CELEBRATING 70TH AND 15TH YEAR OF EVENT

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

CELEBRATING 70 TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLEAND 15 TH YEAR OF EVENT

2 — D-Day Conneaut Star Beacon, Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Star Beacon, Wednesday, August 20, 2014 D-Day Conneaut — 3

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Record numbers expected for milestone event

Anniversaries highlight 2014 D-Day ConneautBy MARK TODDStaff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — It's amomentous year for D-DayConneaut, one of the country'slargest World War II re-enact-ments.

Organizers will not only beobserving the 70th anniversaryyear of the actual NormandyInvasion, but the 15th anniver-sary of the re-enactment itself.Because of the significance,planners are bracing for morethan 1,200 re-enactors andupwards of 25,000 spectators atConneaut Township Park.

“It's been very exciting,” saidLori McLaughlin, chief operat-ing officer for the event, whichis staged by D-Day Ohio.“We've gotten a lot of feedbackon how large it's grown. Peopleon the outside say how proudthey are of Conneaut and willmake a special effort to come.”

Three battles are planned overthe two days (Friday and Satur-day), capped by a recreation ofthe actual amphibious assault onSaturday afternoon that will fea-ture several landing craft. Thisyear, however, the invasion willinclude a depiction of the land-ings made by Canadian andBritish soldiers at Juno andSword beaches. As a result,more of the park's beach will beused in the mock attack.

Many favorites will return for

2014, including an impressivearray of hardware. A 1944 M4A3 Sherman tank, owned by theAllen County Historical Society,will return, as well as “Georgie’sGal,” a B-25 bomber. More Ger-man vehicles are expected thisyear, and one group will bebringing a real 88mm Germananti-aircraft gun to town.

“It's the only live-firing 88 inthe United States,” said BetsyBashore, chief executive officer

of D-Day Ohio. “It will mark thefirst time it's been brought out inthe public.”

And yes, it will let loose a fewrounds over the weekend, organ-izers said.

The anniversary year has alsospawned other activities. TheCanadian consulate general andother international dignitariesare expected to be at the paradegrounds, Bashore said. After areview of the troops, the offi-

cials will discuss “what themilestone means to their respec-tive nations,” she said.

The U.S. Postal Service willbring a trailer to the event forspecial stamp cancellations anda DVD from last year's eventwill be available for sale.McLaughlin said.

On Thursday night, the film“Saints and Soldiers: The Void”will be shown for free at thepark. Bring a blanket or lawn

chair.The possible participation of

the Canadian government in theevent shows D-Day Conneaut“has caught some attention,”McLaughlin said. Also, AARPwas interested in promoting theevent to members, she said.

“They haven't been in thenortheast Ohio region for solong,” McLaughlin said.

Organizers say they wanted tomake the milestone year some-thing special.

“We've tried every year to addsomething new,” said Chris Bar-tone, a member of the D-Daycommittee. “We're getting to thepoint (credibility-wise) wherewe can look at really improv-ing.”

In addition to watching battles,the public is encouraged to walkthe Allied and Axis encamp-ments and talk to re-enactors.Every aspect of military life dur-ing World War II, from commu-nications to food preparation,will be depicted. Campsites willbe open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. both days.

For 2014, the committee plansto emphasize how the waraffected those at home,McLaughlin said. “The homefront piece will be enhanced,”she said. “The average Joe,civilian aspect.”

Battles will again feature anarray of pyrotechnics to enhancethe experience.

“Every year we include more

MARK TODD / Star Beacon

SOME OF the members of the D-Day Conneaut committee display themed merchandise thatfinancially supports the annual World War II re-enactment at Conneaut Township Park. Fromleft, Jennifer Palagyi, chief financial officer; Jill Warren, an intern assisting the project; ChrisBartone, Axis camp/beach defense commander; and Lori McLaughlin, chief operating officer.

See 2014, Page 5

Here’s the lineup


No shortage of activities on D-Day scheduleCONNEAUT — Organizers of D-Day

Conneaut have packed hours of activities,demonstrations and events into the 2014event at Township Park on Lake Road.

The program begins Thursday night with ashowing of the film “Saints and Soldiers:The Void” on a giant outdoor screen andconcludes Saturday night with a USO danceat the Conneaut Human Resources Center,327 Mill St.

Many activities are held simultaneously,but are also repeated during the day to givevisitors a chance to see their favorites.Location is listed in parenthesis.

Here’s the lineup, which is subject tochange:

TTHHUURRSSDDAAYY• 9 p.m. — “Movie Night Under the Stars” at

Township Park will present “Saints and Sol-diers: The Void.” Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

FFRRIIDDAAYY• 9-9:30 a.m. — Allied camp flag raising to

signal the start of D-Day Conneaut (paradefield)

• 9-9:30 a.m. — Axis Formation (Axis camp)• 9 a.m.-9:15 a.m. — Sherman tank cannon

firing• 9:30-9:45 a.m. — Chain of command for-

mation/practice (Allied parade grounds)• 10-10:45 a.m. — Allied weapons demon-

stration (Allied camp)• 10-10:20 a.m. — Maquis attack will recreat-

ed an attempt by French freedom fighters tosabotage German troops stationed in theirarea (Axis camp)

• 10:30-11 a.m. — Invasion assault teamtraining (29th DIV camp)

• 11-11:45 a.m. — Axis weapons demonstra-tion (Axis camp)

• 11:30 a.m.-noon — American women’s mil-itary customs (lower pavilion)

• Noon-12:30 p.m. — Raising of garrisoncolors (Allied camp)

• Noon-12:25 p.m. — Sherman tank cannonfiring

• Noon-1 p.m. — Luncheon for World War IIveterans (upper pavilion, closed to public)

• Noon- 1 p.m. — Homefront experience inWorld War II includes performance by “LanaTurner” (veterans’ hospitality tent)

• 12:30-1 p.m. — Veterans’ memorial salutewill include a wreath-laying ceremony (Memori-al Wall at tennis courts)

• 12:30-1 p.m. — British women’s militarycustoms (lower pavilion)

• 1-1:45 p.m. — Platoon demonstration:mortar firing (Allied camp)

• 1-1:15 p.m. — Maquis attack (OccupiedFrance)

• 12:30-1 p.m. — German women in the mil-itary (lower pavilion)

• 1-2 p.m. — Invasion assault team training(Allied parade grounds)

• 1:30-2 p.m. — Field equipment and uni-form briefing will demonstrate uniforms andequipment issued to German infantrymen (Axis

camp)• 1:30-3 p.m. — Veterans’ personal histories

(veterans’ tent)• 1:30-2:15 p.m. — Axis weapons demon-

stration (Axis camp)• 1:30-2:15 p.m. — Life on the German

homefront (lower pavilion) • 1:30-2 p.m. — Field equipment and uni-

form briefing (Axis camp)• 2-3 p.m. — Assault training center for

Allied infantry include rehearsal involving land-ing craft (main invasion beach)

• 2-2:30 p.m. — Airborne Pathfindersdemonstration (Foucarville)

• 2:15-2:45 p.m. — American homefront:Rationing in the Kitchen (lower pavilion)

• 2:45-3:15 p.m. — 1940s women’s clothing(lower pavilion) teaches how to recreate theera’s glamour

• 3-4 p.m. — Allied vs. Axis soccer match(parade field)

• 3-3:45 p.m. — Women’s clothing: Careand identification (lower pavilion)

• 3-3:45 p.m. — American homefront (lowerpavilion)

• 4 p.m. — Aerial demonstration featuring T-51 Mustangs from Titan Aircraft of AshtabulaCounty and a Mitchell B-25 J bomber (beach)

• 4:30 p.m. — Axis changing of the

guard/checkpoint Maquis attack recreates askirmish involving French resistance at a Ger-man checkpoint (midpark)

• 4:45 -4:55 p.m. — Retreat ceremony(Allied parade ground)

• 5 p.m. — National anthem (midpark)• 5:05 p.m. — Battle for Foucarville, a clash

between airborne troops and Germans thatmarks the first engagement of the NormandyInvasion

• 6-8 p.m. — Historic vehicle rally featurescivilian and military vehicles (Lakeview Park)

SSAATTUURRDDAAYY• 9-9:15 a.m. — Opening ceremony features

flag-raising and platoon formations (midpark)• 9 a.m. — Encampments and displays open

to the public• 9-9:30 a.m. — Axis formation, review and

drill (Axis camp) • 9-9:15 a.m. — Sherman tank cannon firing

(bluff)• 9:30-10 a.m. — Axis weapons demonstra-

tion (Axis camp) • 9:30-10 a.m. — Allied intelligence support

depicts information received just prior to thestart of D-Day (Allied headquarters)

• 9:30-10 a.m. — Invasion assault teamtraining (Allied parade grounds)

• 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. — D-Day in Miniature

for children age 13 and under (sand volleyballcourt)

• 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. — Allied camp tourincludes discussion of uniforms, barracks,weapons, supplies and daily training (Alliedcamp)

• 10-10:40 a.m. — Veterans’ personal histo-ries (children’s play area at the sand volleyballcourt)

• 10-10:45 a.m. — Axis camp tour includesdiscussion of life in a German field unit (Axiscamp)

• 10-10:30 a.m. — Allied sand table briefingshows minature models used to help troopsmaintain their bearings upon hitting the beach(band stand/stage)

• 10:30-10:45 a.m. — Maquis attack depictsFrench freedom fighters attempting to sabo-tage German troops stationed in their area(Axis camp)

• 10:50-10:59 a.m. — Narration begins forthe Battle of La Fiere Bridge (lower parkbridge)

