WWII re-enactment landing on beach northside

Transcript (Download)

2000 to 2500 became casualties, many of them killed outright.

Members, allies have actually managed to enter the north end of the bunker.

If you look on the top of the bunker, you'll see something significant in a moment.

The Allies have taken the north end of the bunker and the Germans are simply melting away.

Over the next 11 months, these troops will penetrate the heart of Hitler's right, liberate millions of captive people, and finally put an end to Nazi domination of Europe.

A long road that began here on the bloody sands of Normandy in June of 1944.

Thank you for being with us today, meeting you in our encampments after this brief ceremony.

In a few moments, the Chicago World War II commemorative committee...

Well, there's one there.

Tell us what you want to say.

Ladies and gentlemen, the pipe band Evergreen Park, American Legion Post, page 54.

The color guard and honor guard, First Engineer Battalion, that sheep mariner squadron.

...thousand airborne troops were dropped behind German lines by moonlight in a very confused drop.

The Americans were quite confused, but it also confused the Germans because they couldn't find a single point that they felt was the center of resistance.

282 of the type of aircraft that you're about to see dropped these paratroopers.

From Denmark to Italy.

In the east, Germany and her allies struggled to hold back the Soviets, retreating grudgingly before the Red Army.

In occupied Europe, the Natalung Europa, Fortress Europe.

Over the horizon lies England, and in the channel between lurks the largest for you, a few German troops work on their beach defenses.

Suddenly an aircraft appears...

...to prevent the moving of reinforcements.

A level bombing run.

Unfortunately...

...we bombed so much of the French infrastructure.

In other words, it's level across, like it's full, it's still live.

It was a hang fire, it did not go off, it still could go off.

If it's empty, it's an experiment.

If it's still got one thousand, it's still live.

So watch out for it.

Husha! What is it? Husha! The man was behind him in his seat.

He'd lift that, and he would go in...

America, give me the the French Coast today.

What's your day, John? I'm an attorney in Detroit.

What kind of law? I practice in juvenile court in Wayne County, Detroit.

My brothers are German reenactors, and they've been trying to get me to come to the battle, so I decided to come today, and they got me outfitted with a machine gun.

So how does this connect with your work with juveniles and violence in Detroit? Well, it really doesn't connect.

You know, you need a good stress outlet.

This is a good one, I think.

Do you end up living? Yes, I'll be living in this one.

Although we haven't rehearsed it to the point where we know exactly who lives and who dies, I decided I'm going to live.

Capa? Are you Robert Capa? I'm his son.

I'm the son of Robert Capa.

What are you using? Just some old, ancient camera equipment that I've brought back to life.

We're going to the historic occasion on the Normandy beach.

Don't let Larry Burroughs process your film, because you only did the Capa's.

I already ruined it.

Well, Larry's driving in the other truck, so I said I'd grab his film and process it for him.

And we'll see what happens tonight.

The beach came under fire over 5 ,000 yards from shore, and many were sunk.

The beach was long, over 300 yards, and gently sloped to the runways in the first few minutes of the landing.

Numeric obstacles were exposed, some cover.

The British are going to attempt an assault on the trench line just ahead of the people on the grass.

British troops are going to attempt an assault forward.

You may notice that the British have landed with their Piper, as was their custom.

Lord Lovell, the second wave will consist of engineers and commandos that will attempt to overcome the German line on the north end of the beach.

The British have managed to land further south, and as you can see, thus no armor was available at first to help the American troops.

Looking to the south, a few rounds from the enemy.

The British have occupied the position at the south end of the beach and will consolidate that position.

The British are going to attempt an assault on the trench line.

The British are going to attempt an assault forward.

The British are going to attempt an assault forward.

The British are going to attempt an assault forward.

The British are going to attempt an assault forward.

The British are going to attempt an assault forward.

The British are going to take the German position, and Germans are beginning to file out of their bunkers and surrender.

Once again, ladies and gentlemen, headquarters is called for dive bombing attacks.

Dive bombers were the weapon of choice for precision bombing throughout the war.

There are a hundred of them in private hands, and they're relatively easy to fly, and maintenance parts are available.

With anti -aircraft fire, you will notice that some of these aircraft have yellow markings or yellow paint.

One more near miss.

The white airplane is British.

If you see a black airplane, it's American.

If you see no airplanes at all, it's the Luftwaffe.

P -51s are softening up the beach with a bombing attack.

You can hear the whistle of incoming rounds as they proceed until they finally impact the beach.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The Allied invasion fleet has warmed up and sailed out from behind the breakwater.

The end of the column closest to the pier are two floating trucks.

They were called DU -1s.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

The German are going to attempt an assault forward.

Identifier

F.2005-08-0232

Date Of Production

circa 1985 – 1994

Abstract

Content notice: this film contains hate speech and hateful imagery at 22:20 - 22:32.

Loosely assembled footage primarily depicts a 50th anniversary reenactment of the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day, held at Montrose Avenue Beach on June 4, 1994, Mayor Richard M. Daley in attendance, and anti-war reenactment protests on a nearby hill. Concluding shots capture the following: A cook sits in a restaurant booth and provides an opinion about local politicians; Studs Terkel delivers a speech at a municipal event; Art Jones and other neo-Nazis rally in Lincoln Park; a gospel choir performs onstage; a marching band pauses outside 670 N. Michigan Ave.; police arrest protesters at a demonstration against U.S. intervention in Central America near 120 N. LaSalle St.; the Pilsen Via Crucis procession marches along W. 18th St. past S. Miller St.

Format

Super 8

Extent

400 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English
Spanish

Element

Reversal Positives

Subject

Beaches
Demonstrations
Hispanic Americans
Historical reenactments
Marching bands
Neo-Nazism
Parades and processions
Police
Political Activists
Politicians
World War II, 1939-1945
Stations of the Cross

Preservation Sponsor

Related Collections

Subseries II: Footage

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Uptown

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Lincoln Park

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Near North Side

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Loop

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Lower West Side ➜ Pilsen

Main Credits

Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Daley, Richard M. (is participant)

Terkel, Studs (is participant)

Jones, Art (is participant)

Byrne, Jane (is participant)

Hartigan, Neil F., 1938- (is participant)

Jackson, Jesse, 1941-2026 (is participant)

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