Magyar News, 1994. szeptember-1995. augusztus (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1994-09-01 / 1. szám

AT OMAHA BEACH

we were sent to Camp Blending, Florida, from there to Indian Town Gap Penn, which was an embarkation point. In 1941 we sailed on the Queen Mary to England and were stationed at the Tidworth Baracks just outside of London. After training in England we left for the invasion of North Africa, Tunisia. On November 8,1942 we landed at Arzcw, Algeria where we fought the best of the German army, the 10th Panzer and the 21st Panzer divisions. The Germans were experienced soldiers and we were green. We lost a few battles at Kasscrine Pass and Faid Pass, but at El Gcutar we defeated the Germans. As in World War I the Fighting First again proved that our motto still staood (“No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, duty first.”) Then with the British and French, the First Division spear-headed the invasion of Sicily at Gela as we did in Algeria, North Africa. We landed on the beaches of Gela on July 1943 where we again met our old

Bert's Silver Star was awarded in Africa and the Bronze Star in Europe

enemy the 10th Panzer Division, the Herman Goering Division. The German Division was replaced by new men and they fought like lions and almost pushed us back into the sea. We stood our ground firing point blank with our 105 Howitzers at their “Tiger” tanks, destroying more than half of their unit. Our Commander General Omar Bradley, the soldiers General, defeated the German counterpart. The battles of Sicily were bloody and we lost many of our comrades, but again victory was ours. From Sicily we came back to England again to prepare for the invasion of Europe with our old friends from Tunisia and Sicily, the 9lh Division. As in World War I, the First Division was the first to go to Europe, first to fire on the enemy and last to come back home.

On June 5th 1944 the invasion of Europe was supposed to begin but because of the rough weather it was postponed. On June 6th, the 16th Infantry Regiment with thc7lh Field Artillery supported by their 105 mm Howitzers made the landing hour D-Day.

Our landing ship that was carrying the 105 Howitzers sunk, but with the help of God some of us survived and made it to the beach. It was hell all around us, dead and wounded bodies covered the Omaha Beach. As Samuel Fuller, a corporal at the time, now a movie producer, stated in his acclaimed film “The Big Red One,” the sea was red with blood.

One of our heroes of the day said that there are two kinds of men on this beach— the dead and those about to die. To this day I cannot understand how I survived when so many of my comrades died on Omaha Beach. Evidently God had other plans for me. The First Division and the gallant men of this famous American Division fought 7 major battles and again learned the respect and admiration not only of American leaders but also the German High Command.

As General Eisenhower and Ernie Pyle pointed out later, it was a miracle and the gallantry of the American, British, French

The battles of the First

Sgt. Kovács at the age of 24

and other soldiers that the invasion of Normandy succeeded. No other event during my life can ever surpass that experience for drama, uncertainty and trauma. May we preserve the memory of those who so gallantly fought and died on the beaches of Normandy that we and the world may live in peace.

God Bless their memories and God Bless America.

When the war ended the First Division was at Chcb Czechoslovakia, in fact there is a monument honoring the First Division. I was not too far from home, but I could not go home because the U.S. Army could not guaranty my safe return because of the Russians. 1 was discharged in May 1945 and in 19461 met a lovely young lady by the name of Ann E. Szakolcai. We were married on June 7th, 1947 in the Saint Stephen Church in Bridgeport by Father Stephen Chcrnitczky. We have two lovely daughters, Diane DcLibcro (husband Joseph), in Wallingford, CT, who has two sons. We also have a daughter Deborah Herr (husband Robert) in Truckce, California. She also has two children, a boy and a girl. We arc very proud of them.

After a couple of years we moved to Fairfield where we have been living ever since. 1 have been an active member of the Calvin United Church, belong to the choir and sing solos mostly on the Hungarian services accompanied by Maráczi (Kish) Piroska and by Michael Karpillo. For many years, I was the soloist with Steve Nagy’s Band. We traveled mostly to Buffalo, NY, Massachusetts and Wallingford. I was also a member of Dr. Elmo Zsiga’a operatic group. This group had a large membership. We gave benefit performances in Hamden, Bridgeport, Hartford. We performed operettas such as Countess Maricaand Madame Butterfly.

Things have changed over the years. I look back happily at that little Hungarian boy who could hardly speak English who answered the call to defend freedom—proving that we will not shrink from our obligations to our country, may it be our native land or our adopted country.

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