• 11 a.m. — Battle for La Fiere Bridgedepicts fight for one of few bridges capable ofsupporting heavy equipment moving inlandfrom the beaches (lower park bridge)

• Noon-12:15 p.m. — Allied parade andmarch-past salute honors WWII vets in atten-dance (Allied parade ground)

• 12:15 - 2:30 p.m. — Veteran personal his-tories (veterans’ hospitality tent)

• Noon-12:30 p.m. — Commonwealth edu-cational briefing discusses the role of Com-monwealth troops on D-Day (briefing tentmarked by Bradley’s flag)

•12:30-1 p.m. — Field equipment and uni-form briefing (Axis camp)

• 12:30- 1 p.m. — Boat assault teamdemonstration shows how landing craft wereloaded, the teams of men who went aboardand their equipment (parade field)

•1-1:30 p.m. — Tour of the Atlantic Wall for-tifications

•1:30-2 p.m. — Axis weapons demonstration(Axis camp)

•1:30-2 p.m. — Commonwealth infantry onD-Day discusses uniforms worn by BritishCommonwealth infantry (Allied camp paradegrounds)

• 2:30 p.m. — Normandy troop embarkationformation for beach landing includes a pass inreview for veterans (parade grounds)

• 2:45 p.m. — Narration begins for Nor-mandy beach landing

• 3-4 p.m. — Invasion begins• 4:30 p.m. — Press briefing with Allied

commanders once the beachhead has beensecured (briefing tent)

• 5 p.m. — Encampments and displaysclose to the public

• 5:15 p.m. — Performance of period tuneswith “The Final Cut” (band stand)

• 8 p.m.-midnight — USO-style dance fea-turing big-band music at the Conneaut HumanResources Center, 327 Mill St.; free to re-enactors (small admission fee for the public);1940s dress strongly encouraged


special effects,” Bartone said. “It adds to thecomplexity.”

Organizers are planning other changes todeal with the crush of people. More portabletoilets will be available and on-site securitywill be present. University Hospitals will setup a first aid station to back up the presenceof Conneaut paramedics.

Cost of staging the event continues toclimb, one reason D-Day Ohio has begun aspecial fundraising campaign in conjunctionwith the 70th anniversary. The group islooking for 70 donors willing to contribute$1,000 each to the event, said JenniferPalagyi, chief financial officer.

“That's our goal,” she said.No on-site parking will be available at

Township Park. Instead, visitors may parkalong side streets or use one of several lotsthat will be regularly serviced by shuttlebuses. Signs will direct drivers to the lots.

As usual, the committee will take greatpains to mask as much of the park's modernfeatures as possible. Picnic tables, grills andtraffic signs will be masked for the event.Replicas of bunkers and checkpoints will beremoved from storage bins in town andassembled.

“We're looking for more storage loca-tions,” McLaughlin said.

Planning for the re-enactment probablybegan the day after last year's event,McLaughlin said. The work is made easierby the great cooperation shown the groupfrom the public and private sectors, she said.

“We really appreciate the full support wehave from our government partners,”McLaughlin said, ranging from ConneautCity Hall to the Federal Aviation Adminis-tration.

Organizers say they sense a special antici-pation for D-Day Conneaut 2014 within thecommunity. “It's a great event to have intown,” McLaughlin said.

2014From Page 3

What you need to knowWHAT: The 15th annual D-Day Conneaut encamp-

ment and battle re-enactment, which coincides withthe 70th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion

WHEN: Friday and Saturday; Allied and Axis campdisplays are open to the public both days between 9a.m.-5 p.m.

WHERE: Conneaut Township Park, 480 Lake Road(Route 531). The event is staged by D-Day Ohio Inc.

WHY: The even is meant to educate the public aboutlife on the battlefield and at home during World War II,with a special emphasis on the units, troops and plan-ning involved in the D-Day Invasion. Also, organizersview the weekend as a tribute to WWII veterans, andmany are expected to attend.

WHO: An estimated 1,200 re-enactors and morethan 20,000 visitors are anticipated, making D-DayConneaut one of the largest – if not the largest –World War II event in the country

COST: Admission is free, although donations aregratefully accepted. Sale of D-Day Conneaut mer-chandise, such as T-shirts and DVDs, also benefit theevent.

PARKING: No parking is permitted within TownshipPark over the weekend or on Lake Road in the vicinityof the park. Shuttle buses will take visitors to and from

the following lots over the two days: Pittsburgh andConneaut Dock Company, 950 Ford Ave. (for disabledpersons and veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnamwars); Broad and Jackson streets; Conneaut HighSchool, 381 Mill St.; and Conneaut Middle School,230 Gateway Ave. If necessary, overflow parking willbe available at the Gateway Plaza shopping center atRoute 7 and Gateway Avenue, near Interstate 90.Signs will point motorists to the lots.

Parking is also available along side streets adjacentto Township Park, but be mindful of private propertyand no-parking signs.

One-way traffic will be in effect on Lake Road infront of the park to facilitate flow and assist the shuttlebuses.

FOOD: A food court featuring an array of vendorswill be available atop the park bluff. Also, Pat's Lake-side Grill will be open for business in the beachfrontpavilion. The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church oppo-site Township Park will hold a fish fry 4-7:30 p.m. Fri-day. Cost is $10 and the public is welcome.

SHOPPING: Vendors will offer a variety of military-themed apparel and equipment to the public

PETS: Because of the anticipated crowds, noise andpark policies, pets are not permitted on the grounds

WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon

A LANDING craft brings World War re-enactors to shore during D-Day Conneaut 2013.


A war-time, 1940s look

For one weekend a year, Township Parkmorphs into famous battlefield

MARK TODD / Star Beacon MARK TODD / Star Beacon

By MARK TODDStaff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — For 51 weeks of theyear, Conneaut Township Park accommo-dates swimmers, picnickers, reunions,beach glass buffs and outdoor enthusiasts.

But for a few days in August, the lake-front park goes back in time with thearrival of D-Day Conneaut, a World WarII re-enactment. With the help of someclever craftsmen, many of the park's mod-ern touches are hidden to create a war-time, 1940s look.

Township Park, perched on Lake Erie,offers exactly what the D-Day group waslooking for: A wide beach that ends withbluffs nearly 100 feet tall, terrain thatmimics what Allied forces encountered onJune 6, 1944.

“There's one spot that looks like Nor-mandy, and that's Conneaut TownshipPark,” said Betsy Bashore, chief execu-tive officer for D-Day Ohio, which stagesthe re-enactment.

It goes without saying the re-enactment

couldn't proceed without Township Park,and organizers are grateful for the parkcommissioners' cooperation. But whatgoes into staging such a massive event ona summer weekend during the park'sbusiest season?

Plenty of hard work, said Gary Coxon,who chairs the board of commissioners.

The task of prepping the park falls most-ly to the small army of volunteers whocamouflage picnic tables, grills and roadsigns with “crates,” “boxes” and Frenchmile markers. But for park staff there'scoordinating the arrival of heavy vehiclesand arranging enough trash cans andportable toilets to accommodate hundredsof re-enactors and thousands of visitors.

And each year, as the event grows, sodoes the park's responsibilities. Coxonrecalls the first re-enactment, when only afew living historians participated and acouple hundred spectators were on hand.

Coxon remembers back to 2000, whenthe idea of turning the park into anencampment – complete with beachfrontinvasion – was first broached to the parkboard.

“We got a letter or email from theseWorld War II re-enactors,” he said. “Atthe time, we thought it was sort ofbizarre. We thought about liability issuesand whether we wanted to interrupt thesanctity of Township Park.

“We thought it was a lark,” Coxon said.“We envisioned maybe 30 people messingaround. It was totally new to us. Wethought they would do it once and would-n't come back.”

The commissioners decided to give it atry. “ You can't say no to every new thingthat comes along,” Coxon said.

The re-enactment was a big hit, and theevent has consistently grown every year,attracting more participants and specta-tors.

“It just kept building and building,”Coxon said. “It went to having no impactto dominating a week. It taxes our system.We're built to handle (on average) 1,000people a day.”

D-Day organizers begin the transforma-tion days ahead of the encampment.“They show up on the Monday or Tues-day (ahead of the event),” Coxon said.

Props are installed and many of thepark's fixtures in the prime areas – thebluffs and the Axis and Allied campsites –are hidden from view. Public address sys-tems are installed and pyrotechnics areput into place on the beach. The goal is tocreate the feel of coastal France aroundthe time of the amphibious assault.

Organizers are very respectful of thepark, trying to minimize damage whenpossible, Coxon said.

“The committee is very impressive,” hesaid. “They really help carry the load.”

Park personnel get involved in the lay-out, double-checking to make sure thetaxpayer-supported park isn't damaged bythe event, Coxon said.

“We want to make sure whatever theydo doesn't leave a scar on the park,” hesaid. “We'll check on the heavy vehiclesand where they're allowed to go. We don'twant them driving over a sidewalk. Ourbiggest fear is bad weather. You put any-thing on the property (when wet) and youget ruts.”

See MORPHS, Page 7

CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP Park has been the home of D-Day Conneaut sinceits inception 15 years ago. In the background is the field that contains the Alliedencampment. Park commissioners say they welcome the event as a means topromote the lakefront facility.

CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP Park beach will become a mock battleground thisweekend when the D-Day Conneaut re-enactment returns. The beach’sresemblance to the Normandy coast brought it to the attention of event organ-izers.


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D-Day organizers make a cash donation tothe park to help defray some of the cost.

“We're reimbursed,” Coxon said. “Theywill offset some of our expenses. But someof it is our donation, too.”

