2 June 1996 – D-Day Veterans Remembered

“D-Day Veterans Remembered”

Carroll County Times Article for 2 June 1996

By Jay A. Graybeal

This Thursday will mark the 52nd anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy.

Although the big observances have passed, a January 19, 1945 Democratic Advocate newspaper article serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made on June 6, 1944 and in the weeks that followed.

Twenty-Ninth Infantry, Division-Several hundred Maryland soldiers have received certificates personally signed by their commanding general honoring them for fighting with the Twenty-Ninth Division from D Day to St. Lo. The honor is a personal salute from Maj. Gen. Charles H. Gerhardt to the officers and men who battered their way through flooded areas and the Normandy hedgerows and stormed the key city of St. Lo in a campaign where the taking of every 500 yards was a major battle.The Army reckons the Normandy fighting as one campaign, which entitles participants to one star on their theater ribbons, but General Gerhardt’s certificate recognizes the unusual toughness of the fighting in the early days of the invasion.The “Blue and Gray” Division has won two unit citations and its members have been awarded 4,629 personal decorations since the outfit stormed the invasion beaches. The 116th Infantry Regiment was cited for its pre-H-Hour assault and the 115th Infantry Regiment was cited for being the first unit into St. Lo. The following Carroll county soldiers took part in the above invasion: T/5 Eddie A. Dix, Finksburg; First Sgt. Jesse L. Nusbaum, Madison ave., this city; Tech. Sgt. Paul E. Harris, Hampstead; Tech. Sgt. Charles C. Lemmon, near this city; Tech. Sgt. Carroll N. Null, this city; S/Sgt. Wilbur L. Sprecker, Liberty street, this city; Col. Herbert W. Ford, near Hampstead; T/5 George D. Sprinkle, West Main street, this city; Pfc. William P. Bloom, New Windsor; Pfc. William C. Haines; near this city; S/Sgt Alfred O. Warner, this city; S/Sgt Russell L. Wetzel, Union Bridge; S/Sgt. Robert C. Zentgraft; Center street, this city; Pvt. John F. Sprinkle, John street, this city; Tech. Sgt. Sterling E. Harris, Mt. Airy; Pfc. Lloyd H. Diller, Sykesville; Corp. Maurice E. Blizzard, East Green street; this city; Corp. Howard J. Bowman, near this city; T/5 Francis A. Zile, near this city; S/Sgt. John L. Leister, Taneytown; CWO Franklin R. Mohler, Liberty street, this city; Pvt. James C. Capel, Sykesville; Pfc. Walter H. Lough, near Carrollton; Lt. Col. Philip W. Root, near Carrollton; T/4 Monroe R. Poole, near Mt. Airy; T/4 Emory E. Hoffman, Arcadia; T/4 Artie B. Waltz, near this city; T/5 Edward S. Crushong, near Union Bridge; T/5 Lloyd J. Glass, East Main Street this city; T/5 Francis L. Myers, Liberty street, this city; T/5 Thomas M. Toland, East Main street, this city; and Pfc. Ralph R. Reese, near this city.While the article gives a long list of D-Day participants, it is in no way complete as many other Carroll Countians were involved in the D-Day landings. Some served as ground troops while others supported the landings on ships or in aircraft. All contributed to the Allied cause.