The Eve of Invasion

66th Anniversary of D-Day at Ike's Farm

This past month at Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg hosted a commemoration event for the 66th anniversary of the Normandy landings in Northern France. According to the United States Army History of the invasion, "June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler."

This particular Living History event was held on the grounds of the Eisenhower Farm, purchased by Ike and Mamie in 1950. Eisenhower first lived on the battlefield while commandant of Camp Colt during WWI. During the Second World War, the battlefield was home to both Camp Sharpe Prison Camp (see article) and a training center for GIs. These are some little known tidbits regarding the battlefield. The D-Day event at Ike's pales in comparison in relation to the World War II Weekend the site hosts every September. I hope to attend this weekend-long event which includes speakers, demonstrations, and period vehicles.

Enjoy this eight minute video produced by the Army which includes archival footage of the campaign and interviews by veterans who saw it firsthand.

The day began at the park visitor center, where friend and historian John Heiser parked his original WWII Ford GPW at the plaza of the museum to promote the event at Ike's that day. John and several within his reenacting unit restored this unique vehicle after much neglect brought about by previous owners. It's now back to it's former glory.

While walking back from my Pickett's Charge tour, this (what I think is a) 1941 PT-17 Stearman bi-plane flew over the High Water Mark. It was likely flying toward the Reading WWII Air Show also taking place that weekend.

At the farm itself, two small companies of arrayed American troops in addition to British Commandos were encamped on the farm's grounds.

This infantryman was beginning to back up his gear, which included his pack, M1 Rifle, ration kit, and baseball mitt.

This GI is sporting a Water Proof M7 Gas Mask bag on his chest. These were designed specifically for the invasion of Europe. These would often be discarded by the troops. Other items such as gas brassard, a green armband worn on the left arm which would turn pink if poison gas were introduced.

The Thompson sub-machine gun at left was a common weapon of choice by Allied troops. It was ideal for both close quarter and urban combat. Devised shortly after the end of the First World War, it was known as the "gangster's weapon" during Prohibition until it was put to great and effective use during WWII. Also seen here are varying types of field explosives, grenades, and detonators.

This display of American small arms included two bolt-action rifles (one with a sniper's scope). Also seen here is the trusted M1 Garand Rifle, which fired from an around round clip in the weapon's rear breach. Upon firing all the weapon's rounds, the clip would automatically eject, making a "ping" sound. It weighed about 9.5 pounds, similar in heft to muskets of the Civil War era.

There was also a small squad British Encampment. Seen here in the foreground is the Royal Flag of Scotland and the British colors. The men of the 4th British Commandos, as depicted here, were utilized in raiding parties, hit and run tactics, and various forms of squad warfare against the Nazis throughout Europe.

A very accurate portrayal of common, everyday items distributed to British soldiers can be seen via this photo. Included here are weaponry components, rations, and miscellaneous medical supplies and equipment.

This WWII truck faces east toward the Round Tops of the Gettysburg Battlefield. In the background, one can see the flag at half mast.

This commando is holding a Lee-Enfield Mark IV rifle. This bolt-action weapon was the primary rifle used by British troops during the Second World War. This weapon and its very similar predecessor have been used by the Brits for over 100 years. I suppose the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," applies here. During and before the war, many of these were produced in the U.S. in order to assist the pressured British Military.

A close-up view of the 4th Commando's insignia.

Living History everyday here in Gettysburg. (Okay, this is me from the town's Memorial Day Parade.) I'd like to thank all those reenactors who made this event possible and the dedicated staff of Eisenhower National Historic Site for putting on a good show. Through events like this, the average visitor receives a true immersion experience.

"The Great Escape" of 1848

Throughout the near 250 year history of slavery in the Americas, countless numbers of chattel slaves devised brilliant means of escape in a number of different ways. Some bought their way out. One man, Henry "Box" Brown, even mailed himself to Philadelphia in a wooden crate. Perhaps it was William and Ellen Craft who pulled off one of the most creative forms of escape known of in historical memory. The lightly complexioned Ellen dressed as a man and portrayed herself as her husband’s master, journeying their way to Philadelphia in 1848 and later to Great Britain.

