Atlantic Ocean – Past Present Future

US Army’s Advanced Rating Score

Published on October 10, 2018October 10, 2018 by McKenzieLeave a comment

For US soldiers in mid 1945 the long journey to the French coast must have been fraught with a mixture of haunting memories, national pride, and both angst and excitement about returning home. To help organize the mass exodus from the European continent, the US Army created an Advanced Rating Score to help make sense and order of the process needed to return nearly 2 millions GI’s home. When they finally arrived at their exodus point (in the case of my father Bernard McKenzie it was Camp Home Run just outside Le Havre, France) they were met everywhere by destruction and even more waiting, with some stuck for up to a year waiting for their name to be called to board a ship home.

On a high cliff overlooking the remains of Le Havre. The harbor and a lone ship in the distance.

Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945

From atop the high fort and looking out to the ocean. Le Havre.

Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945

This sector and this only received only a limited amount of bombs. The bombed area is in the background.

Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945

Battlefront, Le Havre

Published on September 25, 2018October 1, 2018 by McKenzieLeave a comment

The Germans dug in at Le Havre, determined to defend one of France’s largest ports at all costs–the port was very important for them to secure, and very important for the Allies to seize! This is the aftermath of “defending at all costs”. Read more about Operation Estonia.

Harbor view, Le Havre, France.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

This ship, a victim of enemy shells, still lies submerged in the harbor at Le Havre, France.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

A submerged ship, a victim of enemy shells. Le Havre, France.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

Leaving War-Torn Le Havre

Published on September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 by McKenzieLeave a comment

His whole life my dad hated standing in lines. He wouldn’t do it at Disneyworld, not at a cafeteria, not at a movie theater. In looking at this index of his photos from the time he and his buddies were readying to leave the war continent, they didn’t accomplish much or move very far in this week-plus of time. They deserved a break, for sure, but knowing what awaited them on the other side of the ocean must have been an agonizing delay. The open ocean ahead and the destroyed city in the rearview mirror is a perfect memory of that time. (See Le Havre today here and here.)

Coastline at Le Havre.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

The coastline at Le Havre, France.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

A U.S. barge carrying army rations. Le Havre coastline in background.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

A harbor view of war torn Le Havre, France.

Bernard McKenzie, June 27, 1945

Heading Home, Finally

Published on September 23, 2018September 24, 2018 by McKenzieLeave a comment

I can’t even begin to imagine what must have been going through my dad’s mind at the end of June, 1945. While I’m still working to uncover details about when and from where my father, Bernard McKenzie, was finally released from the German POW camp, it’s safe to assume that he and thousands of other American heroes had been working their way toward the French coast for about two months. I’m sure there was a European continent-wide exhale on VE Day–May 8, 1945–but to the American troops it was just the beginning of a very long journey home. Compared to the days prior to Germany’s unconditional surrender, this march across the continent was met by cheering locals just returning home and children who wanted to catch a glimpse of their rescue heroes, who often also had fistfuls of candy for them. Today you could walk from Germany, through Luxembourg, into Belgium, and end in Le Havre without much difficulty–especially when compared to the Army issue boots and heavy gear the infantrymen carried–but the journey would cover over 400 miles and take more than 150 hours.