CLICK TO PLACE INTO A SEPARATE WINDOW
All Veterans and their families are urged and welcomed to attend the event. It's free and open to everyone. There is much to see and do. Combat recreations take place on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the Road to Victory Battle begins at 5:05 but the activity begins at 4:30 with the German Army on parade at 4:30 PM located on the map above. On Saturday the Bridge Battle begins at 11AM Sharp and later in the afternoon, the Beach Landing begins at 3PM. During the Bridge Battle Veterans are encouraged to sit at the East End of the Bridge. Please arrive 20 minutes ahead of time. During the Beach Landing, Veterans and their family are welcomed to sit in the Veterans Areas indicated by Stars to witness our dramatic recreation. The Conneaut American Legion will provide chairs for you and your family members. Both of these areas are wheel chair accessible. The American Legion will also have a hospitality tent, marked on our map with a large
O set up near the parade ground and vendors area. Please ask at the registration desk located at the entrance of the Allied Camp the exact location for the tent. You may drive your vehicle to the tent to disembark your passengers but we respectfully request that your escort return to the public parking area for parking. If you are a Veteran and are coming alone and need help. We will help you!!! Just ask when you arrive. Veteran and handicapped parking is located nearby as well. Since this is our first year for the Road to Victory Battle, viewing areas will be addressed on site prior to the German Parade at 4:30. Check with event staff on the day of the event for the best place to be for the Road to Victory. Contact Eric Montgomery for further assistance.
Veterans Planning to Attend D-Day Conneaut 2010
Private Joseph E. Dore Jr. of Austintown OH
Rifleman - Company H - 502nd Parachute Infantry - 101st Airborne
Purple Heart Recipient - Joe Also Attended in 2009
A message from the family of Joe Dore: "We can not thank you enough for D
Day! It was an experience we will never forget.
It touched our hearts to watch
Uncle Joe Dore's reaction to all the attention the men gave him.
Even with
having a brain syndrome, he remembered every detail of his military service."
T-5 Corporal Merle Swanger
Corporal Swanger was came ashore on D-Day as part of the
1st Infantry Div. 2nd Battalion, 26th Regiment.
Hometown: Mamont PA Corporal Swanger will
be attending his second D-Day Event in 2010.
USMC PFC Ferdinand Lowry will be escorted by son James.
PFC Lowry at Discharge.
In his own words PFC Lowey says:
Oct. 10th 1941 I joined the USMC and left for Parris Island S.C. with 5 other
recruits arriving late in the evening and had a supper of chicken etc.
On Dec 7th, while at the rifle range, we found out about Pearl Harbor. A week or
so later I was assigned to Z MQ1 and we left for Norfolk, Va. On arrival
there we boarded
the S.S. Exeter, a cruise ship of the American Export Lines. We left there and
stopped at Gitmo Cuba then sailed on to Panama. We stayed at Ft. Randolph 'til
we got
organized then put our balloons in the area of the Gatun Locks.
In Sept of 1942 we left the Canal Zone for the States. We settled in at Camp
Lejune, N.C. March of '43 as part of the 13th replacement Bn we went to San
Diego, Calif. then
left for the S. Pacific. Stopped at Hawaii, American Samoa then on to British
Samoa. We trained for several months then boarded ship to New Caladonia where we
stayed
for a while.
We then boarded ship and went to Australia , around Tasmania to New Zealand .
Went to camp at Masterson N.Z. where I was assigned to the the 3rd Defense Bn.
90MM
AAA. next we went to Guadalcanal to make ready for invasion of Bougainville.
After that campaign we went back to Guadalcanal where our outfit was brokened up
and the
6th Div formed. I was assigned to the 15th marines 105 mm field artillery. On
Easter Sunday we made the invasion of Okinawa . When the battle was over my
enlistment was
up so I was sent to Guam. There I was put aboard the destroyer escort #11 and
sent back to the states.
Went to San Diego where I received my discharge. Several of us hitched hiked
home.
Staff Sergeant Dale Martz
Staff Sergeant Martz was part of the 401 St Bomb Group,
8th Air Force, based in Den Thorpe England.
He proudly served from 1941 to 1945 as an Armament Gunner in a B-17
Flying Fortress flying 35
missions over Europe some of which over the Normandy coastline in support
of D-Day.
Staff Sergeant Martz will be attending D-Day Conneaut for his first time
in 2010.
Staff Sergeant Martz is pictured front row far right.
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Francis (Frank) V. Hilley - 65th
Division, 261st Regiment, A Co.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1921, Mr. Hilley entered the army in May of 1944. He went
through basic training at Camp Wheeler Ga and then was assigned to the 261st
Regiment of the 65th Division, 1st Battalion, Company A. After basic he
trained at Biloxi MS for about a month then on to the Bronx NY to head to Camp
Lucky Strike in Le Havre France. After arriving in the ETO he served in
the Central Europe - Rhineland campaign where he was wounded by enemy fire.
Later he received a Purple Heart for that action. Mr. Hilley also served
in the Battle of the Bulge. During his time in service, he received the
following decorations and citations: European African / Middle Eastern
Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star, WWII Victory Medal and was
honorably discharged in March of 1946.