Things were simpler when the re-enact-ment was held in September, Coxon said.After Labor Day, kids are back in school,family visits drop and there's “a lot lesspressure on the park,” he said. By compari-son, August “is our prime time,” Coxonsaid.

The D-Day committee is a cooperativebunch, but that doesn't stop them from mak-ing requests of the park board – for the sakeof authenticity – that invariably launches adiscussion.

“It's a balancing thing,” Coxon said. “Itcan get a little trying at times. They havetheir demands which we balance against thepeople who want to picnic and enjoy thebeach.”

The commissioners try to be flexible andunderstanding, however.

“We're hoping it's something good for thecommunity and we run with that,” Coxonsaid. “We try not to be too hard on them.They're good, big-hearted people. They'regood, honest citizens enjoying their hobby.We want (the event) to be a success.”

The park benefits from the arrangement,too. People who come to Township Park forthe re-enactment are usually so impressedby the beach and other amenities that theyschedule repeat visits.

“We do get that 'wow!' when they firstarrive and see the park,” Coxon said. “Peo-ple are coming from all over, and we get tointroduce them to a nice area of the world.”

Township Park will continue to host the D-Day event as long as possible, Coxon said.

“We feel it's a big deal for the city andAshtabula County,” he said. “It brings peo-ple to town and creates interest in Con-neaut.”

MorphsFrom Page 6



AN AMERICAN soldier(top) was a casualty whilea German soldier (above)

is hit and American soldiers storm the beach

at Conneaut TownshipPark during D-Day

Conneaut 2013 (right).The World War II invasion

draws thousands toConnneaut.



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CONNEAUT — In just 15years, D-Day Conneaut hasbecome one of Ashtabula Coun-ty's biggest events, drawingthousands of visitors — andtheir cash.

This weekend's re-enactment atConneaut Township Park isexpected to draw upwards of25,000 people, representing ahuge economic boon for thearea. Data shows the averageday visitor to the county spends$102, while an overnight visitorwill drop more than $300, saidMark Winchell, AshtabulaCounty Convention and VisitorsBureau executive director.

“(D-Day Conneaut) is an eco-nomic catalyst,” he said.

Restaurants, gas stations andlodging in the region directlybenefit from the influx of peo-ple, experts say.

“We have people who stop us(at the re-enactment) and ask uswhere the nearest CVS is or thebest place to get a perch sand-wich,” said Connie Naylor, Con-neaut Board of Tourism chair-woman. “People who come reg-ularly rent the same accommo-dations year after year.”

The ACCVB began fielding

calls about the 2014 event manyweeks ago, Winchell said.

“We get tons of requests aboutD-Day Conneaut,” he said. “Weget calls from Pittsburgh,Cincinnati and Cleveland. Peo-ple are planning events aroundD-Day.”

Rooms are in short supply onD-Day weekend, said Betsy

Bashore, chief executive officer.“People are booking motels asfar away as Erie, Pa.,” she said.

Conneaut's tourism boardworks hard with local businessesto help them make the most ofthe busy weekend, Naylor said.

“We encourage our businessesto be open that weekend,” shesaid. “We want them to think

outside the box and use theirimagination. We tell them if theypromote themselves they standto have a very good weekend.”

Some stores will display “wel-come re-enactor” posters in win-dows, Naylor said. “Everybodyis gearing up.”

Many local merchants contactthe D-Day group well in

advance for information, saidLori McLaughlin, chief operat-ing officer.

“They want to know the datesfor planning purposes,” she said.“And there's a huge interestamong vendors (at the event).Four or five years ago we werebegging people to come.”

D-Day Conneaut is unlikeother festivals and events held inthe county, Winchell said.

“It's a national day for us,” hesaid. “There are very few Nor-mandy Invasion festivals. It's acomponent you don't have withother festivals.

The event also speaks to manypeople at different levels,Winchell said.

“The authenticity of D-DayConneaut makes it trulyunique,” he said. “It's a greatopportunity for remembranceand patriotic pride. “It's alsomulti-generational, somethingyou don't have with other festi-vals.”

D-Day Conneaut can thrive formany years to come, thanks tothe planning and hard work ofthe organizers, Winchell said.

“They do a great job of manag-ing the festival and managingthe crowds,” he said. “(Theevent's) impact is long-lived.”


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Madison veteran gets thanks from ObamaBy MARK TODDStaff Writer

[email protected]

MADISON TOWNSHIP —Fred Pearson says people oftenthank him for his service duringWorld War II, but few carry thestatus of one well-wisher he metin France at a ceremony com-memorating the 70th anniversaryof the D-Day Invasion.

Pearson, 94, of Madison, wasgreeted by no less than PresidentObama at a June 5 event in Nor-mandy.

“He shook my hand andthanked me,” he said.

But Pearson didn't stop there.“I asked him for his autograph,

and he took out a pen and signedfor me,” Pearson said. “I was theonly one on the stage to get anautograph.”

The trip to France in early Junewas much more pleasant thanthe first time Pearson saw thecoast, six days after June 6,1944, as a member of the 453rdAnti-Aircraft Artillery (Auto-matic Weapons) Battalion Bat-tery B. Pearson came ashore atUtah Beach, and the carnagefrom a few days earlier was stillevident.

Equipment was scatteredeverywhere, Pearson said. “Itwas a mess,” he said.

Still, Utah was the better alter-native, Pearson said.

“It was the easier beach,” hesaid. “Omaha Beach was a

slaughterhouse.”Pearson's unit was charged

with guarding ground troopsfrom German aircraft. They rode

half-tracks fitted with quad-mounted, .50-caliber machineguns. Before the war would end,the 453rd would knock dozens

of enemy planes out of the air.For the short term, however,

some of the half-tracks – armedwith 40mm cannon – helped the

Allies break through a hedgerowsystem that slowed theiradvance. Tanks proved vulnera-ble because their underbelliesbecame briefly exposed to Ger-man gunners when they climbedup and over the hedgerows,Pearson said. Half-tracks, how-ever, could rake enemy positionswith machine gun fire while the40mm cannon blasted pillboxes.

Pearson, a Madison-area resi-dent at the time, joined the Armyin September 1942 and was dis-charged in November 1945.During his time with the 453rd,which would be assigned to the83rd Div., the unit earned cita-tions for action in five cam-paigns: Normandy, Brittany,Central Europe, Ardennes andRhineland. Pearson also servedin the Battle of the Bulge.

“We got the credit for the liber-ation of Normandy and Brit-tany,” Pearson said.

Some of the ceremonies Pear-son attended in France were heldby grateful French to honor theirliberators, he said. During hisnine days abroad, Pearson wasinterviewed by local media,attended numerous events, visit-ed monuments and helped withthe unveiling of a statue. He waspresented the French Legion ofMerit medal and received aproclamation from the mayor ofSainteny, a town heavily dam-aged during the war.

“It was a great trip,” he said.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (right) shakes hands with Fred Pearson of Madison Townshipduring a D-Day Memorial in Normandy.

See THANKS, Page 11


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Pearson traveled with a nieceand his hosts the entire time wasa French couple – who didn'tspeak a word of English. “Theirchildren did, though,” he said,smiling.

Pearson saw friends killed andwounded in combat, but his onlyinjury was a gash to his thumbsuffered from a C-ration canwhile scrambling for cover duringan air attack.

“It was an enemy plane thatwould attack (toward the evening.We called him Bed-Check Char-lie,” he said. “I dove into a fox-hole and cut my thumb. I neededa couple of stitches. The medicwanted to put me in for a PurpleHeart, but I said no. That's forguys with real (combat) wounds.”

Coincidentally, Pearson's unitprovided support for another arearesident, Lt. Samuel Magill Sr. ofMonroe Township, who wouldgain global fame for negotiatingthe surrender of 20,000 Germanssoldiers. Pearson's unit was at theLoire River and wound up at thesame spot where Magill was deal-ing with the Germans. At onepoint, the half-tracks wereordered to open fire, a show offorce meant to impress the enemyon the other side of the river.

Magill died in October, andPearson spoke at a memorialservice in May.

Pearson said he often thinks ofthe war.

“Little things come back to me,”he said. “When I look back on it,I wonder how we did it. We sur-vived.”

ThanksFrom Page 10


FRED PEARSON of Madison Township shares his memories of D-Day.


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Fiory Bartone

D-Day a vivid memory for Conneaut veteranBy MARK TODDStaff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — Fiory Bar-tone of Conneaut knows first-hand how quickly the Alliedmilitary could amass an invasionforce of epic proportions.

Bartone, 90, was 70 yearsyounger and a member of anamphibious combat brigadewhen he climbed into a landingcraft bobbing on the EnglishChannel on June 5, 1944. WhenBartone boarded the craft, itseemed it was alone on thewater, he recalled.

After an evening spent on thevessel, sunrise revealed Bartoneand his buddies had company –an armada of ships with thesame goal: Put troops and equip-ment on the Normandy coast.

“I didn't know you could getthat many ships in the Channel,”he said. “It was just loaded withthem.”

Bartone, who entered the serv-ice in March 1943, received spe-cial invasion training in Land'sEnd, England. “When we firstarrived in England, we lived inprivate homes,” he said.

Bartone landed at Utah Beachwith the fourth wave around10:30 a.m., he said. The rampswere dropped with the boatsabout 50 feet from shore so theywouldn't get stuck in sand. Thatmeant a soggy slog to dry landfor most, and a good dunkingfor the smaller guys.

“One fellow, who was short,went completely under water,”Bartone said. “He had to bepulled to the surface.”

Ahead of Bartone's unit wereArmy Rangers, who did a greatjob dealing with the Germandefenders, he said.

