MoMM 2/C Robert Maclellan, USN. He drove landing barges onto Utah beach at Normandy on H-Hour June 6, 1944 and then went to the Philippines and Okinawa for beach landings there. The patch on his left shoulder represents US Navy assault boat drivers and crews.
Purple Heart and Gold Star for Private Elmer J. Groves, killed in action at Normandy. The Purple Heart cased medal is one of three on display for Maine boys Killed in Action.
An improvised knife made from a WW I bayonet and scabbard.
The Navy’s Normandy (D-Day) patch on the shoulder of MoMM 2/C Robert Maclellan, USN.
Maj. Robert Bonner (at the time of the picture a 1st Lt.) He landed on Omaha Beach at H-Hour with the 26th INF RGT of the 1st INF DIV and fought all the way through into Germany. He was badly wounded at Aachen, Germany, but survived the war.
In Germany, working for the occupation forces, he met and married his wife Annaliese Kurtz and brought her home to Maine. She was an interpreter for the American Army. She has kindly donated a great many artifacts of Bob’s to the museum, including some of her father’s from WW I.
Sgt. Ken Doloff, USAAF. He was with the Army Air Forces IX Engineer Command and landed on Normandy and began building airfields or repairing German ones as fast as an area was cleared.
Life Magazine reporting about Normandy (D-Day).
Yank Magazine June 11, 1944.
Original WW II Nazi NSDAP party newspaper from Berlin dated June 6, 1944.
WW II Portland newspaper from D-Day at a time we had a morning and evening paper.
WW II D-Day advertisement by one of Portland’s better stores, Owen Moore’s, reminding us we had bailed out France once before.
Using the Allied Invasion at Normandy to sell war bonds.
Smiling German prisoners aboard a U.S. Coast Guard ship at Normandy.
