MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum is welcoming a group of WWII D-Day Veterans aboard the USS Yorktown. Troops stormed the beaches of France on June 6th 1944 and today, 10 heroes are set to share their stories…75 years after the invasion. Eight of the ten veterans are listed below:
Charleston
Edison (Ed) Myers
Staff Sgt. Army
Landed at Utah Beach D-Day +2
Fought on frontlines through France
Earned Silver Star
Charleston
Johnny Hill
Army, Company A, 5th Ranger Battalion
Landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day
Myrtle Beach
Otto Markert
Army
Landed at Omaha Beach
Myrtle Beach
Stewart Swift
Army Private
27th Infantry Division
Landed at Utah Beach
Was a Plane Mechanic and Given A gun and orders to invade Utah Beach
Myrtle Beach
Leonard Gardner
Army
Landed at Omaha Beach
Columbia
David O‘ Neil Derrick
Army
612th Tank Destroyer Battalion
C Company
Drove 75 mm and 90 mm tanks
Landed on Omaha Beach on June 16 at 9am
Camden
Marion David
Attached and unassigned at first when he got to England
Private Army, 12th Traffic Regulating Group
Was sent to the 6th Traffic Regulating Group
Met MP’s and assigned outfits to landing crafts
Landed at Utah Beach
Became a messenger/runner for info to and from frontlines
Charlotte
Curtis Outon
Army 1942-1945
38th Infantry, 2nd Division, C Company
Landed at Omaha Beach
Participants will hear first-hand accounts of the battle to take the beaches of France. The program starts at 10:30am with a meet and greet happening from 1:30-2:30pm. It is free to attend.
The allied invasion required two years of planning, training, supplying, and nearly 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops. 75 years ago, Veteran John Stewart Swift recalls a feeling of futility washing over him. He says he felt like they were probably not going to make it because the casualties were so high. Today, he is proud of what he and his servicemen accomplished, “People come up to me on the street and say thank you…that’s probably one of the proudest moments of my life and I’m getting it every day”.
The Executive Director for Patriots Point says a few months ago, he wasn’t sure if the museum could find any men that were part of the D-Day invasion—Now he’s encouraging everyone to come out to meet the heroes, “Unfortunately, this will likely be the last time most people will ever have an opportunity to meet a D-Day veteran and shake his hand. I hope the community will take advantage of this chance to thank the men who risked their lives to save the world from Nazi Germany”.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the destroyer USS Laffey’s role in supporting the invasion of Utah beach. The warship, which is on display at the museum, is one of only three D-Day Allied warships still in existence. The United States Flag that flew on the ship on June 6, 1944 has been restored by museum staff and will be unveiled for the first time during the D-Day program.
