160,000 Allied troops landed
in Normandy
June 6th, 1944 (Public Domain)
On June 12, 1944, and at the bewitching hour of midnight, we were there – we were at Normandy with many other allied efforts. To be specific, there were 18 allied divisions all together (8 American divisions, 10 British and Canadian divisions) representing a total of 326,547 soldiers, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of equipment. Oh, yes, we were there bigtime. It was called the Battle of Normandy. We should ask ourselves: Can it really be the 81st anniversary of this tremendous confrontation? Is it possible? I shake my head.
Also on this day, and coincidentally, on June 12th, 2014, I was in Monterey, California, gently holding my Uncle Paul’s soft cool hand. He was the last of the 11 men of my book, The WWII Chain Letter Gang, who parted ways in Neptune, New Jersey, to spend the WWII years in various parts of our Earth. They chose the branches of the military to their own liking to fight for our freedom. Also, Uncle Paul Attardi, at 96 years old, was the last of the Attardi clan. Out of the seven children, he was the last of the Joseph Attardi and Anna Arcangelo Attardi marriage still living. The rest of the family had all passed away, including my own father. He was the only one remaining, the only corporeal being, and I was holding his hand trying not to burst out sobbing. Uncle Paul was always a favorite of mine amongst dad’s siblings. While he was Aunt Grace’s twin, he was a spitting image of my father, and looking at his kind face and into his loving eyes was as if my own father was at the other end of his thin, delicate, and fragile hand that I wanted to never give up. Not only was it letting go of my father again, but I knew it once held a lifetime of memories for him.
During WWII, Paul Attardi served in Guadalcanal. He returned with malaria and other maladies. He knew he had the draft of this book on his lap and a copy of his letters, and we were talking about it, but his medications did not allow for much conversation about his WWII experience. I asked him if he wanted me to read his last letter to my dad. He did. Afterwards, he said: “Did Anne tell Elaine?” He didn’t want his wife to know he had malaria. “Anne” was my mother. I told him, “No, Uncle Paul, she did not.” “Good, she would worry. I want Lou to keep this from my wife.” However, he was taking his last breaths that week and he passed away, I believe, on or about Father’s Day, June 15th, the same date as this year, three days later. As I sat next to him, he smiled bigtime. I asked him, “Why are you smiling, Uncle Paul?” He moved his right arm from left to right in an arc in front of both of us, and then turned his head toward me and said, “Lynnie, they are all here.” I asked him, “Who, Uncle Paul?” He looked at me with a tearful gleam in his eyes, head titled, and replied, “My family.” Did I see a smile? Uncle Paul then grasped my hand again.
It was then that I knew my father was there beside me, and it was then that I realized my dad knew I was writing the book. At that moment, my tears were for everyone, and nothing would stop me from finishing the manuscript. The legacies of the men and their experiences in WWII would be forever in print, not safely kept in a box somewhere by my father, just as they told it to each other in their own handwriting as they served across the land and the seas of our Earth. Now it all could be read and known by their families and friends and whoever else was interested. Their stories during the war were no longer silent. These 11 men wanted to be heard.
Today I’m telling you a little bit about the Battle of Normandy that took place on June 12th, 1944. First let me say that this battle represents a chapter, a pivotal moment where the Allied forces, predominantly American, British, and Canadian, launched the largest amphibious invasion in history to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. And as historians know, these landings were not easy ones because they were met with extreme resistance by the Germans. The result? Thousands of Allied casualties on the first day alone.
The extraordinary brave Allied soldiers on treacherous waters landed in, swam, and walked around explosive obstacles that the Underwater Demolition Teams (today’s Seabees) to which John Pandolfe belonged, attempted to, and hopefully disarmed even before the 6th of June; they pushed forward against the German’s heavy fire. Thanks to the men’s bravery, the Allies saw the first stage of failure for Nazi Germany. And for this, they were able to approach their second front in Europe; they now paved the way to help liberate Western Europe. Even with great human casualties, next came victory.