Special Guests of D-Day Conneaut

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Special Guests and Notable Military Memorabilia
At the 2011 D-Day Conneaut Event
Pending Confirmation

D-Day Conneaut is once again honored to be presenting on Saturday General Omar Bradley's General of the Army 5 Star Flag. Awarded this rank in 1950, General Bradley's officially documented flag comes to us on loan from the collection of Gary Schulze. The general's flag flew proudly for many years over Marshall House located on the grounds of Fort Benning Georgia. Omar N. Bradley, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold and George C. Marshall were the only generals to have ever been awarded this honor. 4 Navy Admirals also reached this achievement; William Daniel Leahy, Ernest Joseph King, Chester William Nimitz and William Frederick Halsey, Jr. Weather permitting, this historic flag will again fly over our parade ground within the shadow of Old Glory herself, our Star Spangled Banner. General Bradley was in command of the American 1st Army on D-Day. He watched the landings from the Cruiser Augusta from the bridge of the ship via binoculars as the men on Omaha Beach came ashore. No photos exist other than the ones taken at D-Day Conneaut showing this flag flying amongst a formation of soldiers. What a unique honor this continues to be for our re-enactors, especially those that portray the very men in which the general commanded.

See photos from this historic moment on our photo page.

Lt. Charles Marcy to Sing at D-Day Conneaut
Pending Confirmation

D-Day Conneaut is also very pleased to announce that WWII 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, much to his satisfaction, became the pilot of a B-17 bomber. He and his crew flew 21 missions over enemy held territory hoping to reach the magic number of 25, the then standard set for crews to be taken off the line, safe and sound. Upon their return from mission 21, a new standard of 30 was set due to the high losses in planes and men. Six missions later and three shy of that new mark, mission 27 would turn out to be his last behind the controls of a flying fortress. It was April 29th, 1944, during a raid on Berlin, that the formation was intercepted by fighter planes of the German Luftwaffe. A round from one of the fighters smashed through the nose of his plane, passed through the control panel, severed two of Lt. Marcy's fingers and ended up impacting his chest. He was knocked unconscious at an altitude of 26,000 feet in skies filled with hundreds of B-17's heading to their target.

With a rookie co-pilot in the right seat, fear got the best of the fledgling flyer and the B-17 spiraled down towards the earth. After regaining his senses, Lt. Marcy managed to regain control of the bomber with the help of Sgt. Robert Schrimsher, a crewman of only 18 years of age which now found himself acting as the co-pilot. Marcy's navigator and bombardier were badly hurt during the attack as well. After settling the fortress to an altitude of 8000 feet, not a single sign of the armada of planes on the raid were in sight. Lost and alone, the crew devised a plan to try and make it to the Swedish coast. During their maneuvering, the plane again was hit with anti-aircraft fire knocking out 2 engines and setting a wing a blaze. Time, was running out. After assuring that the crew had bailed out, Lt. Marcy hit the silk himself. Landing on German soil wounded and dazed he was quickly captured.

Lt. Marcy's POW ID Card and Mission Log
Click for a larger view.

Lt. Marcy was treated for his wounds in a German Air Force (Luftwaffe) hospital. A number of air crews were also receiving treatment there as well. Lt. Marcy described to me his care in the German hospital. "We were being taken care of very well by a very intelligent and well to do nurse who did everything she could to help us recover. She referred to her patients as her boys." As to raise the comfort level of the men, she dismissed the guards taking responsibility of not only treating the men, but also risking her own life within the ward. As appreciation to the nurse, Lt. Marcy sang to her in German a melody called None but the Lonely Heart. 3 weeks into his recovery 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. On Sunday, he will be celebrating his 90th birthday! Wishing you many more to come, we thank you for treating us with your renditions of the musical fabric of a most grateful nation.