“The Rangers are one of thebest units in the Army,” he said.“They had cleared that whole

area.”Pockets of resistance

remained, however. Bartonespent “three or four days,” andeach night the German shelledthe area.”

Utah Beach was barely a slipof land, Bartone recalled.

“It was only 20 or 30 feetwide,” he said. “We came inwhen the tide came in.”

Bartone quickly saw evidenceof the fierce fighting that pre-ceded his arrival. “There were afew bodies on the beach,” hesaid.

Further inland, Bartone sawparachutes draped on buildings.“The 82nd and 101st (airbornedivisions) landed at Sainte-Mere-Eglise” he said.

Once the Cherbourg Peninsulahad been cleared, Bartone'scompany — initially attached tothe 4th Infantry — split up:Some went with Gen. OmarBradley's 1st Army, while thebalance joined Gen. George Pat-ton's 3rd Army. Bartone's pla-toon was assigned to followBradley.

The force barreled throughEurope, covering 10 or moremiles a day. Bartone fought inthe Battle of Bulge, but wasn't amember of the Allied forcedirectly caught by the Germancounter-attack, he said.

“Thank God I was not in Bas-togne,” Bartone said.

Bartone's unit also liberatedBuchenwald, one of Hitler'sdeath camps.

“The Germans had long goneby the time we got there,” Bar-tone said. “The stench was sobad you could smell it two orthree miles away. These poorsouls were hanging on the fence,looking for aid, looking forsomething to eat. Trenches werefilled with bodies.”

There was also the gas cham-bers,” he said. “It was terrible.

Just terrible.”Ultimately, Bartone fought in

five campaigns: NorthernFrance, Normandy, Rhineland,Ardennes and Central Europe.After the war, his unit wasawarded the Croix de guerrefrom a grateful French govern-ment. Bartone also received sev-eral citations.

Discharged in December 1945,he survived the war without ascratch.

June 6, 1944, holds many spe-cial memories, Bartone said. Herecalls sympathy for the landingcraft crews who repeatedly putthemselves in front of Germanguns while ferrying soldiers toshore.

“I felt sorry for the Navy guyswho had to take those Higginsboats back and forth,” he said.

There was the can of celerysoup that was his last hot mealfor days after the invasion andthe German prisoners his unitwas first to transfer off thebeach. And the eight-foot walltroops expected to encounter onthe beach? It was about two feettall – thanks to a build-up ofsand.

Today, Bartone said he isselective in his wartime memo-ries.

“I think about the good parts,not the bad parts,” he said. “Imiss the fellows I served with.And I thank God I was youngand didn't know what was goingon.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

FIORY BARTONE, of Conneaut, is shown in his official basictraining portrait in 1943.


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Veterans are focuson D-Day weekend

By MARK TODD

Staff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — Among the thou-sands expected for this weekend’s D-Day re-enactment in Conneaut will bea few dozen VIPs — men and womenwho served in the military in WorldWar II.

“For many of the veterans, (D-DayConneaut) is a celebration of theirlegacy and of victory,” said EricMontgomery, veterans liaison.

Last year, more than 100 veteranswere able to attend the event, andorganizers are hoping to top that num-ber. At the end of July, 85 veteransliving as far away as Canada, Arizonaand Florida had registered, Mont-gomery said.

Montgomery, who began the veter-ans program three years ago, contactsAmerican Legion and Veterans ofForeign Wars posts within a 250 mileradius of Conneaut to extend an invi-tation to their World War II-era mem-bers. The committee provides specialparking and shuttle service for veter-ans, a vets-only lunch and an opportu-nity to share their wartime storieswith the public.

For many veterans, a trip to the re-enactment can become an emotionaltrigger, Montgomery said.

“A lot of the veterans who attendweren’t at Normandy, but when theyget into that environment — thesights, sounds and smells — it will

draw out memories,” he said.D-Day Conneaut also provides vet-

erans with a common background achance to reminisce, Montgomerysaid.

“So many of the (military) reunionsare being disbanded as veterans find itharder to travel,” he said. “Conneautis one of the last places where WorldWar II veterans can get together on aregional level, not a national level.

“When I started the veterans pro-gram I wanted to create a reunionplace,” Montgomery said. “It’s ameans to propagate new friendships.Nobody the veterans talk to can relateto what they went through. They wantto talk to a buddy. They want to knowpeople with similar experiences.”

ERIC MONTGOMERY


FIORY BARTONE of Conneaut shares his memories of D-Day.


Sgt. Robert W. Bogar

Family of slain soldier enjoy warm welcomeduring trip to France


[email protected]

ASHTABULA – The family ofan Ashtabula soldier killed a fewdays after the D-Day invasionlearned first hand this summerthat the people of France willnever forget their liberators.

Sgt. Robert W. Bogar, an ArmyRanger, was killed by machinegun fire on June 13, 1944, dur-ing the battle of the Moulin desRondelles, an old mill near theNormandy village of Cerisy-la-Foret. Ten other soldiers died inthe fighting.

Two months ago, local rela-tives of Bogar – two nephews,David Bogart and wife Carol ofNorth Kingsville, and Paul Bog-art and wife Diane of SaybrookTownship – traveled to Nor-mandy to attend a 70th com-memorative ceremony at a mon-ument erected at the battlefield.A third nephew, Jim Bogar, wasunable to attend.

Much of the travel expensewas borne by a man namedGeert Van den Bogaert, an inter-pretative guide at the NormandyAmerican Cemetery near OmahaBeach. A chance encounter witha relative of another man killedin the battle prompted Van denBogaert to dig into the conflictand learn more about the menwho died that day.

Through his effort, a monu-ment was erected at the spot ofthe fighting and observances areconducted there annually.

Van den Bogaert's researcheventually led him to the fami-lies of the 11 slain soldiers.

“This phone call came out ofthe blue in 2011,” Diane Bogarsaid. “He asked if we were thefamily of Robert Bogar, andwhen I said yes there was this

jubilation over the phone.”Van den Bogaert would visit

the United States and meet withas many relations as possible.That contact would result in aninvitation to attend the specialceremony in June 2014.

Much of the travel expensewas borne by Van den Bogaertthrough a variety of fundraisershe conducted in France. “Wespent eight days there, and foreight days he fed us,” CarolBogar said.

“He is an unbelievable per-son,” David Bogar said.

The trip was laid out so the rel-

atives would follow in the foot-steps of Company C. On thefirst day of the journey, familiestraveled to Omaha Beach to seewhere Company C waded ashoreon that same date 70 years earli-er. Families placed little flags inthe sand bearing the name of asoldier.

“The beach was much biggerthan I thought,” Carol Bogarsaid. “And there is a big resem-blance to Conneaut TownshipPark beach (home to the D-DayConneaut encampment).”

Each day of the trip was filledwith touring and ceremonies.

And everywhere the Bogarstraveled, they met gratefulFrench citizens. The outpouringof affection was “overwhelm-ing,” Carol Bogar said.

“I didn't think anybody thereknew what had happened (in thebattle),” she said.

David Bogar was stunned bythe reception they receivedthroughout the trip. Ceremonieswere held in their honor at everystop, he said.

“The first town we went intowas mind-boggling,” DavidBogar said. “The whole townwas there. Kids were waving

flags. It was pretty emotional.“They have named streets in

the town named after the unit,”he said. “They are so grateful.”

“There were a lot of thank-yous,” said Diane Bogar. “Wesaw so many American flags. Tothem it's the symbol of libera-tion.”

Robert Bogar was nearly 25


RELATIVES OF Sgt. Robert W. Bogar of Ashtabula, killed in France in June 1944, traveled toFrance earlier this summer to attend a commemorative program in Normandy. Featured areDavid Bogar, nephew of the slain soldier; his wife, Carol (center); and Diane Bogar. Not pic-tured is Paul Bogar, Diane’s husband and another nephew of Sgt. Bogar.

See BOGAR, Page 15

SUBMITTED PHOTO

SGT. ROBERT W. BOGAR,killed in action in June 1944,was a graduate of AshtabulaHigh School. A monument inNormandy marks the spot ofthe battle that claimed his life.


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SGT. ROBERT W. BOGAR, killed in France in June1944, is buried in Edgewood Cemetery in AshtabulaTownship.

Paul Bogar of Saybrook Township,nephew of Sgt. Robert Bogar of Ashtab-ula who was killed in action in Franceon June 13, 1944, shares his thoughtsabout the family's recent participation ina commemorative service at the site ofthe battle:

“In historical terms, 70 years is a veryshort period of time.

“To those men and women who sur-vived the horrors of war, you are alsoheroes whose stories should be told.

“Please feel no guilt or shame for yoursurvival; it was meant to be.

“Pass your stories on so others mayknow what happened to their lovedones.”

A note from anephew

years old when he enteredthe service in January1942. He was a 1939 grad-uate of Ashtabula HighSchool, where he playedon the basketball team.Bogar also played baseball

with a Veterans of ForeignWars team and worked atthe Atlantic and Pacificstore in Ashtabula, accord-ing to news reports.

“Parents and grandparentsnever really talked abouthim,” Diane Bogar said.“We always wondered inthe back of our minds whathad happened to him.”

Bogar was buried in

France in a temporarycemetery that primarilyheld the remains of Ger-man soldiers. A few yearslater, his body was returnedhome and laid to rest inEdgewood Cemetery.

During the trip, the Boga-rs also bonded with rela-tions of the other 10 sol-diers. “It's a new family,”Diane Bogar said.

At the conclusion of thejourney, Diane said shetold Van den Bogaert that— because of him — theyhad “made friends that wewould be friends with therest of lives.”

“No,” he said, pointing atDiane's ID badge, whichcontained a photo of Sgt.Bogar. “It's because ofhim.”

