Planning for the Normandy landings began in 1943.

The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasions in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June. Allied casualties on the first day were at least 12,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. The Germans lost 1,000 men.

The weather on D-Day was far from ideal. It depended on  the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day and that meant only a few days in each month were deemed suitable. June 6 had all of the right conditions.

Many Edwardsburg residents have visited the beach at Normandy and the cemetery there. The museum has a display showing some of the invasion.

To commemorate that time in history a dialog with Rex Welch will take place at the museum at 7 p.m. June 5.

Welch entered the US Army in 1939 as a private and retired in 1960 as a captain. In World War II he served with the 82nd. Airborne Div. 501st. Parachute Infantry Regiment.

He is brought to the museum by Don Alsbro who served in the Army, received a commission as a second lieutenant and finished his Army career as a colonel.

In 2006, Don started “Lest We Forget,” which is a patriotic organization with the motto of “brightening the future by illuminating the past.” “Lest We Forget” currently lists over 300 members and is producing World War II, Korea and Vietnam reenactments and beach landings in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor on June 20-22.

The number of veterans who served during World War II is dwindling and it is necessary to hear their recollections of the military and their war years, while we still have these brave people among us.

Along with the D-Day display is a Korean War commemoration and display to coincide with the emphasis on the 1950s

There is no charge for this presentation at the museum.

 

Jo-Ann Boepple works at the Edwardsburg Area History Museum.