Lt. Charles Chuck Marcy
3 weeks after surgery to repair his wounds, Lt Marcy was transferred to German POW
camp; Stalag Luft 3. As the war began to close in upon Germany, he
was later liberated exactly one year to the day from his fateful flight by
members of Patton's 3rd Army.
After the war, Lt. Marcy became a contractor specializing in the heating and
roofing business. Lt. Marcy has been to each and every D-Day Conneaut
since it began in 1999. Thank you for joining with us Lt. Marcy as we
celebrate with you our hard fought Liberty.
WWII B-17 Bomber Pilot and
Conneaut resident, Lt. Charles Chuck Marcy will be singing The National Anthem a
cappella
prior to the Road to Victory Battle on Friday. He will return again on
Saturday to sing the anthem accompanied by the Conneaut Marching Band during our
annual tribute to Veterans at 2 PM. Get your cameras ready for these will be a moments to remember.
Lt. Marcy began his military career as an instructor pilot then became the pilot of a B-17 bomber. He and his crew flew 27 missions.
On April 29th, 1944, during a raid on Berlin, he was forced to abandon the
airplane in flight. He parachuted to German soil wounded and dazed and was
quickly captured. (Read a more detailed accounting.)
Lt. Marcy's POW ID Card and Mission Log
Click for a larger view.
Veterans that Attended past D-Day Events
A proud WWII Veteran shares some fox hole funnies with
Reenactors at D-Day Conneaut 2009
T-5 Corporal Merle Swanger
Corporal Swanger was came ashore on D-Day as part of the
1st Infantry Div. 2nd Battalion, 26th Regiment.
Hometown: Mamont PA - Attended in 2009
US Navy Louis Lazar LST 724 from Bedford Ohio attended in
2009
Clarence R. Sexton attended in 2009.
A Proud Veteran of D-Day & the Battle of the Bulge.
Motor Machinist Mate John Mark Gannon of Oil City, PA attended in 2009
U.S. Navy LCT-659 Omaha Beach 06 Jun 1944
Sword - Juno - Gold from 07 Jun-12 Sep 1944
Utah 15 Oct 1944
Private Joseph E. Dore Jr. of Austintown OH
Rifleman Company H 502nd Parachute Infantry
Purple Heart Recipient - Attended in 2009
Dale Spangenberg, U.S. Army
Attended in 2009
We encourage all veterans to stroll through the encampments and talk with
the re-enactors as for you are are honored guests. From what I have
personally witnessed, veterans who have seen this recreation do so with a youthful glow
about them. It truly is a magical moment as members of our Greatest
Generation mix with the younger generations of today. I have seen in my
own great uncle the sparkle of youth return to his eyes, eyes which bore witness
to so much.
As participants, we are in awe of
these men and women who lived their lives in constant fear, who faced the enemy with
steadfast dedication, and once the final victory was won, lived their lives in peace
as they created the world we know it today. If you are a WWII veteran, from any theater, Pacific or Atlantic
and from any side of the line, you are most welcomed to be our honored guest.
We will do our best to honor you as we recreate that Day of Days June 6th, 1944. Special
seating for the reenactment is available for all veterans and their families.
Overlooking the battlefield the Veterans Seating Area is deservedly so the best seat
in the house.
Left:
Sgt. John W. Gabersek Jr., 400th Medical Collecting
Company, Luzon Philippines
Right: Paratrooper Kenneth Janish, 82nd Airborne Division, D-Day Veteran
At 90 years old, Frank Becerra drove himself from Peoria Illinois to witness the event. He undoubtedly is one of the older WWII Veterans that have come to D-Day Conneaut, his attendance being in 2004, the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. Mr. Becerra was a member of the 3rd Armored Division better known as the "Spearhead" Division led by Major General Maurice Rose, one of only two Division Commanders Killed in Action in Europe. Needless to say, Mr. Becerra surely saw a lot of action himself and nearly lost an arm in a mortar attack. While at the event the sight of a jeep brought tears to his eyes reminding him of his ride on the hood of one after he was severely wounded . Although he told his daughter Sharon that he would not talk to anyone at the event about the war, after seeing all the khaki clad soldiers, the equipment, and the encampment he couldn't hold back. Sadly, Mr. Becerra passed into history November 24, 2008... May you rest in peace our friend. God bless you Frank.
Frank Becerra - 3rd Armored Division
If you are a Veteran who requires special needs or
would like
to be personally recognized at the event,
please contact
Eric
Montgomery.
Sgt. John Gabersek sadly passed into history November of 2009.
Johnnie attended our event in 2005, 2007, and 2008.
Johnnies last trip to Conneaut in 2008 was highlighted by being a part of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion Unit which won 1st Place for Best in Show. From inside the 20000 pound bunker, Johnnie fielded questions regarding his own service in the Philippines. During the Beach Landing Reenactment it has come to my attention that John was trying to make his way down to the beach level to help the men portraying the battle action. Most likely his instincts as a combat medic wanted to take charge again. Over the past few years, Uncle Johnnie was featured in many of our programs and flyers. His kind heart and friendly ways will be sorely missed at future events. Read more about Johnnie at www.soldiersandsailors.us
Honor a
Veteran with a Star in Conneaut - Get the Details by Clicking Here
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