BogarFrom Page 14

SUBMITTED PHOTO

NEPHEWS OF Sgt. Robert W. Bogar, killedin action a few days after D-Day, are DavidBogar (seated), Jim Bogar (left) and PaulBogar. David and Paul, along with theirwives, traveled to France in June to attend aceremony marking the 70th anniversary ofthe battle that claimed Sgt. Bogar’s life.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

SGT. ROBERT W. BOGAR of Ashtabula was killedin action in Normandy, just a few days after the D-Day Invasion.


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World War II

Star Beacon readers recall life at homeThe Star Beacon asked readers to

submit their memories of growing upduring World War II. Two accountsare published below:

■NNAANNCCYY SSCCOOTTTT

OOFF GGEENNEEVVAA WWRRIITTEESS::“Two of my uncles were drafted

before the war. They were my UncleDonald and my Uncle Arnold.Arnold didn’t have to go because ofhis age but he went anyway.

“I was a little girl when the Japan-ese bombed Pearl Harbor and I did-n’t know much about what was hap-pening but I learned fast. I joined aclub where you wore a uniform. Ifigured I was helping my uncles andthey would be proud of me.

“Everyone got real patriotic anddidn’t mind the rationing. Thewomen went to work in factories andthat is where Rosie the Riveter camefrom. There were a few bootleggersand draft-dodgers and peopleshunned them. The bootleggerswould kill horses and sell their meatfor beef.

“My Uncle Bob had a very badheart and he couldn’t join the serv-ice. He tried to get his friends to takethe physical exam for him, but it did-n’t work as he couldn’t be in theservice with his brothers.

“Whenever my mother and I wentanywhere, she always picked uphitchhikers who were servicemen.

“We lived in a house on a corner

where there was a lot of hitchhiking,and my Grandma would look out thewindow and say, ‘Nancy, go get thatsoldier boy or sailor boy and tell himto come over and have a bite to eat.’They all came.

“The only thing I remember aboutthe Normandy Invasion is my grand-parents got a telegram that my UncleArnold was seriously wounded andthe next day I came home fromschool and Grandma was crying. Iwent outside and grandpa was lean-ing against the barn door with hishead in his hands. I said, ‘Grandpa,what is wrong with Grandma,’ andhe said ‘We found out Arnold waskilled,’ and I said ‘Oh,’ and ran tothe outhouse and sat there and crieduntil my mom came home fromwork.

“The next day we got a telegramthat my Uncle Donald was woundedin action. We were all afraid the nextday we would get a telegram that hewas killed. That didn’t happen, thankGod.

“We got a letter from Donald say-ing he was on a hospital ship and theweather was like the Pacific Oceanturned upside down. He had been inOkinawa driving a DUCK (anamphibious vehicle), unloadingships, and he stood up and was shotin the knee. He said if he hadn’tstood up he probably would havebeen killed.

“A lot of entertainers, and even

movie stars, came to Geneva andsold defense bonds to people. I thinkthey were all different prices. Thatwas a lot of fun.

“People didn’t go shopping a lotbecause things were hard we didn’thave much money. The most shop-ping we did was for food. I don’tremember hearing people complain-ing about any hardships we had.

“I remember when my Uncle Don-ald came home he said that when thewar ended the guys all celebrated byshooting their guns. He hid in a fox-hole for a couple of days because hewas afraid of getting a stray bullet.”

■CCAATTHHEERRIINNEE GGAAMMBBLLEE

OOFF CCOONNNNEEAAUUTT WWRRIITTEESS::“At the start of World War II my

father was rejected to serve in theArmy because of high blood pres-sure, etc., but was hired as anaccountant at the local training camp– Camp Reynolds – in Transfer, Pa.

“He also was a night air raid war-den in our neighborhood. He wassupplied with a helmet, flashlight,whistle, arm band and papers torecord any findings of houses wherelights were left on during black-outtimes when the sirens would go off.

“My younger sister and I thought itwould be fun to call out to Dad dur-ing his night duties when he came toour street. We opened our bedroomwindow and when we heard himwalking near our house yelled out

“Hi, Daddy!” He shouted out to us to“Close that window and go back tobed!” He was very upset and wenever again repeated this action.

“Black-oust were started, we weretold, in case enemy planes were ableto fly into our country and bomb ourcities and towns.

“In grade school our classes wouldhave air raid drills and we would goto the basement for awhile. Onetime, we were there for three hours.The nuns told us we would have an‘amateur hour’ and students wouldgo to the center of the basement andsing or dance or recite poetry or tellstories to pass the time.

“I remember my mother goingthrough the rations booklet to seewhat she could buy with the couponsat our grocery store.

“We had a small Victory garden inour back yard next to our garage. Wegrew tomato plants, carrots and othervegetables. My sister and I had toweed the garden and water it, andwhen the veggies were ready pickthem and wash the soil off. Weenjoyed them at our meals.

“On the day the war ended weneighborhood children celebrated bybanging on pots and pans withwooden spoons while walking upand the down the sidewalks, yelling“The war is over, the war is over!”Cars would toot their horns whenthey passed by.”


Another well-trained force

D-Day Conneaut relies on its volunteer ‘army’By MARK TODDStaff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — While two armies bat-tle on Conneaut Township Park's beachthis weekend, another well-trained forcewill be hard at work to ensure visitors,vendors and re-enactors have an enjoy-able visit.

D-Day Conneaut depends on dozens ofcommunity volunteers to make the eventtrouble-free, and to show the importanceof the helpers a new position – local vol-unteer coordinator — was created tooversee the dozens of people who lend ahand for the two-day encampment.

Connie Jury of Conneaut holds the

inaugural post. She signs up volunteersand tries to fit them into positions thatbest suit their talents.

“I want them to do what they are com-fortable doing,” she said. “I give them achance to succeed.”

As of early August, Jury said she hadupwards of 100 people to help handletraffic, work the parking lots, staff aninformation booth and even solicit dona-tions from the crowd.

“There is so much to do,” Jury said.Even though D-Day Conneaut officially

spans two days (Friday and Saturday),volunteers swung into action a few daysago when organizers began transformingTownship Park beach into the Normandycoast. Some of the re-enactors showed up

at the start of the week, and volunteerswere there to give assistance.

“Some people drive up and help startingon Monday,” Jury said.

Many volunteers have been with theevent since its start 15 years ago, organiz-ers said. The dedication of the workers isadmirable, Jury said.

“The first-year people are soenthralled,” she said. “Two people aretaking vacations around (the re-enact-ment). There's such an enjoyment in whatthey're doing.”

Two training sessions were scheduledfor the volunteers “to help them get agrasp of the whole thing,” Jury said.

Organizers don’t want to overwhelmworkers with too many tasks. “We take

off little pieces, and everybody does theirlittle piece,” said Lori McLaughlin, D-Day Conneaut chief operating officer.

Local community support is “critical” tothe success of D-Day Conneaut, saidBetsy Bashore, chief executive officer ofD-Day Ohio, which stages the event.Many members of the organizing com-mittee don't live in the area, which makesdealing with the little details very diffi-cult, she said. Having local people in keysupport positions is a blessing, Bashoresaid.

“They know the people in the commu-nity,” she said. “They can establish rela-tionships in the city and school district.Lori spends the year working with ourpublic partners.”


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Big plans for future

D-Day museum moves a little closer to realityBy MARK TODD

Staff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — Plans are proceeding totransform a lakefront church in Conneaut into amuseum devoted to World War II and the D-Day Invasion, but don’t look for a grand open-ing anytime soon.

Progress is being made, but much remains tobe done, said Chris Bartone, a member of theD-Day Conneaut committee.

“We have little funding and an all-volunteerstaff,” he said. “It’s very difficult to get a muse-um up and running.”

Last year, D-Day Ohio Inc., which stages there-enactment, officially acquired the First Hun-garian Reformed Church at Lake Road andHarbor Street. Discussion about the projectbegan in 2012. The church, built in 1914, wasbasically donated to the organization, officialssaid.

Over the past year, D-Day Ohio has receiveda small grant to help make plumbing and elec-trical upgrades, Bartone said. “We’ve alsoobtained some display cases,” he said.

Tours of the building will be available duringthe weekend, Bartone said.

A priority is to make the building accessiblefor disabled visitors via ramps. A small parkinglot has also been discussed, officials have said.

Eventually, the building will house a widearray of World War II artifacts, with a specialemphasis on the Normandy Invasion.

The church sits a very short distance fromConneaut Township Park, home to D-Day Con-neaut. The proximity will help the D-Daygroup’s goal to educate the public on the war,Betsy Bashore, D-Day Ohio/Conneaut chiefexecutive officer, said last year.

“I think we can continue to tell the story ofWorld War II and D-Day,” she said.

MARK TOOD / Star Beacon

THE FIRST HUNGARIAN Reformed Church at Harbor Street and Lake Road in Conneaut has been acquired byD-Day Ohio Inc., and will be converted into a museum devoted to the D-Day Invasion and World War II. Thechurch was built 100 years ago.


How it all began 15 years ago

Beach’s resemblance to Normandy broughtD-Day to Conneaut


[email protected]

CONNEAUT — D-Day Conneaut,celebrating 15 years of living history, allbegan with a beach.

The sprawling event we know todayhad its roots in the late 1990s, whenConneaut Township Park beach played arole in a World War II documentaryfilmed for German television and broad-cast in 1999. For the D-Day portion of

the program, the park substituted for thecoast of Normandy and featured a hand-ful of re-enactors from the region.

At the time, producers said the widebeach and the park's towering bluffclosely resembled the topography Alliedinvaders saw from their landing crafts.

