B _ a. A Publication of the Ramsey County Historical Society

Spring, 1994 Volume 29, Number 1 1 9 4 0

Ramsey County History awarded AASLH Certificate of Commendation, The ‘Fighting Saint’ — The U. S. S. St. Paul and Its Minnesota Connection Page 4

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Women from the Yokosuka, Japan, Folk Dance Association perform Japanese folk dances for U. S. S. St. Paul crewmembers as the heavy cruiser prepares to leave Yokosuka for the United States on July 6, 1962. See arti­ cle beginning on page 4.

D-Day Remembered By Seven Who Were There RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY Executive Director Priscilla Famham Editor Virginia Brainard Kunz

RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS William S. Fallon CONTENTS Chairman o f the Board Joanne Englund 3 Letters President John M. Lindley 4 The ‘Fighting Saint’— First Vice President The U. S. S. St. Paul and Its Minnesota Connection James Russell Treasurer Tom Bolan Sidney P. Abramson, Arthur H. Baumeister, 9 D-Day Remembered By Seven Who Were There Jr., Thomas Boyd, John Brown, Marshall Hatfield, John Harens, Liz Johnson, Judge 13 The Harlem Renaissance— Margaret M. Marrinan, Dr. Thomas B. Mega, An Age of Miracles, Excess, Satire’ Laurie Murphy, Richard T. Murphy, Sr., Thomond O’Brien, Robert Olsen, Darrell John S. Wright Rooney, Evangeline Schroeder, Mark Stein, Jane Thiele, Richard A. Wilhoit and Laurie 14-15 The Harlem Renaissance Revisited Zenner. 16 Growing Up in St. Paul EDITORIAL BOARD Yankeedom: Goal of the 19th Century Immigrant John M. Lindley, chairman; Thomas H. Boyd, John W. Larson Thomas C. Buckley, Charlton Dietz, Thomas J. Kelley, Arthur McWatt, Laurie M. Murphy, 21 Books, Etc. Dr. Thomas B. Mega. 27 Contributors

HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD Elmer L. Andersen, Coleman Bloomfield, A Message from the Editorial Board Olivia I. Dodge, Charlton Dietz, William Finney, Clarence Frame, Otis Godfrey, Jr., The Ramsey County Historical Socie­ Ronald Hachey, Reuel D. Harmon, Robert S. ty recently lost a loyal and long-time sup­ Hess, Ronald M. Hubbs, Fred T. Lanners, Jr., porter when Lester B. LeVesconte, a Don Larson, George Latimer, Lewis Lehr, grandson of Heman and Jane Gibbs, died A David Marsden, Robert B. Mirick, Samuel H, Morgan, Marvin J. Pertzik, J. Jerome in Illinois. In 1849 the Gibbs family es­ n . Plunkett, Peter S. Popovich, James Reagan, tablished the pioneer farmstead that to­ Rosalie E. Wahl, Donald D. Wozniak. day we know as the Gibbs Farm Muse­ um. Lester LeVesconte, whose mother RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS was the Gibbs’s daughter, Lillie, was in­ Commissioner Hal Norgard, chairman strumental in working out in 1949 the ar­ Commissioner Diane Ahrens rangements by which the Gibbs farm be­ Commissioner John Finley Commissioner Ruby Hunt came a museum under the auspices of the Commissioner Warren Schaber Ramsey County Historical Society. Commissioner Brenda Thomas Le ste r Le V e scon te Commissioner Richard Wedell The Society’s debt to Lester LeVes­ conte extends beyond the Gibbs Farm sey County history extended to the Socie­ Terry Schütten, manager, Ramsey County. Museum because over many years Mr. ty’s broader plans, which included this Ramsey County History is published quarterly LeVesconte actively promoted the publi­ quarterly magazine, Ramsey County His­ by the Ramsey County Historical Society, 323 cation of historical material about the tory. Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth Street, St. Paul, Gibbs family and Ramsey County. Thus We honor Lester LeVesconte’s mem­ Minn. 55102. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright, 1994, Ramsey County Historical Society. ISSN he helped support financially the Socie­ ory and his many contributions to the Number 0485-9758. All rights reserved. No ty’s publication of his mother’s book, L it­ Ramsey County Historical Society. We part of this publication may be reprinted or tle Bird That Was Caught, about Jane are inspired by his example and his vision otherwise reproduced without written permis­ Gibbs’s experiences as a young pioneer in for history. sion from the publisher. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made by con­ the wilderness that became Minnesota. -John M. Lindley, chairman, tributors. His advocacy of the publication of Ram- Editorial Board

