A year earlier some of them might have been angling for catfish in a nearby bayou or tossing a football in anticipation of the upcoming season. Now, on the Eve of June 6, 1944 they were reading a letter from the Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower advising them that they were about to depart on a mission to save Europe. Life was going to be lot different.
“The eyes of the world are upon you,” Eisenhower wrote in his “Order of the Day” distributed to the 175,000 troops of the Allied invasion force as they loaded onto ships and planes preparing to take them to war.
Last week, with the ceremonies to recognize the 80th anniversary of the D-day landing at Normandy, information surfaced about the troops from the American states who lost their lives that day.
What follows by no means attempts to overshadow all of those who have died in all wars, but to learn more about Louisiana’s sacrifice. With the efforts of the state’s veteran affairs offices, new information has surfaced.
Emotional intensity from that day is immeasurable. Now we also have numbers.
We know that 33 Louisianans died in Normandy on D-Day. Orleans Parish suffered the most with six losses but since it was the most populated parish that figure is understandable. Caddo Parish, where Shreveport is located, had the second highest number with four.
St. Tammany parish had one loss. None of the other parishes surrounding New Orleans; Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and the river parishes; had losses. Washington Parish, on the far end of the Northshore, had one death.
Of Louisiana’s 64 parishes; 22 had fatalities.
Many families were given the option of having their son either buried in Europe at a military cemetery or shipped home. Most families chose keeping them forever in the heroic setting of a national burial ground.
Eighteen are buried beneath the white crosses or Stars of David at the U.S. National cemetery in Normandy. One airman, who was killed in a crash over England, is buried in a national cemetery there.
Twelve were sent home to their local cemeteries nearer to kin. Given the horrors of war, the bodies of two were never found so they are among those listed on a plaque at the national cemeteries,
“Your task will not be an easy one,” Eisenhower continued. “Your enemy is will-trained, well-equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.”
“I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!” Eisenhower concluded as he beseeched the “Almighty” upon “this great and noble undertaking.”
That full victory would come. Down in Louisiana, eighty years later, 33 men in particular will always be remembered for standing up to the battle-hardened.
—30—
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