European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The destroyer Harding steamed into a Day history with its fire missions in support of the landings at Omaha Beach and Pointe do hoc. Navy destroyer Harding screw sets the record straight Navy gunners supported . Rangers at Pointe do Hobby ciiaul1e Bowden and Timothy  writers Crew members of the . Destroyer Harding want the credit their ship deserves 50 years after a Little known a Day fire Mission in support of . Rangers at the Pointe do hoc. In the confusion of a Day the Harding was shifted to station off the Pointe do hoc after first supporting the first wave Landing at Omaha Beach. It was at that Point Crew members have pointed out that the Harding a spot in history was lost to another destroyer the Satterlee. In Cornelius Ryan a Book the longest Day the Satterlee is Given sole credit for lobbing in a hailstorm of explosives atop the Pointe do hoc forcing the German defenders to stay under cover. Quot a a a a a a a. A. No mention is made of the Harding and the rangers according to Ranger battalions association historian Louis Lisko have for years been grateful to the Crew of the Satterlee. Naval records indicate the Harding deserves equal credit for the bombardment. The Satterlee had run out of ammo by Early afternoon and was forced to return to England to reload. Harding a secret wartime log now declassified shows that the Harding unknown to the beleaguered rangers replaced the Satterlee. Blondie official code name for the Harding stayed on station offshore from the pinned Down rangers through the morning of june 9, when the Satterlee returned. James a a Ike i Kucyr a Ranger signalman in the units command Post said a we were using every expedient you can imagine to bring naval gunfire Down on the enemy to evacuate wounded and prisoners and bring in supplies. I was very aware at the time and have often reiterated that the Navy saved our Butts. Not that our Fellows weren to giving a Good account of themselves but simply that we would have been overwhelmed without their  a key member of the Harding Crew was gunnery officer it. Walter Vollrath. Shipmates bragged that Vollrath now retired and living in Sheboygan wis., could thread the Eye of a Needle with a five Inch round at 6,000 Yards. For the men of the Harding commissioned for barely a year the a Day invasion would be their baptism of fire. Harding was the Lead ship of a Squadron of 12 destroyers that led the invasion group to Omaha Beach assigned the Job of preliminary bombardment and close in fire support of the Beach. A we preceded All other ships except the rocket barges onto the Beach a said Edward Mackenzie a retired Navy lieutenant. Commander living in Newton . A after they had discharged their cargoes and proceeded Back to sea Between us we could not see the Shoreline because of the Wall of smoke and dust which completely obscured  with that Many ships All heading in the same direction the invasion held the potential for a massive traffic Jam. A we set out for the Normandy Beach the night of june 5, along with thousands of other ships and my one reaction was the unbelievable traffic a said Vollrath by Telephone from his Home in Sheboygan. The destroyers Harding and Butler were part of a heavy bombardment group that included two american battleships four cruisers and three destroyers plus 11 other Allied warships. Their Mission was to provide support to the Landing forces by taking on pre assigned targets and targets of Opportunity in the Utah and Omaha Beach sectors. As the ships Rode the Waves off the shores of occupied France obscured by night Vollrath was impressed by the flashes and noise from the intense pounding of the coastline by Allied bombers. A was soon As it started to get Light the sight was Awe inspiring Quot said Vollrath. T"1 St a amp r t i a a  f Yea.  Quot the secret log of the Harding tells of the Pointe do hoc Mission. 44 a stars and stripes commemorative edition june 6, 1994