2 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY The Greatest Waterborne Invasion in History D-Day Remembered by Seven Who Were There

ifty years ago in June, 1944, the peared from nowhere. We formed a circle great Armada of American, British around him. He gave us last minute orders, and Allied forces landed in Nor­ stated the password again to make certain Fmandy in the greatest waterborne invasion every man knew it, the chaplain said a in history that opened the long-awaited prayer and we moved off to our assigned “second front in Europe” and the beginning planes. of the end of Hitler’s Fortress Europe. As the C-47s left the ground we were on Seven men from the St. Paul area, who our way to make history. Our “stick” of were among more than two million British about thirteen men was silent. I was a bat­ and American troops massed for the at­ talion radio operator assigned to a crack tack, have shared their memories of D- demolition team. The silence in the plane Day with Ramey County History. was suddenly broken by German ack-ack Private William D. Bowell is now “Cap­ guns. Flak was bursting all around us, tain Bill, ”and owner o f the Josiah Snelling, small burning pieces piercing the fuselage Jonathan Paddelford, Anson Northrup and of the plane. Underneath the plane, hang­ the Betsy Northrup, excursion boats that ing from the bomb racks, were six bundles ply the Mississippi out o f St. Paul and Min­ of explosives. neapolis. On the night o f June 5-6,1944, Abruptly the plane seemed to do a back Bowell jumped into Normandy with the flip; then it was steady, but we seemed to 507th Parachute Regiment o f the 82nd Air­ be losing altitude. “Stand up and hook up;” B ill B o w e ll a s a young paratrooper in borne Division, commanded by General every man rose mechanically. This was the London in 1944 and as he is today. All Matthew B. Ridgway. For the action in photographs used with this article have moment for which we had all waited and Normandy, Bowell was awarded a Purple been loaned by the D-Day veterans them­ trained for two years. There was a funny Heart, Bronze Star and CIB and a selves. sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. There Presidential Unit Citation. were murmured prayers, “May God be Bowell kept a diary throughout the war, with us.” At that moment, we received a but because soldiers were not allowed to bad hit, the plane gave another lurch and carry diaries into action, Bowell recon­ began to vibrate. It was going down. We structed his experiences in a long account were very low. written while hospitalized back in En­ ‘Go,” the jump master gave the signal. gland. The following is excerpted and I was the eleventh man in the stick. Num­ adapted from this narrative published in ber 7 slipped and fell, then 8; the rest of us 1989 in The>Static Line, a newsletter for fell on our knees. Somehow we managed the regiment’s veterans. to get out the door. We were all weighted It was 11 o’clock in the evening, June 5, down with ammunition and heavy equip­ 1944. Standing there in front of a mam­ ment. Some of us crawled out. moth hangar, somewhere in England, I felt The tortuous but welcome opening a little on the weak side. I was anticipating shock of the ’chute had no sooner come the excitement of the next four or five when I hit the ground with a thud. We must hours. The bright moonlit sky enabled me have jumped from 150 feet. It was 2 a.m., to distinguish row upon row of army trans­ the early hours of D-Day. Looking port planes. Men were lying everywhere around, I could see that the landscape was in front of me. Their faces had been dark­ heavy equipment and the tightly strapped a mass of shadows. No one moved. I ened with burnt cork. Each man had parachute, it was a difficult task to move or whispered the password. No answer. grenades and ammunition attached or in walk around. Again, only louder. Still no answer. I gave bandoliers around his waist. With all their Our battalion commander suddenly ap- the password once more. What a welcome

RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY 9 relief as the countersign came back. It was one of the men in our stick. Two more figures came up. Again I challenged. This time I got an immediate reply. The four of us moved out, slowly creep­ ing and crawling. At any minute we ex­ pected the German anti-airborne squads to come upon us. A steady stream of tracers was coming over our heads. Periodically, the sky was lit with flack as more planes came over. One plane burst into flame and went down in a slow glide; it hit the ground and exploded. Because of our premature jump, we decided we were nowhere near our planned jump area. Somehow we had to orient ourselves and find our position on the map. It was the fate of some of the 82nd’s regiments to be scattered about the Nor­ mandy countryside, miles from their drop zones and floundering in marshes flooded by the Germans. It wasn’t long before day began to break Robert T. Carr, his D-Day crew and their C-47 in June, 1944. With Carr (left) are Paul Ducharme, his co-pilot; crew chief Farkas and radio operator Kriser. and we could see quite clearly the terrain and objects about us. Nearby was a farm house. I knocked on the door. Suddenly the sound of a window above me being The family there all showed specific We stayed in our position until five opened was heard. Looking up, I gazed signs of being overjoyed at my presence. o’clock the next afternoon Then it was into the scared eyes of an woman. Pointing They said they were part of the French un­ decided to make a break through the Ger­ to the patch on my arm, my American flag, derground and showed me a printed leaflet man lines. It was our only choice. Rations I told her we were Americans. Soon an old of what the paratroopers would look like were short and we were anxious to find our man came to the door. With many signs when we came. The mother brought out a regiment. For four hours, with scouts out and the use of our issued French transla­ huge loaf of dark, coarse bread. Cutting a in front and men moving slowly in single tion sheet, we were able to tell him we thick slice and spreading it with fresh but­ file along the hedgerows, we made our were lost. ter, she handed it to me along with a large way across the difficult French terrain. Flourishing our maps, the old gentle­ cup of hard cider. I asked if we could sleep Suddenly we made contact with the Ger­ man showed us our position. We were in their bam and they responded with a mans as a rapid burst of machine gun fire twenty-five miles south of our division hearty “Oui, Oui.” let loose. The rear of our column of forty- area, across the Douve River deep in Ger­ I returned to where the rest of the men five men moved up and we faced the enemy man territory. We must head back to our were hiding and led them back to the farm. fire. For something like two hours we kept lines. I had injured my leg and ankle in the Someone had brought us blankets and up a continuous fire. We suffered casual­ jump and my ankle was bothering me, but fixed a place for us to sleep in the hay. I ties. Night began to fall. We knocked out I could hobble along on it. We had to get woke to the sound of an English-speaking a German horse-drawn artillery wagon, rid of most of our equipment. Frenchman talking to some of our men. and the colonel gave orders to set fire to the The first day we found a hidden spot and Arrangements had been made to take us to wagon. stayed there until nightfall. As the sky a friend who had a boat. That night we We moved forward along a narrow cart darkened, we slowly headed north through would cross the river. trail and across a wide dirt road where the orchards and a maze of hedgerows. Near Much to our surprise, about forty more artillery wagon and its dead horses lay dawn we ran into the Douve river, but we paratroopers led by a lieutenant colonel sprawled in a bloody heap. On either side had no possible way to cross. The only were waiting at the boat. The boat carried there were high banks thickly covered with bridge was heavily guarded by the Ger­ five men and each trip across took thirty foliage that gave excellent protection. mans. minutes. By daylight a little more than half Abruptly we were halted by the sputter Again, the French came to their aid. the men had reached the other side, so it of a machine gun ahead of us. We were Bowell slipped through a field to a pros­ was necessary again to wait for cover of blocked at that end of the trail, pinned to perous-looking farm with gray stone build­ night when the remaining paratroopers our position by the machine gun. At our ings. crossed the river. rear, the amunition that had been set on fire

