USMC at Normandy?

[Dave]

I said the "so the story goes", and no I did not read it about Mac. True or not its a funny story. Now the Marine commender in Korea, name was Smith (Howlin mad?), held his men back and the the Army was trying to get him to move faster. Turned out he was right cause the Chinese hit them all with a fury. His troops suffered the least, the Army the most. That was Chosen, when the Chinese first came in.

[John Kepler]

Now the Marine commender in Korea, name was Smith (Howlin mad?),

Nope! Lt. Gen Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith retired from the Corps on May 5, 1946 (with a "graveyard" promotion to General). He died in San Diego, CA, Jan. 12, 1967 at the age of 84.

You are thinking of Maj.Gen. Oliver P. Smith who commanded the 1st Marine Div. in Korea.

[conductor]

Most likely any marines that were present during landings in the ETO were the regular ship board garrisioned marines that were stationed on the navy ships that were there. They may have assisted in some way but their main duty was shipboard, Ray

In the old Marine Corps museum at Quantico (next door to Little Hall) there was a Nazi battle flag that was captured by the ship's Marine detachment from (I think) the USS North Carolina. The ship's MarDet staged an amphibious landing on the island fort in the harbor at Marseilles, capturing the fort immediately prior to the invasion of Southern France by Gen. Patch's 7th Army.

[RayP.]

When I was maint. supervisor at last job I had,made friends with a fellow gun collector who was a Field Eng. rep. from Mono Group. LTD. for Moyno Pump Co.,one day one of the companys engineers showed up at work with a new car,when my friend pulled in lot,he wondered who car belongs to,license plate carried Purple Heart,P.O.W.,USMC and Europe WWll on it,my friend is ex WWll Marine,he figured some "wanna be's car who didn't know where Marines fought",when he got in office he asked who had new car,guy who spoke up was fellow worker/friend of his,held his tongue cause guy was retiring in few months,guy offered friend some eng. manuals,when friend went to pick them up he also gave him a box USMC magazines,couple weeks later friend was thumbing thru mags and found article with pic of reunion group of people who were dropped behind enemy lines for espionage,sabotage and tracking German supply/troop movements,people in group were from all service branches,few civies also,they were picked because they had special skill required,and there was a picture of his co-worker,Sgt.USMC,spent several mths. behind enemy lines,then he was captured,14 mths. German POW camp,there was a movie loosely based on this group titled "13 Rue Madelane",starring James Cagney,friend made copy of article/picture for me,I'd like to post it if I can find it,got awful lot of stuff packed away and didn't mark the boxes.

RayP.

[Dan Wilson]

WOW, thanks!!

I guess you learn something new all the time, I had never knew that USA ever wore cammy's in WWII.

Dan

[SwampRatt]

Just on Vic Morrow's helmet.

[Mk VII]

The camouflage overalls were only worn for a short time. Supposedly they looked too much like the German stuff.

[smle-man]

I have read that small parties of Marines were present at Normandy as security for the beachmasters.

[Long Island]

There is a great booklet in the Marines in WWII Commerative Series by Lt Col Harry Edwards called "A Different War: Marines in Europe and North Africa". Sheds some light on Marine Corps activity in the ETO.
My Dad was with the 5th Marine Defense Battalion, attached to the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade that sat in Iceland from June 1941 to March 1942.
They were originally slated for the Azores but went to Iceland instead. I don't know what the Azores climate was but my Dad disliked Iceland. Did not eat mutton for the rest of his life. Blamed the diet for poor dental health and hair loss, no fresh vegies or vitamin supplements in those days. He was able to wear the European Campaign Ribbon on his blouse. Lost the rest of his hair after being scared ****less at Tarawa. God bless them All.
Bob

[Pete]

In the 1960s L.L. Bean catalogs used to say that the Marines in Iceland wore its Maine Hunting Shoes specially purchased off the shelf because of the climate there. They're the leather-top, rubber-bottom kind of boot.