Tag: Normandy Invasion

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He Led From the Front

I’m sure that during your career, each of you have reported to multiple supervisors with leadership skills ranging from the “boss from hell” to being a trusted “mentor” (probably more of the former). Everyone over a career has experienced the depths of contempt to a high of ultimate respect toward their superiors. The best boss was someone for whom everyone would gladly jump off a cliff. The bad boss was someone who led their troops to the edge of the cliff and pushed them over while retreating to safety in the end.

In major wars, there are two types of generals: “stay-at-home” and “front-line.” Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not passing judgement on either type. Gen. Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower never really had any front-line combat experience. However, his talents (i.e., political and managerial) were crucial to winning World War II. Considered to be Ike’s second-in-command, Gen. Walter Bedell Smith (1895−1961) was an administrative genius. Gen. George C. Marshall (1880−1959) turned down an overseas battlefield assignment because President Roosevelt considered him too important in his role as U.S. Army Chief of Staff.

Many of us who have been to the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach have seen the grave of Brigadier General (BG) Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1887−1944), the only American general to land and go ashore on D-Day, the morning of 6 June 1944. He was very popular with his men and well-respected by his superiors. Our story today is about another American general who, like Roosevelt, led from the front.

MG Maurice Rose. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Post-World War II 3rd Armored Division government publication, “Spearhead in the West,” published by the division in occupied Germany. PD-U.S. Government. Wikimedia Commons.
MG Maurice Rose. Photo by anonymous (date unknown). Post-World War II 3rd Armored Division government publication, “Spearhead in the West,” published by the division in occupied Germany. PD-U.S. Government. Wikimedia Commons.

Did You Know?

I’ll bet half of you recognize the name of Hedy Lamarr and the other half have no idea who she was. Hedy Lamarr (1914−2000) was an Austrian-born actor, and film maker best known for her role in the 1949 film, Samson and Delilah. While she may be recognized for her movies, most people don’t know that Hedy was an inventor. She and her Hollywood neighbor-musician, George Antheil, developed a radio guidance system using wireless frequency-hopping, or spread spectrum technology. They called it “Secret Communication System” and a U.S. patent (#2,292,387) was issued on 11 August 1942. (Hedy was married at the time to Gene Markey.)

Hedy Lamarr and schematic diagram for her “Secret Communication System” patent. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Hedy Lamarr and schematic diagram for her “Secret Communication System” patent. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

Frequency-hopping was used to avoid jamming in torpedo guidance systems. Hedy and George gave the patent to the United States government to assist in the defeat of Hitler. The U.S. Navy opposed the idea and did not use it during the war. However, in the 1950s, the navy commissioned a project using the technology to acoustically detect submarines using remote-controlled sonar buoys. The “Secret Communication System” was not fully implemented until 1962 when it was used by military ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Unfortunately, the patent had expired by then. Hedy and George never received a penny for their invention. It is thought that the torpedoing of the SS City of Benares inspired Hedy to develop the system to jam torpedo frequencies. (Click here to read the blog, The SS City of Benares.) Howard Hughes was so impressed with Hedy that he hired her to improve the aerodynamics of his airplanes.

Click here to watch the video clip Hedy Lamar: Hollywood Star & Inventor.

Today, Hedy and George’s invention serves as the basis for modern spread-spectrum communication technology (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.) used in cell phones, wireless internet, and defense satellites. Hedy was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014 and is sometimes referred to as the “Mother of Wi-Fi.”

In 1997, Hedy was the first woman to be awarded the Invention Convention’s BULBIE Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award. It was commonly called the “Oscar of Inventing.” Hedy never won a filmdom Oscar but then, I suppose winning the “Oscar of Inventing” probably has a higher intellectual quotient.

Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as “Samson and Delilah” (1949). Photo by anonymous (c. 1949). PD-Expired copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as “Samson and Delilah” (1949). Photo by anonymous (c. 1949). PD-Expired copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

Maurice Rose

Maurice Rose (1899−1945) was born in Connecticut to Rabbi Samuel Rose and Katherin (née Bronowitz). His parents emigrated to America from Poland and three years after Maurice was born, the family relocated to Denver, Colorado. From the earliest age, Maurice knew he wanted to pursue a military career. Lying about his age, Maurice enlisted in the National Guard in 1916 with the hope he could join the Pancho Villa Expedition. His true age was discovered, and Maurice was discharged. Read More He Led From the Front

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Thirty-Six Days and Counting

Today is the 76th anniversary of Operation Neptune or D-Day as it’s commonly known. Neptune was the designated code name for the beach landings. The correct name for the overall invasion of Europe was Operation Overlord.

I’m sure the media and political focus on D-Day will be somewhat muted compared to last year’s anniversary. This year, the attention will be on the 75th anniversary of the end of the war (both VE and VJ days) and the liberations of the occupied countries and concentration camps. Much has been written about the hours leading up to launching the invasion, the experiences of the men during the early morning hours, the eventual success of driving the Germans back, and subsequent breakouts from the beaches. However, one aspect of the invasion seems to get scant, if any, attention.

Allied invasion planners. From left to right: General Bradley, Admiral Ramsay, Air Chief Marshal Tedder, General Eisenhower, General Montgomery, Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory, and General Smith. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
Allied invasion planners. From left to right: General Bradley, Admiral Ramsay, Air Chief Marshal Tedder, General Eisenhower, General Montgomery, Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory, and General Smith. Photo by anonymous (c. 1944). PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

What about the events during the thirty-six days prior to 6 June 1944? I’m specifically referring to the behind the scenes at General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s SHAEF headquarters from 1 May 1944 up to the morning of the invasion. I’ll highlight some of the interesting events that took place on a day-by-day basis leading up to the men landing in Normandy.

Did You Know?

Did you know that it wasn’t until the 1990s that the United States Army determined that African American soldiers during World War II had been denied consideration for the Medal of Honor because of their race?

The day after Christmas 1944, First Lieutenant John R. Fox (1915-1944) of the 92nd Infantry Division – known as the Buffalo Soldiers – saw action in an Italian village. He was part of a small observation squad which volunteered to stay behind as the Germans began to overrun the village. From his position inside a stone tower, Lt. Fox directed the defensive artillery fire on the incoming Wehrmacht forces. At one point, he ordered the artillery to direct its fire on his position. Told by the artillery team the incoming onslaught would kill him, Lt. Fox’s last order was, “Fire it!” Lt. Fox’s sacrifice gave the American forces enough time to regroup, counterattack, and retake the village.

Lt. John R. Fox. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Lt. John R. Fox. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Destroyed tower which served as the lookout post for Lt. Fox. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945).
Destroyed tower which served as the lookout post for Lt. Fox. Photo by anonymous (c. 1945).

Lt. Fox and six other African Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor on 12 January 1997. Six of the medals were awarded posthumously with Lt. Fox’s widow accepting the honor on his behalf. The citizens of the village of Sommocolonia, Italy erected a monument after the war. It is dedicated to nine men killed during the battle: eight Italian soldiers and Lt. John R. Fox.

1 May 1944

It was the first week in May when the final plan for Neptune was agreed upon. The initial date of the invasion, 1 May 1944, had earlier been postponed by General Eisenhower (1890-1969) and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976) after they decided to expand the original invasion plan drafted in August 1943 to include five rather than three divisions for the landings, an additional three airborne divisions, and extra landing craft. The revised plan also included specific goals for post-Neptune operations beginning with the break-out from the beaches.

In the months preceding the invasion, elaborate efforts were made to deceive the Germans about the actual landing location. This was called Operation Bodyguard and it was a complete success (Click here to read The Double Cross System). The final plans designated the lodgment or, landing area to be the beaches between the Seine and Loire rivers rather than Pas-de-Calais where Hitler and Rommel were convinced Allied troops would land.

Map of Normandy Breakout, 1 August – 13 August 1944. Photo and map by anonymous (date unknown).
Map of Normandy Breakout, 1 August – 13 August 1944. Photo and map by anonymous (date unknown).

Read More Thirty-Six Days and Counting