10 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY was exploding. We had no way out. As far While we were being briefed, the plane planes. There were three hooded blue as I was concerned, our position was hope­ was loaded with gasoline and paratroop­ lights on each wing and three more along less. ers. My crew included Paul Ducharme, the top of the plane’s fuselage, visible only At daybreak, one of the men came run­ co-pilot; Crew Chief Farkas and Radio at close range, as we flew with wing tips al­ ning up die trail with the news that a battal­ Operator Kriser. Each of us had been is­ most overlapping. ion of our infantry was a few hundred sued a life vest, a pistol, a parachute and a Our orders were to fly at 1,500 feet to yards off. Dirty, ragged, unshaven and pocket pack of survival information in case a check point at Southampton, then to turn shaking from the cold and wet of the night we were shot down. A submachine gun to the southwest to pass between France before, those of us who remained-twelve was on board to provide cover if we had to and the Isle of Guernsey, where flak filled out of forty-five—came out into the road ditch. the air like Fourth of July fireworks. We and met the troops who had saved our turned northeast to fly over the Cherbourg necks. For the moment, at least, our part peninsula at 500 feet, as we had been doing of the battle was over. We were thankful to in England, scaring farmers off their trac­ be alive as we trudged toward the rear. tors as we came over the hedges. Here we German dead were strewn along either ran into heavy cloud cover that obscured side of the road. Some of the men picked our vision. It was nearly impossible to see souvenirs off the bodies. The remains of the lead plane and the lights that indicated American paratroopers were there, too. the drop zone for our troops. The dead who lay around us had little effect On signal, I pressed the button and the on us. It was necessary to steel ourselves men dropped down to solid ground, I against any softening. At times, it was a prayed, and not into the ocean. We very difficult thing to do. dropped down to one to 200 feet over the Several days later, Bowell and the other ocean and headed back to England, each survivors o f their disastrous jump and long silently praising God that we had not been trek through the German lines to link-up hit. with American forces went back into battle We climbed wearily out of the plane, again. In the fierce fighting that followed, went to debriefing and then to breakfast Bowell was wounded in the arm by shrap­ where we exchanged stories with other nel fire. He was sent to the rear, taken in returned crews. Only one plane was miss­ a truck to Omaha beach, placed on a Lieutenant Robert T. Carr in uniform and ing from my squadron. hospital ship and taken back to England. today. Then it hit us; we had been part of a ma­ Hospitalized there, he recorded his memo­ jor military attack that would go down in ries o f D-Day and its aftermath in his di­ history, and we were the fortunate sur­ ary. He returned to action and fought vivors who would tell the story. Some of us through the last months o f the war. He was were elated and others were shaking from promoted to staff sergeant during the Bat­ fatigue and fear. We were prevented from tle o f the Bulge. writing home about our experiences for * * * many days, which puzzled and confused Robert T. Carr o f Roseville is retired af­ our families who had heard the good news ter more than forty-one years as an indus­ of the invasion but were worried about our trial chemist at 3M in St. Paul. On D-Day safety. he was one of the pilots who flew the Some weeks later, the public relations paratroopers to their drop zones in Nor­ officers iron the Ninth Air Force brought mandy. He was awarded the Air Medal us the news that we had been awarded the with three Oak Leaf Clusters. His memo­ Air Medal for our action on D-Day. They ries of that day begin with the flight to then interviewed us for our hometown France. newspapers. By that time my comments I was the pilot of a C-47 cargo plane had lost their passion and I uttered the for­ filled with twenty men ready to jump into gettable statement: “It was just another Normandy when I switched on the ready job. We knew it was something that had to light. We were all psyched up, adrenaline be done.” pumping, prepared for action. The next day, June 7, we were ordered We had been confined to a mobilization We took off about 10:30 p.m. in the back to our home base near Fulbeck, Lin­ base near Redding, England, for several long summer twilight. Like geese, we flew colnshire, to await the orders that would days, waiting for the weather to clear and in tight V’s of three planes each, with each lead us to participate in the invasions of for Eisenhower’s decision to move out. three planes part of a larger V of forty-five The Netherlands and southern France and

RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY 11 service in central Italy. In addition, there were flights to take the wounded to hospi­ tals, to fly supplies to forward troops, and sometimes to take VIPs on inspection trips and to conferences. Paul Ducharme, my co-pilot and later a prisoner of war, and I-tw o farm boys from Minnesota-have remained friends to this day. * * * Russell W. Anderson o f St. Paul worked for the post office for almost thirty years, and then for 3M until he retired. During World War II he fought as an infantryman through the invasions o f North Africa and Sicily before landing on Omaha Beach with the 1st Infantry Division, the “Big Red 1.” He was among the vanguard o f 3,000 men, fighting in combat teams, who led the assault. The gunfire these men encoun­ Russell W. Anderson in uniform and today, F o r a souvenir of his service, see the back tered that day was particularly murderous. co v e r o f the m agazine. Bombing o f German defenses had not been accurate. Bombs had been laid down too the water. We had gas masks, besides life Arlo H. Knowles of Northfield, Min­ far inland to be effective. Moreover, Allied preservers, but we never could have used nesota, is a retired industrial engineer and intelligence had learned too late that the them with all the other equipment we were plant manager who served with the 344 men fa ced a battle-hardened German divi­ carrying. When we reached the beach, we Field Artillery o f the 90th Infantry Division sion manning the defenses above the would run and fall down, get up and run in Normandy and on through France into beaches. Anderson remembers “bloody again. A piece of shrapnel hit me but ended the Battle o f the Bulge. He remembers ap­ Omaha:” up in my mess kit. proaching Utah Beach in a landing craft After Sicily we were sent back to En­ Making it to a cement wall on shore was buffeted by the tail end of the gale that gland for more training. On the eve of D- a miracle for those of us who had made it. swept through England and western Eu­ Day, we were locked in an enclosure and I thanked God for that. We lay behind the rope two days before D-Day. The storm shown our invasion area in France. Gener­ wall for a short time. The Rangers trying caused the postponement for a day of the al [Sir Bernard L.] Montgomery met with to scale the cliffs were something to see. As landings which originally had been set for us and said General Eisenhower had given they started up, the Germans would roll June 5. None o f of the Allied planners had him his choice of divisions to invade hand grenades down at them. Many were anticipated the extent to which seasickness France. The 1st Division was given that killed. A truck loaded with our ammuni­ would incapacitate so many of the men honor. tion landed but was blown to pieces. crossing the Channel. Wounded eight days Then we were loaded on ships for the Our air support was great all day, but after the Normandy landings and later in invasion of Normandy. On the deck of our toward evening we never had a plane in the France, Knowles was awarded the Bronze ship was the author, Ernest Hemingway. sky. Two German planes sneaked in and Star and two Purple Hearts. Heading for France was sad for everyone, bombed and strafed us. It was the Luft­ We had been enduring the storm for as our chances for surviving were not that waffe’s only attack during the invasion. several days, and a landing craft isn’t my great. Our division was made up of three The beach was littered with the bodies favorite choice for a pleasure cruise. We regiments, the 16th, 18th and 26th. I was of men who never made it, but we chased came aboard in the quiet harbor of Swan­ in the 18th Regiment and we were the sec­ the enemy inland. Then we were told to dig sea, Wales, and moved out as quickly as ond to land. in and prepare for an attack. After a few possible. We found ourselves bouncing on Climbing down the ladders, which days, I was knocked out of my foxhole the huge waves of the English Channel. were made of rope, was a chore, but we near St.-Lo. That ended my war. I was sent The wind was vicious wherever it got a made it. The 16th Regiment was to have back to England where I spent nine months sweep at us and the boat danced like a leaf landed at 5 a.m. and they were having a in the hospital and was given an honorable on the water whenever the wind hit us. We hell of a time. They headed for shore, got discharge. soon found ourselves doing a “shore pa­ too close, hit the land mines and were Anderson has five battle stars, includ­ trol,” primarily to keep out of the direct blown up. Or they would be hit by mortar ing the Bronze Star and the Silver Star, and consequences of the blow. shells or even rifle fire. the Croix de Guerre, the French military I was one of the few stupid enough to eat When the 18th Regiment’s turn came to decoration for bravery. land, they decided to drop us farther out in * * * D -D ay to page 23

12 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY Morrow, daughter of Dwight Morrow, the American ambassador to Mexico, or the D-Day Remembered famous kidnapping of their two-year-old son in 1932, or Lindbergh’s isolationist By Seven Who Were There views of the late 1930s. None of this is part of The Spirit o f St. Louis; yet few readers today can totally disassociate the twenty- five-year-old Army captain of 1927 from D -D ay from page 12 whose they were. We were surprised that the celebrity he became after his trans- some of the split pea soup being served no bombs were on the day’s program. Atlantic crossing. from a big round black iron pot located in About 6:30 p.m. we found out what the Lindbergh was no Horatio Alger whose the center of the very little open space on words “ready reserve” meant in Army jar­ hard work in combination with the good the deck. I’m not sure I should blame the gon. These “ready reserves” (including us) chance of being in the right place at the cooks, but not many of us were willing to were to be available to be thrown in at any right time inevitably won him success, try the open-pot menu after the first hour of point of the action where it was felt we wealth and fame. In this sense, Charles pitching around on the choppy Channel. could move things along faster. We were Lindbergh was a true descendant of those We had started out in good faith, plan­ all to go ashore as quickly as possible and Midwestern pioneers who carved out their ning to land in Normandy on June 5, after futures in a new land by dint of their inner joining other landing craft, when suddenly drive and self-confidence in their ability to new instructions came that the landings endure hardship while gaining success in had been postponed and our boat would be the world. held in the pattern for an extra day. Ours not to question why. Ours to follow orders. John M. Undley is chairman o f the Editori­ There were planes overhead, but so high al Board for Ramsey County History and that we could only tell that they were, not has written and published in the field of aviation. He is manager o f the College and Moon, Taylor Gordon and other young General Publications D epartm ent a t West renaissance exponents on a 1932 film- Publishing Company, St. Paul. making venture to Soviet Russia. Smith would subsequently live an expatriate life Harlem Renaissance from page 13 there for fourteen years. “it was an age of miracles, it was an age of Ethel Ray Nance, bom in Duluth and art, it was an age of excess, and it was an matured by jobs for the Minnesota State age of satire” that, in the wake of the failed Relief Commission and the Minnesota politics that had produced World War I, House of Representatives, went to work echoed in the youthful spirit of the Big Par­ for the National Urban League in the mid- ty, the Carnival and the Orgy. 1920s and became one of Opportunity Arlo H. Knowles in uniform and recently. Looking to New York as eagerly as fel­ magazine editor Charles S. Johnson’s low Midwesterner Langston Hughes, a closest aides. She helped him develop the cadre of young black Minnesotans found literary contests and social gatherings that themselves caught up at various levels in provided the central facets of the Harlem the social and creative whirl of the time. Renaissance milieu. Anna Arnold Hedgeman, reared in Anoka And Taylor Gordon, a Montana-born but ultimately Harlem-bound herself, had concert singer and gadfly who had spent graduated from high school in 1918 and some of his early years as a St. Paul become Hamline University’s first African chauffeur and railroad car attendant, went American student when she heard W. E. on to tour internationally with J. Rosa­ B. DuBois, on an NAACP speaking tour, mund Johnson. Gordon published in lecture at a St. Paul church. She was en­ 1929-before going on the Russian jour­ thralled with his account of international ney with Hughes and Company-one of black leaders at the first Pan-African Con­ the most colorful autobiographies of the gress he had helped orchestrate recently in renaissance era, B om to Be. Paris. Homer Smith, a journalism graduate of Dr. John S. Wright is a professor in the the University of Minnesota, would find University of Minnesota’s Department of himself drawn East and then abroad with Afro-American & African Studies and in Langston Hughes, Dorothy West, Henry the University’s English Department.

RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY 23 to gather in a specified bivouac area. Since we knew nothing of the land positions, we could only follow instructions. Each landing boat was moved into its specified position and its ramp let down. Down the ramp went the jeeps, the trailers, the artillery pieces needed for early use. Our jeep had been especially prepared as an “air breather.” For this, an intake exten­ sion had been positioned about 18 inches above the jeep’s hood so that, if sub­ merged, we could still get air. The electri­ cal connections also had been prepared to withstand seawater. We carried our side arms and radio equipment in our hands to try to keep them above water. As we drove off the ramp and dropped to the bottom of the bay, the water rose quickly to our necks. The identifica­ tion on our bumpers had been carefully painted over so we could remain unknown, William A. Davies as a young sailor in 1942 and today. but I don’t recall anyone seeing us land at that time of night. Besides, the view of hundreds of other boats just like ours in the nounced to the crew that we were going to public address system. The ship’s chap­ bay was more interesting. That span of wa­ get underway immediately for participa­ lain, from his vantage point on the naviga­ ter was one of the longest half-miles I have tion in the Allied invasion of Normandy. tion bridge, described in detail the dramat­ ever negotiated, but we got safely to shore As we sailed south toward the English ic developments as they occurred. We also with no shells landing among us. All of the Channel, we were continuously joined by listened to the British radio broadcasts of equipment worked nicely when we got it more and more ships of every description. the progress of the invasion. dried out, including the radio vehicle for After approximately a day-and-a-half The function of the steering aft crew communication. (Incidentally, it is almost on this course, the Texas received the fol­ was simply to stand by and shift the ship’s impossible to silence a radio operator lowing message: “The invasion has been steering controls in the event that the ship when his equipment works well.) postponed for twenty-four hours.” As a re­ could no longer be steered from the bridge, It was a beautiful, clear night, cloudless sult, all ships were ordered to immediately the conning tower or the engine room. Ex­ and at body temperature. The stars were reverse course, and then to reverse course cept for that, we had little to do, so we where they should be. Once on the ground again twelve hours later. This meant that decided to keep a minute-by-minute log of we felt much better, and foxholes, if we “H-Hour” was now scheduled for June 6, what was being reported from the bridge. dug them, could offer some protection, at instead of June 5, as originally planned. In Beginning at 1800 on June 5 and continu­ least. the late afternoon of June 5, all crew mem­ ing until 2100 on June 6, we kept a com­ We got the troops into bivouac and bed­ bers were sent to their general quarters sta­ plete record. ded down by 11 p.m. and had until 3 a.m. tions where they would remain until after At dawn on June 6, the chaplain report­ to rest before morning light let us see what the initial landings. ed hundreds of landing craft slowly mov­ else needed to be done. And to get our or­ On D-Day the T exas was one o f two bat­ ing toward the coast of Normandy as the ders. My landing was over. tleships stationed o ff Omaha Beach and as­ big guns of the British and American ships * * * signed to shell Pointe du Hoc in order to bombarded Omaha Beach. The chaplain William A. Davies, who retired in 1976 prepare the way for Ranger battalions that also reported when the Texas trained her after twenty-two years as principal o f Sun­ would assault the 100-foot cliff. Davies main battery on Pointe du Hoc. Soon we all rise Park Junior High School, White Bear was a quartermaster assigned to an area felt the ship shudder as the big guns were Lake, spent his first two years o f the war on known as “steering aft, ”an auxiliary steer­ fired for the first time against an enemy. convoy duty in the Atlantic. He was aboard ing station in the bowels o f the ship near the At 6:30 a.m. the naval bombardment of the U. S. S. Texas, a World War ¡vintage propellers and rudder. the shore stopped as men and equipment battleship. As D-Day approached, the Although those of us assigned to “steer­ streamed ashore from the landing craft. At Texas was anchored in Belfast Lough, off ing aft” (or “after steering”) could not see this time, the Allies seemed to have com­ the coast o f Northern Ireland. the massive invasion armada of which our plete control of the air. On the morning of June 3, our com­ ship was a part, we did get a play-by-play Soon we received a report that our manding officer, Captain Baker, an­ account both by telephone and from the Pointe du Hoc target had been destroyed.

