D-Day frogman honored at Blackhawks game

[nddons]

Before every Blackhawks game, a current and retired member of the military stand with Jim Cornelison during his singing of the National Anthem. And midway during the 3rd period, during a stop in play, they again honor these men and women to the cheers of fans and players alike, and usually play the song of the retired veterans branch.

Tonight the Blackhawks played "Anchors Away" and honored a WWII Navy frogman (precurser to UDT) who went ashore on D-Day to destroy obstacles put on the beaches by the Germans. Amazing story:

http://blackhawkup.com/2011/04/23/norval-nelson-92-to-be-honored-during-game-6-national-anthem/

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/apr/05/wwii-frogman-gets-grand-honor-during-visit-to-in/

God bless these heroes.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

He was sent to England, where he would take part in the D-Day invasion as part of a 192-man unit "Force O."

His uniform consisted of cut-off dungarees, swimming flippers, a face mask and a helmet when he was let off a small boat off the coast of Normandy. The team's mission was to cut six 50-yard-wide lanes from a mile offshore through the maze of German underwater defenses and beach obstacles at Omaha Beach to allow the Army to come ashore.

In the first attack, 95 of the 192 men were killed and most of the explosives were lost in the water. The men did not stop, according to the Distinguished Unit Citation they received after the invasion, and continued to scrounge explosives and destroy obstacles, even as the Navy and Air Force began the bombardment.

"The Army came ashore with each man carrying a weapon, food, water and other supplies," said Nelson. "We had nothing. I think they must have assumed we would not survive."

Nelson was wounded on the leg the first day, but kept working. He was wounded on each of the next four days while he operated out of a shell hole. His last wound was to the neck.

"They gave me morphine and I thought I was OK. I got up, walked out of the tent and collapsed," he said. "The next thing I know, I wake up in a hospital in England.

Wow.

Thanks for posting.