European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Seasoned gis survived vets say by Craig Martin staff writer. At the Landing that marked the beginning of the end of world War ii the seasoned Battle scarred soldiers seemed to survive the fighting better than new troops according to soldiers who fought at Normandy. A it was better for those men that were already in combat in Africa and Sicily because they knew what to expect when they hit the Beach said Lem Phillips 72, of Pittston a. A i Felt sorry for the Guys who were replacements a new men who had never been in combat before. A it must have been a terrible Shock for those Guys to come into All this fire at one time. The other Guys. Knew what to Phillips who was a Corporal assigned to the 16th inf regt part of the 116th regt combat team that landed on Omaha Beach below what roses for his i or Lem Phillips on a Day some 4 friendships lasted Only hours. But the memory of those he came to know even briefly will be with him forever. On a Rainy afternoon this May Phillips brought a half dozen silk roses to Normandy to Lay at the Graves of soldiers he met the night before his unit landed at Omaha Beach. A i have buddies Here a said Phillips of Pittston pa., As he was walking slowly through Normandy american cemetery in Coleville sur Mer France. A a in la drop one for each of Phillips who was a 22-year-old Corporal with the 16th inf regt that landed on the Beach below the cemetery was touring with the society of the 1st division a group of soldiers who fought in the War. A. V a a a 1r had three Guys killed buddies of mine 1 that were replacements that Day that got a killed Down there a he said As he pointed toward Omaha Beach. Placing Flowers on their Graves was difficult for the 72-year-old pennsylvanian. A i Hope 1 done to Start crying like i have before a he said of his third visit. Although the society a schedule for the two week tour was tight Phillips was determined to Lay the Flowers at the base of his friends Graves. A if i done to have time to do it today a he said a a in la do it a even if i have to take a taxi from somewhere a ill do he had time to place a Flower at one grave. After taking a moment to wipe tears from his eyes he had to move on Craig Martin. ,. A amps Croig Marti society of the 1st division members Render a Salute at Normandy american cemetery. Is now Normandy american cemetery said that the germans were Well dug in and hard to Sec and the Guys who happened to. Be near the door of the Landing Craft had a Low survivability Factor. He germans had deadly machine gun i fire bearing Down on us. And when l they dropped the ramp Down on those beaches the germans were right in there with their machine guns a said Phillips who came in on the second wave. A some of the Guys had Sand and water in their rifles and they use them. And even if they could there was nothing they could shoot at there because there was nothing left to Sec. A we see much of the germans. Although there were hundreds of them above us looking Down Ai us we see up there or nothing. We Sec also worked against the americans. Houston resident . Elliott 73, a sergeant with the 5th Field arty of the 1st inf div known As the big red one agreed that seasoned soldiers fared better. A the 1st division was in Sicily too so we had been pretty Well seasoned a began Elliott who was proud of the fact that he did no to lose any of his men who landed during the first wave. A a we knew what to expect. A lot of us had been in two years. When you re in that Long you know what to expect. A William Carl of mount Jewett pa., said it did no to matter much if members of his unit were seasoned or not. The w Ater. W As his worst enemy a a your Landing Craft in a Sandbar a the former 19-year-old private with the 18th inf regt said. A when the door opened and we went out we dropped into 10 feet of water. A most of those who did no to get shot drowned we had to swim 75 Yards to Shore. A the infantry you know had 40 pounds of Backpack a said Carl. A you can t swim with that on. A a a. A a in be been swimming since i was 6 years old. The first thing i did was lose my pack a Lem Phillips places a silk Flower on the grave of a Friend at Normandy american cemetery a amps Croig Marlin june 6, 1994 a stars and stripes commemorative edition 39