In a number of instances of this tale, one notices the evolution of the Crafts in both their character and their daring exploits. The Crafts not only learn more about the state of affairs in America at their time, but they also are prompt to use their wits and depend on each other to achieve their common goal of freedom. Initially, the two slaves show hesitancy and pessimism in their prospects of escape. Nevertheless, the Crafts' outlook on this situation soon changes. They noted, “[A]fter puzzling our brains for years, we were reluctantly driven to the sad conclusion, that it was almost impossible to escape from slavery in Georgia, and travel 1,000 miles across the slave States....but at the same time ever to keep our dim eyes steadily fixed upon the glimmering hope of liberty, and earnestly pray God mercifully to assist us to escape from our unjust thralldom.”

Gone were the meek and subjected slaves from Macon, Georgia. The Crafts transformed themselves into audacious and equally enterprising individuals, thirsty for freedom and the opportunity to make their way in the world. As many African-Americans felt at this time, the chance of freedom was an extraordinary opportunity to become ordinary. Perhaps others noticed their undaunted bravery more than the Crafts themselves. In the January 4, 1849 edition of The Liberator, abolitionist William Wells Brown said this of the exploits of William and Ellen Craft: “Their history, especially that of their escape, is replete with interest. They will be at the meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, in Boston, in the latter part of this month, where I know the history of their escape will be listened to with great interest. They are very intelligent. They are young, Ellen 22, and Wm. 24 years of age. Ellen is truly a heroine.”

A significant portion of the Craft’s book, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom: Or The Escape of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery, discusses the immediate horrors of slavery even more so than their direct escape. This function serves a very distinct purpose in the storyline. Through such vivid descriptions of oppression, many 19th Century readers would come to the full realization of the horrors of slavery and why one would wish to escape its chains. In one excerpt, Craft described one particularly cruel trait of the peculiar institution: “I have myself conversed with several slaves who told me that their parents were white and free; but that they were stolen away from them and sold when quite young. As they could not tell their address, and also as the parents did not know what had become of their lost and dear little ones, of course all traces of each other were gone.” Such was a common story amongst slave families throughout the Antebellum South.

To add insult to injury, many slave auctioneers would not even allow loved ones to bid each other farewell at their sale. One such instance we gruesomely retold by Craft: “My poor sister was sold first: she was knocked down to a planter who resided at some distance in the country....I at once asked a slave friend who was standing near the platform, to run and ask the gentleman if he would please to wait till I was sold, in order that I might have an opportunity of bidding her good-bye. He sent me word back that he had some distance to go and could not wait....I then turned to the auctioneer, fell upon my knees, and humbly prayed him to let me just step down and bid my last sister farewell. But, instead of granting me this request, he grasped me by the neck, and in a commanding tone of voice, and with a violent oath, exclaimed, ‘Get up! You can do the wench no good; therefore there is no use in your seeing her.’” Could not such stories transform the objective Victorian reader into a staunch abolitionist? Yes, and it did. Because of such engaging and compelling traits in addition to the pure emotion displayed throughout, the Crafts' story has become one of the most widely read and appreciate slave narratives since it's publishing in 1860. The greater question, however, is what can we achieve by reconnecting to their enduring tale?

Ellen and William Craft.

History in Advertising

Historical Memory in Popular Culture?

Release the pigeon!

Just over the course of the past few days, I have seen some pretty hilarious TV commercials where the creators have utilized historical events as a sales pitch. The first, from Men's Warehouse, and the second about the Dodge Challenger, comically embellish the "tough guy" mantra through scenes of World War I and the American Revolution. I'm sure many of you have seen the Civil War eBay commercial. The final video from Geico pokes fun at the notion of a completely Honest Abe. I think these are a uniquely entertaining way of promoting history. The best part: all of these commercials do a better job with historical apparel and tactics than The History Channel's America: The Story of Us. I don't know whether to laugh or cry about that...

Cars and Freedom...


It's the wrong century!


The founders take a cool one.


Perhaps just a little...

Reading Ike

Exploring the Collections of Eisenhower National Historic Site

Today, I had the unique opportunity to tour the collections and archives of Eisenhower National Historic Site here in Gettysburg. The multitude of artifacts not only covers Ike's presidency and retirement days in the community, but also items from his military career and campaigns for the presidency. Like a guard watching over the collections, this bust of Ike by artist Felix de Weldon stands as sentinel at the archives. I would like to thank Museum Curator Mike Florer and Curatorial Intern Megan Sheesley for allowing me to visit the collections and share these photos with you all.

