Remembering the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and the Invasion of Europe during World War Two

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. 

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! 

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! 

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower

That was the order issued by General Dwight D. Eisenhower to encourage the Allied soldiers on the verge of their involvement in the D-Day invasion.  Long expected and anticipated, the European invasion by Allied forces followed several years of Nazi German expansion and occupation throughout the continent.  While other Allied action was happening on the Eastern Front by Russian forces, Operation Overlord would be the first time that Allied forces mounted a major assault of the conflict’s Western Front in occupied Europe. 

Vindicator 6 June 1944, Front Page; Vindicator 6 June 1944, Extra

Anxious eyes and ears from around the world awaited newspaper and radio reports throughout the spring months of 1944 and news of the European invasion was met with expectation and uncertainty.  The June 6 Vindicator Extra edition gave the following report of the initial news:

“Invaders battle foes inside Caen.  4,000 ships join in thrust; Airborne troops lead in dash; Navies shell coast.

“Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, June 6 – Allied forces landed in the Normandy area of Northwest France today and have thrust several miles inland on a broad front against unexpected slight German opposition and with losses much smaller than had been anticipated.  The grand assault found the highly vaunted German defenses much less formidable in every department that had been feared.”

The newspaper also reported that local residents responded calmly, though a little surprised by the news:

“City greets news calmly.

“First reports of the Allied invasion of Europe were received with skepticism by Youngstowners early this morning – those comparatively few Youngstowners who were around when the first German announcements were received about 1:30 am.  Following the official announcement two hours later, the news was received calmly.  People were not shocked by the announcement.  They had expected it.

“There was no rejoicing.  They knew that loved ones were fighting and might be dying.  There was a general air of relief that the long expected battle had begun at last. In some parts of the city news of the invasion flashed during the night.  Lights came on in homes and radios were tuned in to bring every word of reports from the various news sources.

“Many persons, however, knew nothing of the invasion until they left their homes for work early this morning.  Few persons on busses commented on it.  ‘My neighbor said he heard over the radio that the invasion had begun,’ one passenger commented.  ‘Probably another false report,’ his companion said.

“But in the business district the report was verified.  Vindicators with bold headlines told how the forces had crossed the channel and had driven a wedge into Hitler’s west wall.  ‘Doggone, they did it!’ one man commented, while another said with apparent relief ‘well, D-Day HAS arrived at last.’

“Women appeared a little more emotional over the news than men.  Many of them have loved ones somewhere over there.  Small groups of persons gathered to read Vindicator Extras which appeared on downtown streets this morning.

“After the first reaction came the second – the involuntary turn of many persons to church for prayer.  Gray haired parents, solemn faced women in the distinguished slacks of the war worker, and grim men with lunch pails predominated in the group who sought quiet devotion in the Chapel of Friendly Bells.”

“All churches open today for prayers.  The invasion of Hitler’s fortress has begun.  From springboards where men and materials have been gathered for months, Allied soldiers are storming the European fortress.  Men will die.  Others will be wounded, some slightly and some crippled for life.  Those men need spiritual support and prayers.  In preparation for this, the churches of Youngstown are calling the citizens to gather and pray today.

In the Mahoning Valley, the war effort had been in full swing since the attacks at Pearl Harbor in December 1941 with War Loans being pushed by the local Women’s Division of the War Finance Committee.  At Strouss-Hirshberg Co., efforts were underway to raise more than $21 million in what became Mahoning County’s Fifth War Loan Drive.  On June 7, 1944, the Vindicator reported that “the women’s division sold several hundred dollars’ worth of bonds at their two booths on the Square during the day,” and “announced that bond-buyers unable to come to town may send their orders to either WFMJ or WKBN.  Police cruisers will make calls once a day at designated addresses to pick up checks.”

Buying war bonds also sparked a friendly competition between area businesses and industries.  “It is easy for us at the Youngstown Welding & Engineering Co. to win the industrial war bond competition because it is easy for us to buy war bonds – we believe thoroughly in them,” President Charles G. Watson reported as his company won the contest for the Fourth War Loan Drive.  Plans were underway for a new competition as the Fifth Drive kicked off.  “Employees of Youngstown Welding & Engineering are [backing] our government 100 percent, not only in buying war bonds but in furnishing essential materials. … No ship has ever been delayed by any failure on our part,” Watson added.  William S. Miller, advertising manager at General Fireproofing Co. anticipated that the Fifth Drive would be over the top with local support.

Assistance and support was coming from all angles, including blood drives sponsored by the local Red Cross Blood Bank.  “Nearly 100 donors are needed to fill Mahoning County’s quota for Friday and Saturday,” local chairman Frederigo C. Ravelli reported.  “The blood bank filled its quota of 170 Wednesday with one to spare.” 

Clayton Brothers, Youngstown Vindicator, 7 June 1944

The Mahoning Valley supplied money, steel, resources, and most importantly, servicemen to the cause, including the four sons of Mr. and Mrs. William Clayton: Sergeant Henry, Corporal William Jr., and Private Marcus, all former Republic Steel workers, and Private First Class William C., a former employee of the Westinghouse Company in Pittsburgh.  These men, along with many others, were serving all over the world. 