Re-enactors involved in that TV showdidn't forget the beach and the backdropit provided. When plans for a re-enact-ment geared to D-Day were made, Con-neaut’s beach was recommended toorganizers, according to news articles.

The first D-Day Conneaut, held in Sep-tember 2000, featured an estimated 100re-enactors and about 300 spectators.Numbers were so small, Allied and Axissoldiers could pitch their tents a shortdistance apart on the grassy field behindthe east bluffs and still leave room for aparking lot.

That won’t be the case this weekend.Some 1,400 re-enactors and 25,000 spec-tators are expected, and the encamp-ments take up much of the park.

Organizers readily give credit to the

park's terrain for the event's success.“The beach and natural landscape pro-

vides us (the opportunity),” said MarkWinchell, Ashtabula County Conventionand Visitor Bureau executive director.“The natural environment makes itauthentic.”

Betsy Bashore, D-Day Ohio chiefexecutive officer, agrees. “There's justone spot that looks like Normandy, andthat's Conneaut Township Park,” shesaid.


AMERICAN SOLDIERS storm the beach at Conneaut Township Park during D-Day Conneaut 2013. The World War II invasion drew thousands to Connneaut.


Scenes from the past

D-Day Conneaut


AMERICAN SOLDIERS storm the beach at Conneaut Township Park during D-Day Conneaut 2013. The World War II invasion draws thousands to Connneaut.


A GERMAN soldier gets shot during D-Day Conneaut 2013 at ConneautTownship Park..


PLANES WERE a big part of D-Day Conneaut 2013 as thousands of peopleattended the World War II re-enactment at Conneaut Township Park.



A GERMAN soldier takes aim during a mock invastion during D-Day Conneaut 2013 at Conneaut Township Park.


TRENTON NARTKER, of Bellbrook, watchs D-Day Con-neaut 2013 from Conneaut Township Park beach.


WORLD WAR II prepare for battle during D-Day Conneaut 2013 at Conneaut Township Park.


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Scenes from the past

D-Day Conneaut


A VARIETY of military transports drop American soldier re-enactors on the beach at Conneaut Township Park during D-Day Conneaut 2013.


PLANES BROUGHT a sense of realism to D-Day Conneaut 2013.WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon

A GERMAN soldier defends the beach during D-Day Conneaut 2013.


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WORLD WAR II re-enactors prepare for battle during D-Day Conneaut 2013 at Conneaut Township Park.


A GERMAN soldier re-enactor moves into place during D-Day Conneaut 2013. WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon

THOUSANDS OF visitors prepare to watch D-Day Conneaut 2013.


World War II shortages

Rationing, gardening and cooking on the Home Front

By SHELLEY TERRY

Staff Writer

[email protected]

Many folks say they will never for-get Victory gardens, ration books,meatless meals or those World WarII shortages.

Back then, cooking dinner meantgrowing a garden, canning and thenpreparing the meal from scratch —NOT taking it out of the freezer andpopping it in the microwave.

It was said that the truest patriotwas a healthy one. It may sound likea lot of drama today, but 70 yearsago, people took that statement seri-ously. From the homemaker to thedefense plant worker, everyone had ajob to do.

Women in the United States hadspecial challenges: having their menaway at war, single parenting, work-ing in factories and keeping the fam-ily healthy and strong.

Families planted Victory Gardensto help prevent a food shortage. Thegardens also helped people stretchtheir rations coupons (the amount ofcertain foods they were allowed tobuy at the store).

Because trains and trucks transport-ed soldiers, vehicles and weapons,most Americans ate local produce.

People grew carrots, tomatoes, let-tuce, beets and pea in their gardens.Swiss chard and kohlrabi were intro-duced to the American dinner tablebecause they were easy to grow.

At their peak, more than 20 millionVictory Gardens were planted acrossthe U.S.

By 1944, Victory Gardens produced40 percent of all vegetables grown inU.S.

Growing Victory Gardens gaveAmericans a feeling they were doingsomething to help win the war.

Homemakers scrimped and saved,stretching their groceries as far aspossible with garden vegetables andthe meat rations. If it turned out tobe less meat than they were accus-tomed to, they didn’t complain.

A great booklet, “Cooking on theHome Front,” by Hugh and JudyGowan, provides the followingrecipes from the patriotic homemak-ers of World War II:

PPOOTTAATTOO SSOOUUPPPrepare the desired amount of diced

potatoes and boil in water until ten-der. Friday several onions in butter.Add flour to thicken, stirring con-stantly, and season with salt and pep-per. Add a finely chopped glove ofgarlic. Add onion mixture to cookedpotatoes and mix well. Place smallpieces of Spam or ham in soup.

BBEEAANN SSOOUUPP1 pound of navy beans1 1/2 pounds of ham2 c. tomatoes sliced2 tsp. parsley1/2 c. diced potatoes2 cups diced celerySalt and pepperCover the beans with water and

soak overnight. Drain into a largeamount of water and cook untilalmost soft. Wash the ham and coverit with cold water. Boil until tender.Skim off fat. Add the beans andother vegetables and season with saltand pepper. Cook slowly until veg-etables are soft.

DDRRIIEEDD BBEEEEFF AANNDD MMAACCAARROONNII

4 oz. package of dried beef1 can condensed cream of chicken

soup6 oz. elbow macaroni1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheeseTear beef into medium pieces and

cover with boiling water. Let stand aminute and drain well. Cook maca-roni in large pot of boiling wateruntil done, but not too soft. Drainwell. While macaroni is cooking,heat soup and stir in dried beef. Mixsoup and macaroni and pour intocasserole. Top with cheese and bake30 minutes at 350 degrees.

VVIICCTTOORRYY MMEEAATTLLOOAAFF1 pound of ground beef 1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper1 egg, beaten well1 1/4 cup milk1/3 cup catsup2 TB chopped onion1 TB dried parsley flakesCombine all ingredients and pack

into loaf pan. Bake at 350 degreesfor one hour. Slice and serve warm.Leftovers make great sandwiches.

GGRRAANNNNYY’’SS CCHHIICCKKEENN PPOOTT PPIIEE

1 stewing chicken, cut up1/2 cup chopped onion2 med. potatoes cut in small pieces2 1/2 cups flour1 1/2 tsp. salt2 eggsSmall amount of milk or waterPlace chicken, onion and one tea-

spoon of salt in a large pot and coverwith water. Cook until chicken istender. Remove chicken from broth,pick meat from bones and thenreturn meat to broth. Add potatoesand cook for 15 minutes. Place flour,mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of salt intobowl. Form a well in the center and

add eggs. Mix thoroughly. If thedough is not soft enough, add asmall amount of milk or water. Rollout as thin as possible on a flouredsurface and cut into 1 inch squares.Allow to dry for 1 1/2 hours. Dropthese squares into boiling chickenbroth. Cover tightly and boil for 20minutes.

HHOOGG MMAAWW1 pork maw (the lining of a pig’s

stomach)1 medium onion diced5 potatoes diced4 carrots1-2 pounds of loose sausage meatSalt and pepper to tasteThoroughly mix together vegeta-

bles, salt and pepper, and sausagemeat. Stuff into pork maw. Place inlarge baking pan with 2 cups ofwater and bake at 350 degrees fortwo hours, until vegetables feel donewhen pricked with a fork. Removemaw from pan, split open and spoonout vegetables and sausage ontoplates. Add salt and pepper to taste.

SSAALLMMOONN CCRROOQQUUEETTTTEESS1 cup hot mashed potatoes1 TB lemon juiceBread crumbs1 cup flaked salmonSalt and pepper1 eggCombine potatoes and salmon. Sea-

son with salt and pepper and lemonjuice. Shape and roll in crumbs, eggand crumbs again. Fry in hot fat 3-5minutes. Drain. Makes 4.

MMAACCAARROONNII AANNDD CCHHEEEESSEE1 1/2 cups elbow macaroniAmerican cheese to taste3 TB butter3 TB flour2 cups milk


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1/4 tsp. saltDash of pepperCook macaroni in boiling salted

water until tender. Drain well. Meltbutter and blend in flour; add milk.Cook and stir until thick. Add saltand pepper, onion and cheese. Cookuntil cheese is melted. Mix withmacaroni. Turn into a 1 1/2 quartcasserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45minutes or until bubbly.

FFRRIIEEDD GGRREEEENN TTOOMMAATTOOEESS6 large green tomatoes1 TB sugar 1/2 tsp. pepper1 tsp. salt 1 egg, well beaten1/2 cup bread crumbsWash the tomatoes and cut into 1/2

inch slices. Soak for one hour in cold

slated water. Add the sugar, pepperand salt to the beaten egg. dip eachtomato slice in egg mixture, and thenin bread crumbs. Fry on both sides inhot fat until brown.

HHOOTT DDAANNDDEELLIIOONN GGRREEEENNSS2 quarts of dandelion greens1 cup water1 tsp. salt3 strips of bacon1 hard-boiled egg, sliced1/2 cup sugar1 TB flour1/2 cup vinegar1 cup sour creamCook greens in salted water for 5

minutes. Drain. Fry bacon until crisp.Drain, reserving 2 TB of drippings.Combine sugar, four, vinegar, sourcream and bacon drippings. Add

bacon and greens and bring to fullboil, stirring gently. Remove fromheat. Garnish with egg.

OOLLDD--FFAASSHHIIOONNEEDD GGRREEEENN SSTTRRIINNGG BBEEAANNSS

1 1/2 pounds of green beans1 medium slice of salt pork1 cup waterHot water1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepperWash beans and remove ends.

