Wagner College
“Two kinds of people are staying on this beach—the dead and those who are going to die,” were the words of Colonel George A. Taylor, commanding the Sixteenth Infantry Regiment, First Infantry Division, known as the “Big Red One,” who were among the first to arrive on Omaha Beach. Their motto was: “No mission too difficult. No sacrifice too great. Duty First.”
And for one graduate of Curtis High School in Staten Island, Richard Long, it was the ultimate sacrifice for which he earned a purple heart. His regiment, Company A, had already participated in amphibious landings in Gela, Sicily, before heading from their camp in Dorchester, England to Weymouth Harbor and then they were shipped out for the long awaited assault on “Fortress Europe.” He never returned to Staten Island, but students from Wagner College headed there last month to pay their respects to him.
One Wagner College student and football player, Marcus Miller, from Erial, New Jersey, wrote about the First Infantry Division in a paper this past semester, was among those who took this unforgettable journey to Normandy, France. He stood on Omaha beach on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, and experienced the site of “Operation Overlord” first-hand, what British Prime Minister Winston Churchill defined as “the most difficult and most complicated operation ever to take place.” Miller envisioned what he had written about in his paper: “The tanks sank in the choppy waters of the Channel. German gunners poured deadly fire into troops that were invading. The injured soldiers laid on the beach or floated in the water which turned red from all the blood that poured from their bodies.”
For Jessica Dantoni of West Brighton, a Sophomore majoring in microbiology, what was noteworthy first was all the American flags flying from homes and stores as the Wagner College group drove through the small, historic towns of D-Day. “Each building would have a French flag and an American flag together because it highlights their pride and thankfulness for our help. The church in Colleville-sur-Mer had a photo of American soldiers during the war, which showed the devastation of the war. Finally, getting to the beach, it was silent and cold. The only sound was the waves crashing against the shore as the tide was low, reminding us of the D-Day landing.” Dantoni and Miller were among the Wagner College students who had taken a course on World War II before heading to Europe.
Shane Gallagher, a sports administration major and football player from Castelton Corners, had a personal connection to the “sacred” (in his words) D-Day beaches. His great-uncle Frank Petillo landed there. “From the moment I stepped off the bus and breathed in the air, I could sense there was a unique aura to this place. I walked along the beach where so many souls perished in order that I could walk here today. The turmoil of thousands could be felt with the rhythm of each wave crashing on the shore. As I gazed out onto the horizon I could almost still see the immense fleet of ships, soldiers, sailors, and airmen all united for one reason.” The landing craft of his great-uncle Petrillo “was hit by German artillery, causing it capsize in the Atlantic. He was subsequently trapped underneath his landing craft and survived in an air pocket for some 24 hours in the freezing cold water before he was rescued.” After his recovery, Petillo was sent to join Patton’s Third Army in France as they continued the fight until the end of the war. Post-war he received medals for his service to his country and to the world. “Standing on that beach and looking out into that water,” Gallegher writes, nearly brought tears to my eyes as I pictured everything I had learned.”
Gallegher had done his research project on the U.S. Army Rangers of the 2nd Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder. He reflected about our next stop: “Being able to stand on those cliffs that I had researched was awe-inspiring. The craters from the allied bombings still litter the now peaceful landscape. A few German bunkers are still intact to a certain degree. Looking down from those cliffs where the Germans once stood, it was hard to imagine how the Rangers made it up there while under heavy fire and held out for two days, all while suffering casualties of over 50% of their original landing force of 225 men.” We visited the Ranger Memorial dedicated to the 2nd and 5th Ranger battalions that scaled the 100 foot cliffs to take out German artillery. Gallegher wrote in his paper: “Not only was the battle of Pointe Du Hoc the origin of the motto and Ranger hymn, “Rangers Lead the Way”, but it helped secure a foothold in Nazi-occupied France and the sacrifices of those men cannot be understated.”
“We made our way to the hardest part of the visit so far, the American Normandy Cemetery. It is at this site where almost ten thousand souls rest eternally,” Gallegher continued. “Among them are the graves of thirteen Staten Islanders, three of which perished on the first day of Operation Overlord on June 6th. I was very fortunate to visit the graves of these heroes with a small group of my fellow classmates, led by Dr. Weintrob. As we paid our respects to these brave men, we shared a feeling of somber melancholia as well as pride, being that these men not only gave their lives for the world but for my hometown of Staten Island, NY. To my mind, these men are now forever a part of the most important event of the twentieth century. Overall, this experience was humbling, breathtaking, and emotionally strenuous, as I have been longing to visit these sites for many years. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to partake in such an experience and thankful for Dr Thomas Juneau, Dr Weintrob and the whole of Wagner College for these unforgettable memories and being able to honor the heroes of D-Day that will stay with me for as long as I live.”
