The week of May 8 to 15 closed a chapter in my life whose first pages were written in France before I made my 1947 debut, in New York City. My father’s first cousin, William Friedman, authored those pages by deed. Bill enlisted in the Army in 1938 and made the first of his three first-day World War II landings Nov. 8, 1942, in Oran, Algeria, with the First Division, (snip) Italy (snip) the invasion of Normandy.
Like most veterans Bill rarely spoke of his war days. He opened up to me a few times, once showing me letters he had written from France in 1944; then 27, he wrote that he did not expect to see 28. Bill first told his D-Day story to me around the time he attended the 40thanniversary commemoration at which President Reagan gave his legendary [Pointe du Hoc] speech....
But it was ten years later, when Bill co-represented the Big Red One at the 50th anniversary celebration, and greeted President Clinton, that he told more of his story. Bill recalled the interminable voyage across the stormy English Channel; he stood in the third row of his landing craft. As they approached the drop-off point in heavy seas the soldiers could hear the clatter of machine-gun bullets slamming into the prow of the ship. His regiment (the 16th) landed at Easy Red sector, the most heavily defended area, along with the neighboring Dog Green sector, of the beach that was to become known as “Bloody Omaha.” The First was chosen for this location because it was America’s most battle-hardened division.
Bill was interviewed for several TV specials [and interviewed by] soldier-author Tim Kilvert-Jones, writing the foreword for TK-J’s 1999 book, "Omaha Beach: V Corps’ Battle for the Normandy Beachhead."
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
I recommend reading this Memorial Day tribute to Wohlstetter’s late uncle in which he presents his uncle’s description of landing with the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division on Omaha Beach.
And who can forget President Reagan’s June 6, 1984, speech at Normandy on the 40th anniversary of D-Day, when he immortalized the heroism of “the boys of Pointe du Hoc.” It is one of the greatest speeches in our history.
Excellent article. Thanks for posting it.
Watched Band of Brothers this weekend. They sacrificed to much.
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