As you can imagine, there are tons of political memorabilia spanning from the 1950s and 1960s. In the foreground are the then-common and today highly sought after "I Like Ike" campaign pins. Dozens of others pins ranging in size, color, and slogans were present as well. One even was a Democrats for Eisenhower (who was a Republican) pin. On this piece of politicana, these Ike-loving Dems proclaimed themselves to be "Dem-Ike-Crats."

This very large map of Normandy and the entirety of 1944 France was captured from a German Headquarters in August of that year by Allied troops. On this map (which you can enlarge by clicking), you can see the Allied and Axis positions designated in blue and red ink and pencil markings. The northern portions of the map beside the peninsula indicates the Allied Beachheads assaulted on D-Day, June 6, 1944. I know, how cool?

Okay, I couldn't help it. How can you not make your general's pose when standing over this really cool piece of history?

This drawer contained a German M-38 gas mask and tin canister in which it could be stored. Many soldiers, however, would discard the mask and keep the case as a waterproof carrier for food and related essentials. The pouch in the background is an American gas mask carrier.

Miscellaneous jump gear equipment from American Airborne troops in addition to a "non-shatterable" can of oxygen for bomber pilots and airmen.

Original boots and covers worn by WWII soldiers.

Minus, the British canteen in the tan pack at center, the rest of these utensils were the common types used by American soldiers on all fronts of the Second World War. The cup at right could serve as a dual cup/kettle and had a folding handle which locked into place.

A very unique artifact - a piece of barbed wire from the German defenses on Point du Hoc from D-Day.

For those of you who haven't seen The Longest Day, this great painting by artist Larry Selman does a nice job of capturing the "uphill" battle for Point du Hoc, where Americans believed Nazi gun emplacements were located. However, this heavy artillery had been moved away from the coast to escape Allied bombings. This fact was not discovered until after the position had been captured.

An assortment of original WWII patches. The large Italy patch was worn by prisoners of war. The green diamond shaped one second from the top left is that of the 4th Infantry Division.

Amongst those in the 4th Division at Utah Beach on D-Day was my grandfather - Sergeant Thomas Nycum. He was led by Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. as depicted in this colorful painting by artist John Paul Strain.

This seat cushion from from Gettysburg's WWI Camp Colt, in which a young Captain Eisenhower commanded, was sent home by a soldier named Harold to his mother back home.

An American Mk 2 Hand Grenade found on the beaches of Normandy. (It's now inert.)

A more humorous artifact - a fake surrender flag gift from a "Mrs. J. Edgar Hoover" presented to Ike by some creative White House staff. You can figure out the humor in it by more closely examining it.

Eisenhower, at one point of his life, smoked several packs of cigarettes per day. But amongst the pieces of art, books, and other trinkets he was bestowed, he also received and/or bought numerous varieties of liquor and beverages. These are a few of his empty bottles, the contents of which I'm sure he enjoyed very much. If anything, I think artifacts like these help humanize our most famous leaders.

But this was perhaps the coolest: a set of Ike's general stars, both four and five stars. Also in this drawer are some single stars and patches from his uniforms. The four star pin was given to Ike's driver by the general himself.

This watch was given to Ike's driver, Sgt. Mickey McKeough, on his birthday when the Sergeant was in the hospital. Having forgot that it was indeed his aide's birthday, Ike took his own wristwatch off and gave it to the ill orderly. That's one heck of a memento.

Also in the archives is a far less cheery artifact: a 5x9 foot Nazi Flag. This banner was captured in 1944 from a Third Reich Headquarters in Europe.

And here is a portion of a panoramic photo of U.S. Soldiers posing at Devil's Den at Gettysburg National Military Park in 1918. These men were trained at nearby Camp Colt. This site, I believe, transformed Eisenhower into a true leader and commander and ultimately prepared him for the military and political achievements he would claim over the next five decades.

In Their Footsteps...

Brig. Gen. Joe Davis' Brigade at Gettysburg with Scott Hartwig

It's the 147th anniversary of the battle here at Gettysburg. (It only comes once!) Amidst the thousands of tourists that will descend upon the community this weekend, scores of them will be attending Gettysburg National Military Park's Battle Walks, Real Time Programs, and Daily Summer Programs. One of them just happened to take place in our front yard this morning. Above, you can see the approximate 300 visitors walking down the Wills House Lane on the First Day's battlefield.

