In this video clip, Ellwood spoke with Tracy Young of CNN about The Americans on D-Day.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Ellwood on CNN
In this video clip, Ellwood spoke with Tracy Young of CNN about The Americans on D-Day.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Digging for history
The garden behind our office has been neglected of late. So, yesterday was spent digging weeds. Then, last night, someone commented on an old Facebook post about objects that were found in the garden as it was being reclaimed. See if you can guess what all these things are, and don't cheat by searching the Facebook archives!
The shell timer to the left was also found in the garden. There was a machine gun set up by the Americans behind this house, guarding the road into the town.
The timer on the right was found in Meautis, scene of massive battles between the German 17th SS and the American 83rd Infantry Division. Obviously, this second one has been cleaned up. The craftsmanship is striking, especially when you think that this is something made to be destroyed.
The shell timer to the left was also found in the garden. There was a machine gun set up by the Americans behind this house, guarding the road into the town.
The timer on the right was found in Meautis, scene of massive battles between the German 17th SS and the American 83rd Infantry Division. Obviously, this second one has been cleaned up. The craftsmanship is striking, especially when you think that this is something made to be destroyed.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Return to Normandy
After receiving such good response to our post about Screaming Eagle veteran Jim "Pee Wee" Martin's discussion of why he did not consider himself a hero, we decided to share more of his recent interview here. Here is Jim's response to the question, "How does it feel to be back in Normandy after 67 years?"
Jim served in Normandy on D-Day and beyond, and he is featured in our film, The Americans in the Bulge, for his chilling testimony of the conditions troops faced during that bitter campaign.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
"I wanna be a photographer"
We hope to post some of Harry's War time photographs on this blog over the coming weeks.
Captain Dale Dye
Captain Dale Dye, talks to Tracy Young of CNN, about D-Day and the launch of The Americans on D-Day. Dale has been a massive supporter of ours. He is firmly committed to the cause of teaching the younger generations about the achievements of these great men and women. We will never be able to thank him enough.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Unsung Heroes
Medics in combat are often the unsung heroes. As one combat veteran said to us,
“I can’t speak highly enough about those guys. We could be under an intense artillery bombardment, they would hear a wounded man cry out and they would just get up and go without any fear for their personal safety.”
We had the great honor to meet one of those heroic men during the D-Day celebrations. Fred Morgan was a combat medic in the 505 p.i.r of the 82nd Abn. He dropped into Normandy with his buddies on D-Day and cared for the wounded at the battle of La Fiere Bridge, “The bloodiest small arms battle ever fought by the U.S Army." We cover this battle in our film, The Americans on D-Day.
Fred went on to care for the wounded in Holland and the Battle of the Bulge, before taking part in the final assault on the German Reich.
Notice the four bronze stars on Fred’s jump wings. Each star is an award for valor.
Maureen Kennedy award
Livingbattlefield attended the first award ceremony for The Maureen Kennedy Memorial prize. The ceremony was held in the gardens of the lovely Château de L’Isle-Marie, close to the bridge at Chef du Pont, one of the key D-Day objectives for the 82nd Airborne.
The $10,000 award, which is given to deserving groups who help preserve the memory of people who fight for freedom, was shared between ‘Operation Democracy’ of Locust Valley, NY and the Normandy group, Amies des Veterans Americain (Friends of the American Veterans).
The ceremony was presided over by Maurice Renaud, youngest son of the war time mayor of Ste Mere Eglise and was attended by veterans and many visitors from across U.S.
Not Heroes?
It's been a wonderful experience following 101st Airborne veteran, Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, on his first trip back to Normandy since he landed on D-Day, 67 years ago.
Yesterday, he signed Ellwood's tail plane, in the C-47 Cafe. Afterwards, we spoke in the courtyard outside the cafe. During our conversation, we referred to Jim as a hero. He was quick to correct us, saying he did not consider himself a hero.
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| 101st AB veteran, Jim "Pee Wee" Martin signs the tail plane at the C-47 Cafe. Ellwood Von Seibold looks on. |
Yet, after stories of bitter cold and lack of provisions he spoke of in The Americans in the Bulge, and listening to him go through the horrors of Normandy, the facts speak for themselves. Sorry to contradict you, Pee Wee!
One thing is indisputable, Pee Wee Martin is an inspiration. We were touched by the soldiers lined up outside the closed cafe, waiting to shake his hand.
Ste Mere Eglise, Welcomes British Vets
Sixty British veterans, including a very rare former WWII SAS trooper who dropped into occupied France to aid the Maquis (French underground) in communications, arrived yesterday, to pay their respects to their American allies and lay a wreath in memory of those Gi’s who lost their lives.
The small ceremony, which was held at the Sainte Mere Eglise Airborne Museum, was hosted by Ellwood von Seibold. No one from either the town council or the museum management was available to greet these old warriors, so Ellwood, who is fast becoming the face of Ste Mere Eglise in the U.S, stepped into the breach, to issue a welcome on behalf of the town.
Preceded by bagpipes and a drummer, the old soldiers, some in their early nineties, marched up Rue Eisenhower, past the famous church where an effigy of American paratrooper John Steele hangs from the bell tower.
“We all had our jobs to do” said veteran Don Baker of 21 SAS (pictured on right). “The American Gi’s caught the worst of the D-Day slaughter. It’s only right that we should make this trip to honor them."
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