Local Comment - Our secret weapon

World War II veteran

This article begins with the worldwide headlines Dec. 7, 1941 announcing the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

I imagine at least three-quarters of the men in our country responded with “We will get those S.O.B.’s”. The next morning another shocking headline announced President Roosevelt had declared war against Germany and Japan. Germany’s new dictator Adolph Hitler no doubt jumped for joy. He was a corporal in the First World War and his country was winning before the U.S. joined the Allies and defeated Germany. Now was his time for revenge.

Hitler had nothing but contempt for the U. S. He felt since we are known as the “melting pot” - allowing all people, regardless of race, creed or color to become American citizens - there was no chance Americans could defeat his pure Aryan army. The one chance for a U.S. victory would be a secret weapon.

At this point, our country was ill prepared for war. Our army was small (ranked 16th in the world) as was our air force, with outdated aircraft. The Navy, once considered one of the most powerful in the world, suffered a serious blow during Pearl Harbor’s bombing. Germany already had scientists working on a nuclear bomb and rockets that could span the Atlantic Ocean. What Hitler did not know was that the U.S. did have a secret weapon.

This is my theory: In the early 1900’s, our country was evolving from the “Horse and Buggy Era”. There were several small plants in the Great Lakes area, manufacturing automobiles. One was the Ford Motor Company, and it couldn’t meet the public’s demands. Company President Henry Ford knew there must be a better way to produce cars, and he came up with the assembly line idea - a new concept of manufacturing hundreds of cars instead of dozens in the same amount of time. By 1940 there were three large companies, making thousands of cars each year. The builders of airplanes soon followed suit.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, these factories were turned over to the U.S. Military to make bombers, battleships and other war equipment. These were shipped to England and stockpiled for the planned invasion of Nazi Europe.

Hitler began a new method of warfare, known as “Blitz Krieg”. The attacks began with waves of four-engine bombers which would destroy most of the cities. These were followed by dive bombers demolishing what the big bombers missed. Hitler’s troops crossed the Polish border Sept. 1, 1939. France, England’s only ally, surrendered on June 14, 1940. Hitler now had control of Western Europe.

With the surrender of France, the little island of England stood alone against Hitler’s forces. Only 26 miles across the English Channel was the German army. Most believed only a miracle would save England, but Hitler’s ego and stubbornness was England’s redemption.

Against the advice of his top officers, Hitler launched an aerial attack called the “London Blitz”.

Instead of targeting military bases and manufacturing plants, he began bombing large cities; the purpose was to destroy the historical cities and the inhabitants, confident that England would soon submit.

This was his first huge blunder, as Britain under Winston Churchill refused to surrender.

Germany began losing aircraft at an alarming rate.

Hitler had planned to use the aircraft to attack Russia.

He decided to stop the bombings and take care of England after the defeat of Russia.

This was his second major blunder.

Now England, with its soon-to-be American Allies, would have a base for an amphibious assault on Europe.

After the U.S. declared war against Germany, Hitler realized there would be an assault on the beaches of Normandy.

He ordered his favorite General Erwin Rommel, known as the “Desert Fox”, to fortify the beaches against attack. Rommel bragged to Hitler that his defenses would repel any attempt of enemy landings. How wrong he was. By sundown all five of the beach-heads were occupied by the Allied forces.

Hitler also knew if the Allies had a successful landing, they would need to have a harbor to bring in troops and supplies.

On the French side of the channel, there were three large cities with huge harbors that could be used by the Allies.

Rommel doubled the amount of anti-aircraft guns, and placed explosives in the harbors in case the Allies were successful in occupying any of these cities.

Oh, how the Allies outfoxed the “Desert Fox”.

They would bring their harbor with them! The factories in England began manufacturing metal caissons, pontoons and other equipment to build two harbors called “Mullberries” - one English and one American.

These parts were towed across the Channel by the Allied fleet and in operation the third day after they were assembled.

One problem was getting the troops and equipment to the beach head from the transport ships. The War Department sent letters to U.S. factories seeking solutions to this problem. Andrew Higgins of Higgins Industries had the answer. He designed five different types of water craft. I was familiar with two of these - the LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) and LST (Landing Ship Tank). The LST was about the length of a football field. Its deck carried tanks, half tracks, and big trucks. The cargo space was loaded with equipment and troops. These ships did not require a landing harbor - wide swinging doors would open and the contents unload directly on the beach.

My company spent seven days on the LST 500 anchored on the shore of the channel waiting for the invasion to begin. Sleeping conditions on this boat were terrible. Myself and two buddies lucked out and claimed one of the 6x6 cargo trucks that were chained to the deck. The truck had canvas stretched across wooden bows, and the space between these bows made a perfect sleeping place.

On the night of June 5, we were awakened by the sound of our craft’s engine. The sight we saw at dawn was unbelievable. The Channel was filled from horizon to horizon with vessels of all kinds. Fighter planes flew over the ships protecting them from enemy fire. My bed made a perfect vantage point for the scene around me. It was as if I were in a theater watching a movie. Battleships, cruisers and destroyers were lobbing shells onto the beaches and in the hills beyond, fighter planes and bombers were heading inland to destroy enemy forces. We waded ashore about 3 p.m. and made a bivouac in an orchard a mile from the beach-head.

I frequently relive these memories of “D” day. I believe our secret weapon was Henry Ford’s assembly line system. The Allies adopted Hitler’s “Blitz” method of warfare, but instead of killing civilians, they began bombing German factories. American B24 and B17 bombers flew in the daylight; the English flew at night. This went on day after day, night after night. There was a great loss of Allied aircraft and lives. No matter how many planes were lost, they were quickly replaced because of our production method. Unfortunately there was no way of replacing the hundreds of young men lost on these raids.

World War II changed history forever. The Germans brought us into the jet age and of course America brought us into the atomic age. The peace treaty between Germany and the Allies was signed May 8, 1945. This ended the European Theatre of War. The Japanese surrendered after the U.S. atomic bombing of their two large cities. The Emperor of Japan was quoted as saying, “We have awakened a sleeping giant.”