The tour was led by GNMP Supervisory Historian Scott Hartwig. The program's subject was the exploits of Brigadier General's Joseph Davis' Confederate Brigade on July 1, 1863. To watch a full telecast of this program, tune into the Pennsylvania Cable Network for those of you who live in the Keystone State.

Joe Davis was a rather wealthy and privileged officer of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. As the nephew of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, he was at first sheltered away from combat much like the sons of Robert E. Lee. He devoted the first half of his career as an aide to his executive uncle. However, his eagerness to engage the enemy in battle eventually got him a command of a southern brigade. (Hmm. I wonder how he got that appointment?) Gettysburg would be his first combat command.

In the full video coming soon, Scott gives us a brief biography of General Davis including his family background, his education, and his early military career in both the state militia and the Confederate Army.

The John Wills - William Job - Theodore Bender - W.A. Kelly - Leroy Weinbrenner House is post-battle but almost all of the site's structures have traces of the battle in them. According to the Library of Congress: "The farm dates to 1798, when it was owned by William McPherson. James J. Wills purchased the farm from McPherson's heirs in 1859 and constructed the barn during the following year. Wills employed William Job as a tenant farmer to work the farm. During the Battle (July 1, 1863), Confederate troops marched through the farm to attack Union troops in the fields and woodlots to the west and south. Confederate artillery was also posted near the buildings which were used as a field hospital for several days after the battle." William Job fled the Confederate invasion in early July but likely hid somewhere on the property during their initial June 26, 1863 expedition into Gettysburg led by Jubal Early. For more information on the myth of the battle beginning over a shoe supply, read my article here.

In our video, Scott offers some history on Davis' Brigade itself. More full video of the tour to come once I fix some technical glitches.

At this point, our large group of about 300 attendants formed into a line of battle and began our march similar to that of Davis' Brigade (minus the whizzing bullets of course). There were about 2,000 men stretched nearly a mile, quite a bit larger than our condensed unit. It took about an hour and a half for these men to deploy and prepare to enter the battle. These men and those under James Archer were ordered by General Ambrose Powell Hill "to move forward and occupy the town" (Sears Gettysburg 165).

The troops move out and kick up the dust! Davis' 2nd Mississippi, 42nd Mississippi, and 55th North Carolina caught the northerners of Lysander Cutler's brigade off guard just a short distance ahead of our column on McPherson Ridge. This clash quickly escalated and even Davis himself later noted that, "The engagement soon became very warm" (Sears 173).
As the fighting continued later into the day, the Mississippians and North Carolinaians sought refuge in the then-unfinished Railroad Cut they probably thought would have offered them protection as a form of ready-made earthworks. Unfortunately for them, this was not the case. The men of the 6th Wisconsin, 14th Brooklyn, and 95th New York soon took commanding positions on the high slopes of the embankment and fired into them largely like fish in a barrel.

In one particularly famous instance of this fighting, Union Corporal Francis Waller leaped toward Sergeant William Murphy of the 2nd Mississippi. This fight for the rebel colors claimed the lives of several man. Afterward, Murphy would write, ""I did all that was in my power to prevail upon the boys to come on and take the battery, not knowing at the time that we were overpowered by those regiments of the enemy in our front, right, and left. Just about that time a squad of soldiers made a rush for my colors and our men did their duty. They were all killed or wounded, but they still rushed for the colors with one of the most deadly struggles that was ever witnessed during any battle in the war. Over a dozen men fell killed or wounded, and then a large man made a rush for me and the flag. As I tore the flag from the staff he took hold of me and the color. The firing was still going on, and was kept up for several minutes after the flag was taken from me" (NPS). Painting by Don Troiani.

Another vivid depiction of the fighting at the unfinished railroad cut is offered to us via the artwork of Dale Gallon.

Because a number of their senior officers had been killed and the regiments were quickly pursuing federals in all directions, many of the units became disorganized and Davis could no longer access control of his men. A Major John Blair of the 2nd MS noted that the men "were jumbled together without regard to regiment of company." This combined with the relative inexperience of the units and commander in addition to the debacle at the railroad cut perhaps are just a few of the reasons of their heavy losses.
Today, a War Department marker stands on the northern portion of Reynolds Avenue to tell the store of the men in Davis' Brigade. Click to enlarge. More anniversary photos and video from Gettysburg coming soon!