24 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY We were then assigned a new target, a church steeple which was being used by the enemy to direct gunfire against our troops. This target also was destroyed. Al­ though the Texas stayed well off shore, some of our destroyers ranged up and down the beach firing at targets of opportu­ nity. As the day wore on and more and more troops and equipment poured ashore, it be­ came evident that the invasion was going to succeed. During the day we heard the king of England address all of the Allied forces by radio congratulating them on their suc­ cessful landings. We also heard a radio ad­ dress by General Eisenhower. When the Texas finally returned to En­ gland to refuel and to replenish her supply of ammunition, it was obvious that her crew members were proud of their old “fighting ship.” My copy of our D-Day log is a prized possession. Later commissioned a communications officer in the Navy, Davies was transferred to the Philippines where he served until the end of the war. He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern, Asian- Edward Berg (left) “at ease,” and recently. Pacific and American campaign medals. Our ship carried four 5-inch guns of * * * caliber 38, two forward and two aft. We also had a few 40 mm guns and several 20 For Edward Berg of Inver Grove mm guns on the lower deck. Several depth Heights, owner fo r many years ofLee’s Vil­ charges also were in evidence, as were the lage Inn and Lee’s Kitchen in Highlarul torpedoes amidship between the smoke­ Park, June 6 was his “longest day. ” stacks. We were a proud crew in our “tin It was 12:30 a.m. We had just left can” navy. We were leading the convoy Plymouth harbor on the southwest coast of into what would become one of the greatest England. The date was June 6, 1944. Our battles in U. S. history. ship was the destroyer, U.S.S. Harding. Among our many duties was support The crew of 265 sailors waited to hear of for the Second Ranger Battalion number­ our destination. Commander George G. ing 2,000 soldiers. The vast majority of Palmer, our skipper, had volunteered to this great military unit gave their lives on sprearhead the American sector for the in­ the beaches of Normandy. vasion of Normandy. The Harding would During the seventy-two hours on gener­ lead the fleet to the coast of France and pa­ al quarters-our battlestations-my ex­ trol the perimeter along with the other de­ periences were compelling and unforget­ stroyers in Division 18. We would attempt table. Much of what happened there and to protect the troop ships as they streamed I also was singularly responsible for serv­ for the next many days is something that I in for the invasion. It was doubtful that ing extra duty as operator of the ultra se­ am, to this day, reluctant to discuss. How­ many of us realized the importance of this cret International Code Machine. My ever, much cannot be put aside. The most momentous day of World War II. duties during battle were primarily to be vivid memories for me, a nineteen-year- At 0600 the invasion began. The ship’s the captain’s “talker,” relaying his instruc­ old sailor, was seeing our soldiers being crew members were at their battle stations tions to the crew from our station on the killed on the beaches or while trying to where we would remain for seventy-two bridge. From here, the top deck of the de­ land their craft. For many days their bod­ hours and twelve minutes. My job aboard stroyer, we could view the entire area top­ ies would float by our ship and we could was yeoman, which was office work, and side from fore to aft. not stop to pick them up.

RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY 25 I will forever remember repeating the later the search had to be given up. A shell order from our captain to fire on a church crater under the water may have claimed in this French village. The church tower him; carrying the weight of full combat was harboring an enemy machine gun gear, he didn’t have a chance. nest. The crew manning the 5-inch gun Once on the beach, I lay down in the fired four salvos and hit the tower three sand to get warm. Actually, itwasabeauti- times, blowing it away. Even God’s house ful day. I looked up and saw an amphibious was not immune to attack against the Ger­ truck, known as a “duck” from its code man forces. designation DUKW, roaring down the Saddened and stunned as I was to real­ beach right at me. I thought he was going ize that if we and our ships with its guns on to run me over. About fifty yards from me, the coast of Normandy could do this to a the vehicle hit a mine. machine gun nest in a church, then what of We found someone who seemed to the women and children and other inno­ know what was going on and asked where cents in that French village? Yes, war is we could get some equipment. He said- hell. That is all I wish to say about the mat­ and this is where you really grow up in a ter at this time. My “longest day” is still one hurry—“We got a lot of equipment.” And of my worst memories of World War II. he took us to where dead G. I.’s were * * * strung out as far as you could see. He said, Retired since 1981 from First Bank St. yf \W Pi “Take your pick.” We picked up several Paul where he was assistant vice president W m m ■ lysgarc m . ■ rifles to get one good one from inter­ and manager o f the International Banking Herbert T. Alberg before landing on Utah changeable parts, and found shoes that fit Divison, Herbert T. Alberg was twenty Beach, and today. and jackets. years old on June 5, when he left Cardiff, We found what was left of our company Wales, aboard the U. S. S. Susan B. An­ and began to move inland. The first village thony. It was a troop ship deemed unfit for we entered was Ste. Mere Eglise. We were service but every available vessel was surprised that it hadn’t yet been taken. needed for Operation Overlord, code for Earlier in the day some of the paratroopers the Normandy landings. Carrying 3,800 had landed almost in the town square and troops, the Anthony hit a mine as she many of their bodies had been left hang­ neared the beaches. Albert, who was down ing in the trees to discourage advancing in the third hold, made his way to the top troops. The remaining Germans were us­ deck. He later was awarded the Purple ing the church spire as a lookout, taking Heart. His account is adapted from an arti­ potshots at the Americans. cle which appeared in 1985 in Ace, the St. I remember a peculiar incident there. I Paul Athletic Club’s publication. saw a paratrooper approaching on horse­ On deck I ran into a good friend, a back with nine or ten German prisoners. young Navy lieutenant, and he was our sal­ He was keeping them in line with a ma­ vation on that day. (Sadly, he would die chine gun. He looked at us and said, “Don’t later in France.) He told us that this was the worry about it. France is ours. You’re gon­ third ship knocked out from under him. By na find some trouble up ahead, but they’ll the time the abandon ship order came, the minutes before we were picked up by an be gone by the time you get there.” France Anthony was on fire. LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) headed for was liberated within several months, but Destroyers came along both sides of the the beach. It was cold. The English Chan­ for me “the trouble up ahead” lasted for an­ sinking ship to take on the troops. The seas nel is no place to swim in June. It’s funny, other eleven months, until the German sur­ were rough and as the men climbed down but when the ship went down, at no mo­ render on May 8, 1945. the sides the ships would be thrown togeth­ ment did we ever consider that we weren’t Looking back I see that as a soldier you er, crushing the men clinging there. going to make it. I never knew how many risked your life for fellows that you didn’t “We’re not gonna do that,” the lieu­ of the men aboard didn’t survive. even know their names, you knew nothing tenant said. “Follow me.” We raced for­ The LCI was headed for Utah Beach, about them, you never saw them before in ward to the highest part of the sinking ship the western-most of the two American your life. It’s amazing. The old saying and slid down the bow into the water. beachheads. The first wave had just gone which every soldier has heard is true: “I Everything had happened so fast that all I through and was heading inland when the wouldn’t take $100,000 to be without the had on were trousers and a T-shirt. ramp on the LCI dropped open. A G. I. in experience, but I wouldn’t take $100,000 It seemed like an hour, but I think we full gear stepped off in front of me and dis­ to do it again.” were only in the water for about ten appeared into the water. Frantic moments

26 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY A German propaganda card given to Russell W. Anderson by a German sol­ dier taken prisoner during the Normandy landings. “He was a nice guy," An­ derson remembers. See the article beginning on Page 9: “D-Day Remem­ bered by Seven Who Were There.”

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