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the 'Longest Day'
The sky was dark. The sea was heavy. Waves beat against the landing ships like claps of thunder.
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“The eyes of the world are upon you. … I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle,” Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said.
The boat ramp lowered as thousands of men spread into the crashing current.
Jump. Swim. Crawl for cover.
Eight weeks of intense, non-stop training took over. There was no time to think; just to stay alive as machine guns fired overhead, grenades exploded nearby, and bodies clambered ashore.
Welcome to D-Day, also called “The Longest Day.”
Hursel Masterson was one of more than 150,000 soldiers who invaded the 50-mile stretch of coastline along Normandy, France, during World War II.
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Landing at a beach code-named “Utah” on June 6, 1944, the troop’s mission was simple: Overthrow the Germans.
A cotton picker from Missouri, this would be the 20-year-old’s first and only battle.
“He said he was only scared one time. That was from the time he left home until the time he got back,” said Kurt Kemp, IT Infrastructure Manager at Morley and Masterson’s nephew.
Once Utah Beach was secure, Masterson and his infantry made the more-than-30-mile trek to Cherbourg, France.
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“He didn’t think he was coming back, and rightly so, because many didn’t,” Kurt said.
He almost didn’t.
The following morning, Masterson and two of his comrades took cover in a foxhole during an exchange with the enemy. They climbed out, unaware of a German troop that was still armed. Masterson’s friends were killed. He suffered injuries to his back and hip from shrapnel.
“He was sent to London to heal, then shipped home,” Kurt said.
Despite a little more than 24 hours in the battle, Operation Overlord created a lasting impact on Masterson, who is now 95 years old.
“It definitely gave him an appreciation for life when he got home. It’s made him a more patriotic individual, something he feels society is losing today,” Kurt said.
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Masterson was one of 1,076,245 soldiers awarded the Purple Heart for their bravery during World War II. Today, there are less than 2,000 veterans still alive who invaded Normandy’s beaches.
It’s a sentiment that makes Kemp proud every day and especially on Veterans Day.
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“For me, it’s a time to actually honor and cherish the men and women who gave their lives for what we have now. When I talk to him on the phone, it’s a reminder of the sacrifice,” Kurt said.
Do you have a relative who has or is serving our country? Ask them to tell you their story.
Veterans Day is one day a year, but what veterans of every generation stand for with their service and willingness to put others before them is embedded in the way of life for every American each and every day.
Hearing their stories makes that service and sacrifice very real for everyone who listens. We thank Kurt for telling his uncle’s story.