Break into one-inch pieces. Place amedium slice of salt porch in a cupof water. Heat to boiling and cook15-20 minutes. Add beans andenough hot water to almost cover.Continue to cook for an hour. Addsalt and pepper the last 15 minutes ofcooking.

EEGGGGLLEESSSS,, BBUUTTTTEERRLLEESSSS,,MMIILLKKLLEESSSS CCAAKKEE

2 cups brown sugar2 cups hot water2 TB shortening1 tsp. salt1 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. cloves3 cups flour1 tsp. soda1 package seedless raisinsBoil together sugar, water, shorten-

ing, salt, raisins and spices for fiveminutes. When cold, add flour andsoda dissolved in a teaspoon of hotwater. This makes 2 loaves. Bakeabout 45 minutes in a 325 degreeoven. This cake has good texture andwill keep moist for some time.



A 1944 SHERMAN tank, owned by the Allen County Historical Society, is scheduled to make a return visit to D-Day Conneaut this weekend. The tank will fireits cannon at intervals over the two-day event, organizers said.


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Instilling an appreciation

Education big part of D-Day ConneautBy MARK TODD

Staff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — With two bigmilestones in play this year,organizers of D-Day Conneautfelt a need to make the 2014 ver-sion the best yet.

The 15th annual version of theevent happens to coincide withthe 70th anniversary of the actualNormandy Invasion. Withincreased attention on the realassault this year, event staff wasmotivated — but for emotionalreasons people may not suspect.

“This year's re-enactment hasspecial import, because it's one ofthe last big milestones with WorldWar II veterans who can attend,”said Betsy Bashore, who hasserved as chief executive officerof D-Day Ohio, which has stagedD-Day Conneaut for severalyears.

Speaking from her home nearMaumee, Bashore said a bigthrust of the event is educatingthe public about the war and alsoinstilling an appreciation of itsmilitary veterans.

“Our mission is to educate, andhaving re-enactors just shootingat each other doesn't fulfill thatmission,” she said.

Education is important toBashore, who has more than 25years experience with living his-tory and has served as an eventmanager for more than 60 events.She often speaks at 19th century

living history conferences.While a recreation of the big

invasion on the Conneaut Town-ship Park beach is a big thrill forspectators, much of the importantwork is done at the campsites ofAllied and Axis soldiers, wherevisitors can see recreations ofcamp life, gear and weapons. Peo-ple are also welcome to talk to there-enactors and hear stories aboutthe groups, the units they portrayand their role in the war.

The public is also invited to

watch weapons demonstrationsand sit in on “strategy” sessionsled by commanders.

Lori McLaughlin, D-Day Con-neaut chief executive officer, saidre-enactors spend plenty of timeduring the weekend to enlightenthe public on the war. “The edu-cation piece (of the event) isimpressive,” she said.

Chris Bartone of Conneaut, amember of the D-Day staff (Axiscamp/beach defense coordinator)and a re-enactor, said his fellow

living historians are always will-ing to answer questions. It’ssomething they enjoy, he said.

“The education part is the easi-est stuff to do,” Bartone said.“Just give us a venue.”

The men and women who werethere also play an extremely bigpart in the proceedings. At inter-vals during the weekend event,visitors will have opportunities tohear first-hand accounts of life onthe front lines and homefront, too.The meet-and-greet sessions are

popular with re-enactors and pub-lic alike, organizers have said.

“(D-Day Conneaut) is alwayswell-received by veterans,”Bashore said. “We've found itreally gives an opportunity to vet-erans to talk about their experi-ences.”

Organizers have heard from rel-atives of WWII veterans who,while walking among theexhibits, would suddenly pointout a piece of equipment or cloth-ing and began sharing tales. Vet-erans who were reluctant to talkabout war-time experiencesbefore were motivated to speakafter visiting the event, Bashoresaid.

D-Day Conneaut, along withother agencies, arrange to bringveterans living in nursing homesand similar facilities to TownshipPark for the day. They enjoy VIPseating for the battle and receiveplenty of handshakes and “thank-you's” from grateful visitors.

The re-enactors also conduct aspecial march past the assembledveterans as a special tribute totheir service.

Especially gratifying is seeingfamilies stroll the campsites,Bashore said. Kids can be heardasking questions that the olderfolks can answer, she said.

“It's become an annual event(for families),” Bashore said. “It'sgreat to see another generationbeing exposed to living history.”


WORLD WAR II re-enactors prepare for battle during D-Day Conneaut at Conneaut 2013Township Park.


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Villa at the Lake brings D-Day to residents

Weekend events extendbeyond Conneaut Township Park


[email protected]

CONNEAUT — Not all the 1940s nos-talgia of D-Day Conneaut is confined tothe city's lakefront this weekend.

For the second straight year, Villa at theLake — an assisted living facility on Par-rish Road in Conneaut — is evoking theera for its residents and the publicbetween noon-5 p.m. Thursday.

Entertainers, food and music areplanned, along with re-enactors who willbe participating in the military activities ashort distance away at Conneaut Town-ship Park, said Deanna Fleischmann,assistant executive director.

The activities are designed to give peo-ple who normally couldn't get to theencampments because of illness or mobil-ity issues a chance to enjoy the experi-ence, she said.

“We want to bring a part of the event toour building,” Fleischmann said. “Theycan experience 1944 for a day. They canfeel a part of the event.”

There will be plenty of sensory experi-ences to get people in the mood, includ-ing a performance by a swing bandbetween 2:30-4 p.m. The musicians willplay outdoors, so bring a blanket or lawnchair, Fleischmann said.

Vehicles of the era will be parked in thelot, and actress Jennelle Gilreath of Mis-souri will make an appearance as film

See EXTEND, Page 29


SHARON INGRAM (right) takes a picture of (from left) Melissa Caesar, account executive at the Village on the Lake,Violette Hosey and Janey Hosey, volunteers and Diana Wright, activities department of the Villa on the Lake , during a2013 D-Day event at the Conneaut facility.


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legend Lana Turner (noon-2p.m.) Other entertainers willstroll through the facility andmingle with the crowd.

Displays from the period,assembled with the help of theConneaut Public Library and theConneaut Area Historical Soci-ety will be ready for inspection.

At 2 p.m., residents whoserved in the military will beawarded pins in a special cere-mony conducted by an Ashtabu-la veterans organization, Fleis-chmann said.

Stations serving food from the1940s can be sampled, and a

“canteen-style” picnic will beserved to everyone. Popcorn andcotton candy machines will alsochurn out goodies.

An organization called Opera-tion Veterans Benefit will have abooth at the Villa, Fleischmannsaid. Parking attendants will beon duty, she said.

Last year's “dry run” served asa springboard for an even biggerversion on Thursday, Fleis-chmann said. “I think peoplelike being part of a communityevent,” she said.

Villa residents and their guestsraved about the activity, Fleis-chmann said.

“They loved it,” she said. “It'sa fun day for seniors and thecommunity.”

Meanwhile, the Conneaut Arts

Center, 1025 Buffalo St., — ashort distance from TownshipPark and the re-enactment — isagain decorating a tree next toits Kilpi Hall headquarters withgold stars commemorating theservice of a veteran. The starswill hang from branches throughAugust, said Penny Armeni,CAC executive director.

“We've had this program formany years now,” she said. “Weget them from all over (thecountry).”

The tribute is open to any vet-eran from any time period andbranch of the military, Armenisaid.

Cost is $10 for a new star trib-ute or $5 to renew a star tribute.Contact the CAC (593-5888) forinformation.

ExtendFrom Page 28


GOLD STARS bearing information on military veterans hang in a tree next to the Conneaut ArtCenter, 1025 Buffalo St. The stars are displayed in August, timed to the D-Day Conneautevent.


NICK COLBY, a World War II veteran, attends a 2013 D-Dayevent at the Villa on the Lake in Conneaut.


Anticipating record crowds

Event has exploded dramatically since debut 15 years ago


[email protected]

In just the span of 15years, D-Day Conneaut hasgrown from an event featur-ing a few re-enactors to oneof the premiere World WarII events in the country.

In fact, if predictions holdtrue, Conneaut may lay

claim to the biggest WWIIevent held in the U.S. Suchsuccess is both gratifying— and a little unnerving,said Betsy Bashore, chiefexecutive officer for D-DayOhio, which stages theevent.

“We anticipate recordcrowds,” Bashore said in aphone conversation fromher Maumee home. “We

double our attendance yearto year.”

Within the WWII re-enac-tor community, Conneauthas become a must-do. Lastyear 830 re-enactors madethe trip to Conneaut Town-ship Park, Bashore said.Several weeks ago, registra-tion topped 1,200, she said.Some 1,400 are expectedthis weekend, officials said.

“We're really at the top ofthe chart,” Bashore said.“It's really unexpected, andI'm humbled by theresponse this year. Reach-ing those levels is tough todo.”

Meanwhile, organizers areexpecting upwards of25,000 people to visit overthe weekend.

Some of the added inter-est for 2014 may be due to

the 70th anniversary of D-Day, but the steady growthalso gets a push from D-Day Ohio's reputation. Overthe years, re-enactors havepraised the organization ofthe entire event. Socialmedia has helped spread thegood reviews.

Staging such an extrava-ganza is a monumental taskmade easier with a goodcommittee and dozens oflocal volunteers, Bashoresaid. “Sometimes it's a littlescary with so many movingpieces,” she said. “But it'salso exciting.”

With growing numbersalso comes a dwindlingamount of elbow room.When it started, D-DayConneaut encampmentsfilled less than half the fieldon the east end of the parkand on-site parking wasplentiful. Today, campsitescover nearly every grassyspot above the beach.