As general war news poured in from around the world, local folks were eager to hear about service members from the Mahoning Valley who were involved in the actions on D-Day.  This desire was enough to prompt the Youngstown Vindicator to publish a front page solicitation for information.  It took weeks for official D-Day information from the War Department to reach local families.  Private First Class Edward J. Loswego, Youngstown, was wounded when his glider had to crash land in France.  He received chest and leg injuries and was sent back to England.  Prior to the invasion, the Struthers High School graduate had served over Africa, Sicily, and Italy. 

Local Service Members, Youngstown Vindicator, 11 June 1944

As general war news poured in from around the world, local folks were eager to hear about service members from the Mahoning Valley who were involved in the actions on D-Day.  This desire was enough to prompt the Youngstown Vindicator to publish a front page solicitation for information.  It took weeks for official D-Day information from the War Department to reach local families.  Private First Class Edward J. Loswego, Youngstown, was wounded when his glider had to crash land in France.  He received chest and leg injuries and was sent back to England.  Prior to the invasion, the Struthers High School graduate had served over Africa, Sicily, and Italy. 

Captain Clifton H. Troxell, of Ravenna, was awarded a second bronze oak leaf cluster to his Distinguished Flying Cross during his service with the US Army Eighth Air Force in operation from England.  Interestingly, Troxell served as the wingman to Colonel Charles Lindberg on one mission during which Lindberg shot down two Japanese fighter planes.  Troxell himself took down five enemy aircraft during his time in the service.

Technical Sergeant John A. Dougherty, New Castle, PA, served as a radio operator and gunner with the Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress.  His actions on D-Day awarded him a Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition for his courage and extraordinary achievement while participating in numerous bombing attacks on German military and industrial objectives.  Dougherty, a former Youngstown College (now Youngstown State University) student, had worked in the Campbell plant of Youngstown Sheet and Tube before enlisting.  Previous decorations included an Air Medal and three oak leaf clusters to the Air Medal for his service with a heavy bomber group.  He had been involved in missions over France and Germany, taking flak and anti-aircraft fire. 

Private Chester L. Pickard, a 19-year-old paratrooper from Alliance, described his jump into France on D-Day: “When we prepared to jump, I could see thousands of tracer bullets coming up to meet us.  Shells from the ack acks were exploding all around and the sky was lighted by their explosion.  After you land, you wonder how you got down through all of that fire without getting hit.  Then you know that God must have been watching over you.  Believe me, since I jumped I have been going to church.”

Sergeant Nettuno Orlati, Youngstown, was wounded on D-Day but placed back into service before being wounded again.  Prior to enlisting, Orlati worked as a bricklayer for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.  Staff Sergeant Steve J. Mayer, Youngstown, was wounded twice during the first 10 days of the invasion and by September 15, 1944, was recovering in the Crile General Hospital in Cleveland.  Two others from East Liverpool, Corporal Harvey Cullen Jr. and Private First Class Alfred H. Pasco Jr. were among many other local service members injured. 

Sergeant Shill, Youngstown Vindicator, 14 November, 1944;

Schill Grave, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France

War casualties, unfortunately, were nothing new to local families, including the family of Private Richard S. Kinford of Newton Falls who was killed in action in fighting near the Mediterranean.  Local D-Day dead included Lieutenant Colonel Richard Blatt, a West Point graduate from Mercer, Pennsylvania, and Private John Zarlengo of Youngstown.  Sergeant Albert W. L. Schill, a paratrooper with the 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division, was killed on June 6, the day of the invasion.  He worked at the Commercial Shearing & Stamping Co. before enlisting in 1942.  Schill had previously been listed as missing before his death was confirmed. 

Corporal Donald McAllister, Struthers, was also killed in action after being stationed in England.  His mother, who had died a few years’ prior, moved to the United States from Scotland and still had family here.  McAllister took leave to visit those relatives, including two of his mother’s brothers.  When she left for the US, McAllister’s mother forgot a gold watch which one of her brothers gave to McAllister, their nephew, upon his arrival.  He mailed the watch back to Struthers and it arrived the day after he was killed in action.  Private First Class Wilfred Adkins, a former steel worker from East Liverpool, was also killed in action.  Private George Donohue, East Liverpool, had been declared missing since June 6, 1944, and was later found to be a prisoner of war.  Reports of his liberation came in May 1945.  These are only a handful of the stories of local service members involved D-Day.

Vindicator 12 June 1944, Front Page

Coverage of the European invasion continued as Allied forces pushed the German army back through France, Holland, Belgium, and finally into Germany in 1945.  The Mahoning Valley’s war effort did not slow down as factories focused on war production and folks worked through rationing, raised money, and sent supplies.  Over the next year, we will continue to focus on the 80^th anniversary of the ending of World War Two with special articles and information.