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The largest amphibious invasion in history was launched on June 6, 1944, when Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany.
For this year's 79th anniversary of D-Day, volunteers with the non-profit Stories Behind the Stars are commemorating the sacrifice of the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division. Fifty-six Pennsylvania members of the 116th Regiment lost their lives on Omaha Beach on D-Day, including three from Clinton County:
William Charles Laffin
William Charles Laffin was born on June 5, 1920 in North Bend, Pa., to Charles F. Laffin (1891-1973) and Florence A. Sanford (1896-1989). He had an older brother. Laffin's father was a laborer at a tannery. The family settled in Chapman, Pa., and no longer included Laffin's father by 1940. Laffin had an eighth- grade education, worked for the Armor Leather Company in Gleason, and never married. He enlisted in the Army on Feb. 21, 1942 in New Cumberland, Pa.
Forrest Clair Shope
Forrest Clair Shope was born on Aug. 23, 1918 in Manor, Pa., to Fred Forrest Shope and Kathryn Lula Allen. Shope, his parents, two older brothers and an older sister relocated to Clinton County. His father worked as a carpenter building houses. He graduated from Lock Haven High School in 1937. Shope worked for the W.T. Grant department store and, later, became an apprentice carpenter with his father. He enlisted in the Army at New Cumberland, Pa., on Feb. 21, 1942.
Alvin Davis Smith
Alvin Davis Smith was born on Aug. 21, 1911 in North Bend, Pa., to William J. Smith (1887-1951) and Anna Belle Jewell (1891-1963). Smith had five younger brothers and three younger sisters. The family lived in Chapman,Pa., and settled in Castanea. Smith's father was a laborer in a brick yard. Smith worked for American Analine Products Company in Lock Haven.. He enlisted in the Army on Feb. 2, 1942 at Fort George G. Meade, Md.
Laffin and Shope were assigned to Company B, and Smith was assigned to Company D, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. In October 1942, the 116th Infantry Regiment, as part of the 29th Infantry Division, arrived at Tidworth, England.
In June 1943, the 116th Infantry Regiment and its division transferred to Devon for coastal defensive duties near Plymouth. They began training for amphibious landing assaults at the U.S. Army Assault Training Center on Woolacombe Beach. In May 1944 the 116th Regiment participated in Exercise Fabius I at Slapton Sands, a final rehearsal before D-Day.
For the invasion of Normandy, the 116th Infantry Regiment was to lead the assault on Omaha Beach and land at the Dog Green sector, west of the 1st Infantry Division's 16th Infantry Regiment. On June 3, 1944 the 1st Battalion (Companies A, B, C and D) boarded the troop carrier SS Empire Javelin. The 2nd Battalion (Companies E, F, G and H) boarded the USS Thomas Jefferson. The 3rd Battalion (Companies I, J, K, L and M) boarded the USS Charles Carroll. At 2:30 a.m. on June 6, the invasion fleet had arrived from Weymouth in the English Channel and dropped anchor about 12 miles from the Normandy coast.
By 4:30 a.m., all first wave landing craft had left their ships and moved towards Omaha Beach. Company B was part of the second wave of the assault and reached the beach by 7:40 a.m.
The soldiers immediately faced heavy enemy small arms, machine gun and mortar fire. Grounded landing craft led many GIs to drown trying to reach the beach through deep and rough surf. Only 28 of Company B's roughly 220 men survived D-Day.
Company D did not fare well in the landing of their six craft. One vessel was swamped and sank, and another was hit by an artillery shell. By the end of the day, less than 100 men out of the 229 in the company were not casualties. Eight of the nine officers and 55 percent of the enlisted men were killed or wounded.
S/SGT Laffin's and PFC Smith's remains were buried temporarily at the Saint Laurent Cemetery, Baveux, France. Laffin was laid to rest on Dec. 12, 1947 at the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Smith eventually was interred at the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. PFC Shope's remains were repatriated in 1947 and buried at Rest Haven Memorial Park in Lock Haven. His widow, Margaret Zeigler Shope, never remarried and is buried beside him. Each of the fallen posthumously received the Purple Heart.
On D-Day, 3,100 men of the 116th Infantry Regiment entered combat. By the end of June 6, 1944 the unit suffered 1,007 killed, wounded or missing during the Omaha Beach assault. Their courage, bravery and sacrifice helped create a foothold that allowed Allied forces to continue the invasion and to defeat Nazi Germany within a year. The 116th Infantry Regiment earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Stories Behind the Stars memorials are accessible for free on the internet and via smart phone app at gravesites and cenotaphs. The non-profit organization is dedicated to honoring all 421,000 fallen Americans from World War II, including 31,000 from Pennsylvania. To volunteer or to get more information, contact Kathy Harmon at kharmon@storiesbehindthestars.org or visit www.storiesbehindthestars.org.