It begs the question: WillD-Day Conneaut outgrowTownship Park? No,Bashore said. There wouldbe no re-enactment withoutthe park's beach, she said.However, this event willprovide an excellent test ofcrowd management, she

said.“This will be our test

year,” said Bashore. “Wewill see how many re-enac-tors we can handle.”

One problem few peopleconsider is the cost of stag-ing the re-enactment. D-Day Ohio subsidies some ofthe transport expense forbig equipment, plus mustsee to the usual amenitiesthousands of people expect,including first aid, security— and portable toilets.

“(Funding) is one of ourbiggest challenges,”Bashore said. “We're fund-ed by donations, and thevast majority is from peoplewho come (to the event).People who buy a DVD orT-shirt or drop $1 in abucket, they pay for it.”

In fact, money mattersrank high on the list ofbiggest misconceptionsabout D-Day Conneaut,Bashore said.

“People think we're fund-ed by the government, thepublic thinks re-enactorspay (to participate), whilethe re-enactors believe thepublic pays an admissionfee,” she said.

In reality, no one pays toattend or to pitch a tent. In

lieu of a fee, re-enactors areexpected to mingle withvisitors and answer ques-tions, Bashore said.

“We ask them to spend 16hours talking to people,”she said.

Another reason re-enac-tors get a free pass are thehefty sums they’ve spentbefore they arrive at Town-ship Park.

“The typical re-enactormay spend thousands ofdollars (on uniforms andgear) to get involved,”Bashore said.

Travel costs are anotherconsideration.

“We have families comefrom Texas, California,Nova Scotia and Florida,”Bashore said. “To get to anevent like ours can be afinancial commitment.”

In the end, organizershope everyone who attendsD-Day Conneaut has funand has learned somethingnew about D-Day andWorld War II.

“We want everyone toleave with the impressionthat they had a great dayand that they want to comeback – and bring a friend,”Bashore said.

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BETSY BASHORE, chief executive officer for D-Day Ohio, monitors the 2013 event from the Conneaut Township Park beach.


June of 1944

D-Day gave Allies toehold in EuropeBy DAVE DELUCA

Staff Writer

[email protected]

In June of 1944, the armies ofWorld War II were at a stale-mate. Things were not goingwell for either the Allies or theAxis powers.

Germany’s troops were spreadthinly across Western Europe,with the majority of its forcessent to fight on the Russianfront.

On the other hand, the Allieshad invaded Italy and foundmaintaining a southern frontagainst the Germans difficult.The Allies were looking for asofter spot to invade, to allowmaterials and men into westernEurope, and to attack Germanyfrom the west.

To this end, the Allies decidedto attack occupied France via theEnglish Channel. OperationOverlord was the name given tothe military action which result-ed in the Normandy Invasion ofJune 6, 1944, and the battleacross France that followed.

The naval assault phase ofOperation Overlord, landingtroops on beaches and other mil-itary supporting operations, wascalled Operation Neptune. D-Day is actually the name givenany secret battle plan up untilthe date and hour it actuallyoccurs.

The Allied forces — Ameri-cans, British, Canadians, Aus-tralians, New Zealanders, FreeFrench, Czechs, Belgians, Polesand Norwegians — were underthe command of American Gen-eral Dwight D. Eisenhower andBritish Field Marshal BernardLaw Montgomery. The Germanswere under the command ofField Marshal Gerd Von Rundst-edt and Field Marshall ErwinRommel.

See D-DAY, Page 34

PUBLIC DOMAIN

GEN. EISENHOWER speaking with 1st Lt. Wallace C. Strobel and men of Company E 502nd PIR on June 5. The placardaround Strobel's neck indicates he is the jumpmaster for chalk 23 of the 438th TCG. Strobel's battalion was the first to dropinto Normandy.


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TROOPS COME ashore.


The Normandy Invasion was acostly battle in terms of menand materials lost, but not near-ly as costly as some in whichhundreds of thousands of peo-ple lost their lives. When Alliedtroops finally took control ofNormandy Beach on D-Day,nearly 2,499 Americans haddied, while 1,914 British, Cana-dian, and other Allied troopslost their lives.

More than 425,000 Allied andGerman troops were killed,wounded or went missing in theensuing conflict. Among the209,000 Allied casualties of theentire Normandy Invasion were37,000 dead ground forces andanother 16,714 among airforces. Upwards of 20,000French civilians died duringbombing raids and battle-relat-ed incidents. Allied naval lossesin June 1944 included 24 warships and 35 merchantmen orauxiliaries.

The Normandy Invasion tookplace four years after the Ger-mans invaded and occupiedFrance. Most of western Europewas in the hands of the Nazis orits Axis allies. It had been threeyears since the Germans invad-ed Russia in an attempt to gaindominance over the entire con-tinent.

German forces had beenweakened by these conflicts,but not enough to insure aneasy Allied victory. In fact, theAllies found the invasion diffi-cult.

D-DayFrom Page 32

See D-DAY, Page 36

PUBLIC DOMAIN

THESE AMERICAN troops were wounded during the assault on Omaha beach, on D-day. They are being treated, and are wait-ing to be evacuated.


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The Germans were aware thatan Allied invasion of France wasabout to take place, but wereunsure where or when. Still,they were well prepared. High

on cliffs above the Normandybeaches were fortified bunkers,‘pill boxes.’ and other armedsemi-underground emplace-ments.

Many Allied soldiers werekilled in their Dukw amphibiousvehicles (ducks), as they landed,before their feet even hit thebeach. American Army Rangers

were faced with one of the mostimpossible tasks — scaling cliffsover one hundred feet highunder intense automaticweapons fire. Whole companieswere wiped out before they evenengaged the enemy.

The Americans capturedOmaha and Utah beaches, theBritish were victorious on Juno

and Gold beaches and the Cana-dians took Sword beach. Insome areas, casualties were lightand in others they were severe.

By the end of June 11 (D-dayplus 5), 326,547 troops, 54,186vehicles and 102,428 tons ofsupplies had landed on the Nor-mandy beaches. Along with thetroops directly involved with the

invasion, millions of civilianswere involved in the prepara-tions for D-Day.

Today, 27 war cemeteries con-tain the remains of more than110,000 soldiers from bothsides. Entombed there are77,866 Germans, 9,386 Ameri-cans, 17,769 British, 5,002Canadian and 65 Polish soldiers.

D-DayFrom Page 34

PUBLIC DOMAIN

IN AN operation commonly known as D-Day, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in France on June 6, 1944, launching the inva-sion of German-occupied western Europe that helped turn the tide of World War II.


PUBLIC DOMAIN

D-DAY PARATROOPER with bazooka.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

SEVERAL SHIPS carrying troops came underenemy fire and capsized. Here, soldiers rescue ship-wrecked comrades.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

USS NEVADA is shown on D-Day firing on positonsat Utah Beach.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

AMERICAN TROOPS of the 16th Infantry Regimentshelter from German machine gun fire and artilleryamongst beach obstacles on Omaha Beach duringthe Normandy D-Day landings on the 6 June 1944.


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Chris Bartone

Love of history inspired local man to re-enactBy STACY MILLBERGStaff Writer

[email protected]

CONNEAUT — Chris Bartone can’tremember a time he wasn’t interested inhistory.

Growing up, he spent a lot of time withhis grandparents. His father’s dad wouldtell him stories of World War II and hebecame enthralled in it. His grandparentson his mother’s side subscribed to a CivilWar magazine that he would read, hesaid.

“My family would eat, sleep and breathhistory,” Bartone said.

Bartone grew up in Conneaut and beganre-enacting during his undergraduate timein college around 1995. He started out asa Civil War re-enactor and when hereturned home after college, began WorldWar II re-enacting at the very first D-DayConneaut event, he said.

“I’ve always been interested in history,”he said.

Bartone has an undergraduate in historyas well as a graduate degree in history.

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’tinvolved with history,” he said. “It’s apassion. It’s a disease.”

Bartone said there is a lot of behind-the-scenes details that go into re-enacting thatmany spectators don’t realize.

“It’s not like putting on a play and act-ing a part,” he said. “You really have toresearch it to do it right.”

Bartone said re-enactors will spend timelearning what the average person wentthrough to really become who they are re-enacting.

There is a lot of reading and studying

that takes place before a re-enactor putson a uniform and participates in a re-enactment, he said.

“What people see at events is just theicing on the cake,” he said. “What theydon’t see is all the hard work that goesinto it.”

He said the actual re-enacting takes verylittle time. Bartone said re-enacting alsogets quite expensive; however, there arealways other re-enactors that will lend

their equipment to newcomers if need be.Most re-enactors are organized by units

that belong to a larger parent organizationfor insurance purposes, he said.

Each unit pays a yearly dues to its par-ent organization and are then coveredunder its insurance.

Bartone said his unit, which is based inCleveland, has members spanning fromGirard, Pa., Cleveland and Akron areas.His unit usually participates in about six

to 10 events each year.Bartone said family life has slowed

down his participation in re-enactments.He tends to participate in two to threeevents each year, as his schedule permits.

Bartone will be participating in thisyear’s D-Day Conneaut with his unit onAug. 23. More than 1,000 re-enactors areexpected to participate in this year’sevent which is held at Conneaut Town-ship Park.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

CHRIS BARTONE, of Conneaut, will participate in this year’s D-Day Conneaut re-enactment event along with morethan 1,000 other re-enactors.


The Marcy Family would like to thank all of our area service men & women for their past, present &

future dedication to our country. 208 Liberty Street, Conneaut, OH

440-593-4253

SUBMITTED PHOTO

CHRIS BARTONE, a local re-enactor, has been participating in the D-Day Conneaut event from the time it began.

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CELEBRATING 70TH AND 15TH YEAR OF EVENT

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