05/27/2024
Honoring Sapienza Family Veterans
We Salute and Thank Those of our Family - of the "Greatest Generation" - and Beyond - Who Fought for this Country and our Freedoms.
Luciano, my Sicilian Grandfather, (left in the family photo), arrived in this country at age 17 and soon joined the US Army to fight in WWI. He likely did so to expedite his US Citizenship and to raise members of the "Greatest Generation" at 1516 Campbell Street, Rahway, NJ family. His eldest son, Jack, (second from left) joined the US Air Force. Rosa, (middle) became an air raid warden.
Vito, my father, as a Quarter Master 2nd Class was at the helm of Land Craft Tank LCT-539. His best friend Quartermaster 3rd Class Harry Kellers, wrote the following as gunner's mate (was) assigned to the port 20mm, with Howard Ledford as the loader and Ira Tiller on the the stern hook.
"On the morning of 6 June, 1944, we set course for the shores of Normandy, France... LCT-539 proceeded towards East Red, Omaha Beach, in the 8th wave with an es**rt of mine sweepers.
"At 7:30 we hit the beach. We were under intense fire from the bluffs above the beach and suffered numerous hits from 47mm and 88mm projectiles. Our log entry states: " It being well guarded received two shells from 88mm. One in the starboard locker, one in the skipper's quarters. One 47mm hole in starboard bulwark. Two soldiers killed, two badly hurt. One 47mm thru port ramp extension."
"We were fortunate that all of the hits we took were armor-piercing and not high explosive projectiles.
LCT-539 withdrew a mere four minutes later, still with its cargo or tanks and surviving troops. It was not until 1000 that fighter aircraft appeared overhead; it was not until 1230 that the destroyers knocked out the remaining guns. At 1330, infantry ashore to blast the remaining tank traps. And then, at 1500, LCT-539 could finally beach and disembark its Army personnel and heavy equipment.
"After we landed and disembarked the troops, time was spent hosing down the deck of the blood of those killed. It was a terrible experience. We then loaded the wounded from the beach... We also took on a couple of wounded German prisoners, both 16 years old, and proceeded to the (USS) Sam Chase to deposit both the dead and wounded.
Another member of the crew, motor mechanic on 539, Dick Rung, on the 50th Anniversary of D-Day from the German positions in the bluffs, in a letter to QM3C Harry Kellers, remarked, "it was a wonder any of us survived. You remember the sounds of the infantrymen being hit. I will never forget the blood as we finally unloaded and washed down the deck."
Again, from Harry: "Our XO Ensign Slager was also wounded, but it was never logged in. After all these years, I can still hear what sounded like grunting noises made by the men who were hit. One of the soldiers killed was hit in the head - which literally exploded - parts of his skull and brain making a pink shower in the air that covered us. It was a horrible experience I shall never forget.
They truly were the "Greatest Generation."
A more complete account of LCT-539 may be found here:
http://www.6juin1944.com/veterans/kellers.php
I was privileged to meet Harry Kellers when they and my father reunited for "Honor Flight" in 2011. They both had some trepidation about the reunion, but both said it was immediately like old times. I feel fortunate to have witnessed their clowning around.
God Bless you, Dad. Harry. Dick. The crew crew LCT-539 crew and all those veterans and service personnel to whom we owe so much.
