Another blog entry from Scott Trostle, who maintains a web site dedicated to Ohio war stories. In this entry, he recites the news from The Lima News on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
The soldiers stories about landing on the beach at 2 or 3 in the morning are riveting. But Scott’s entry reminds us that an entire nation was holding its breath…
“Thousands of Allen-co residents are fearful today, but are hiding bravely their qualms over the fate of their loved ones who may be participating in the greatest seaborne and airborne invasion in history.
“Heroes will be made on the battlefield today and for many days to come, but there will also be unsung heroes at home, maintaining a tense silence, hoping against hope that their sons, husbands, sweethearts and fathers in the front ranks come through safely.
“It behooves the rest of us to be considerate. If we are greeted with a seemingly harsh word by friend or stranger, we must ignore it. If an acquaintance turns away when we speak of the Allied invasion, change the subject.
“The Lima News is thankful that so few residents heard the scattered factory whistles which were blown thoughtlessly 15 or 20 minutes after Gen. Eisenhower’s headquarters confirmed troop landings which the German radio had been reporting for nearly three hours.. “It is our hope that all of us at home can wait bravely as our boys will fight. There must be no hysteria; no heeding of fantastic rumors. We must face the facts, realizing that temporary setbacks are almost inevitable, but that final victory lies not too far ahead.”
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Ohiowarstories.org is funded by the Ohio Humanities Council.
With generous support from the Longaberger Foundation, we are recording WWII stories in Licking County.
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