Caleb Ullian recalled a heart-breaking line from Dolores Morris’ book about her father Sergeant William A. Morris, The Dog that Wagged her Tail: A Black Veteran in World War II: “It felt like bombs were right outside the door. I heard screams then, too. Screams I never want to hear again” One of the major accompolishments of our trip was having Dolores Morris hand over her book about her father to the librarian at the Memorial of Caen, to become part of their permanent library (see photo).
Ulliam also had a personal connection, as he explained: “However, no amount of learning about the event can compare to actually seeing the land it took place on. The grassed-over craters on Pointe du Hoc had a particular effect on me. My grandmother, Genevieve Sohner, was not on Omaha Beach on D-Day, but she lived not too far from Juno Beach when she was an infant. She would tell me stories about how her parents had to hide her in a cellar as they heard the bombs and the gunshots a few miles away. Getting to see for myself the craters and abandoned bunkers gave me just a little more understanding of what that must have been like.” Caleb’s family members still in Normandy joined us to hear the choir perform and thanked Dolores Morris for the efforts of her father in saving their family. Caleb’s paternal grandmother, who was Jewish, hid in the Netherlands and barely escaped the destruction of the Holocaust.
Like many of the college students, Dantoni was deeply touched by standing next to the graves of the fallen soldiers. Dantoni writes: “The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, which was established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. Around 3:30 PM, while standing in front of a bronze statue called the ‘The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves,’ a trumpet echoed through the memorial which signaled it as a “National Song of Remembrance.” Other than the melody being played, the cemetery was peaceful and quiet. While standing in front of the headstones, there was a strong sense of pride, peace and tranquility,” Dantoni added.
Other students echoed these sentiments: Jeremy Cardinale, of Pleasant Plains, walked over with Kaitlyn Nellis, of Tompkinsville, to Richard Long’s grave. They reflected: “Standing on the shores of Omaha Beach in Normandy, France made us feel the ripples of the past. Although unseen, we were able to imagine the tragedies as our tour guide told the stories of the countless lives taken. As inhabitants of Staten Island, we felt obligated to pay our respects to the veterans who fell during the invasion on the beaches. We sang the song, “Deep River” to our past neighbors giving them our respects. We choose that piece because of its significance with finding peace through rest. Knowing that their sacrifices will forever be recognized for generations to come. Despite the overwhelming presence of the loss before our eyes, there was a great sense of comfort knowing that over a million people a year pay respects to these heroes.”
Jaylen Gray (‘24), a vocal performance major who attended Susan Wagner High School, is a treasured member of the Wagner College Choir who often performs for Wagner College Holocaust Center events. He wrote this: “The time we spent in Normandy and Caen was truly a time of reflection. We reflected on the rich history from places like Omaha Beach where a tremendous amount of combat during WWII went on. I’m part of the Wagner college choir, so we were scheduled to sing a few concerts and one of them was at Sainte Trinité de Falaise, a church in Normandy, and at Eglise de la Madeleine, the church where WWII spy and entertainer Josephine Baker’s funeral took place. The concert to me exhibited unity between us and the people of France. We want to stand “side by side” with one another and remember those that have passed on to make our world a better place. As we sang pieces like Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11, I noticed the audience getting emotional and sang with us and started connecting with us. They erupted in applause because of what they remember, who they remember and what it represents. It taught me that the power of history isn’t just knowing the facts. It’s remembering the people and what they represented in history. The memory and emotion is what touches people and allows us to empathize and stand together as one.”
Professor Thomas Juneau, director of Choral Activities, and grandson of a D-Day veteran Fred Juneau, offered these thoughts: “The Wagner College trip is an incredible opportunity for students, families and community members to recognize the events of WWII through performance and the study of transformational sites that help all of us understand the sacrifices made during such an important part of the 20th Century.” Indeed, watching Dolores Morris and Alyssa Slaven, a child and great-grandchild of surviving D-Day veterans, laying the wreath at the Garden of the Missing at the American Cemetery and singing Juneau’s composition “Et in Terra Pax” (Peace on Earth) was a transformative experience.
For Giuliana Paradiso, who earned the inaugural scholarship from Staten Island Women, Inc., at last year’s Staten Island Women of Achievement luncheon, wrote: “Being able to experience Normandy was so surreal. Having the opportunity to walk in the same place, learn about the history of those who made it what it is today, and sing in honor of them is something I will never forget.”
Finally, the President of the Wagner College Choir, Victoria Dimino, a rising Senior Music Education Major from Tottenville, wrote this: “Visiting Normandy was a very important experience for all of us to have. Learning about and understanding the events that occurred 80 years ago at the same location was very powerful. The American Cemetery was especially moving. I feel such pride that we were able to lay a wreath and I feel especially proud that Wagner College Choir was able to sing at the cemetery upon presenting the wreath as well. It’s important to honor all those who lost their lives and I am glad we were able to do that.”
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