Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
1:51 | On the second day of the invasion of Normandy, June 7th, 1944, from aboard the USS Arkansas, Lee Clardy recalls an "unbelievable observation" as he witnessed a single German soldier on the shore being blown high into the air from an artillery explosion.
Keywords : USS Arkansas D-Day Normandy turret BB-33 World War II WWII German explosion tank
Lee Clardy details his responsibilities as a turret officer aboard the USS Arkansas (BB-33), and describes the capabilities of the ship's guns.
As a turret officer aboard the USS Arkansas, Lee Clardy remembers the procedures and emotions leading up to the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. From three miles offshore, his ship provided an artillery barrage in the early morning hours before troops landed on the beach.
Three weeks after D-Day, Lee Clardy recalls his ship being ordered to aid in the assault of Cherbourg, France. The USS Arkansas fired artillery rounds from the sea as troops on the land, many of whom had landed at Normandy, approached German forces from behind.
Beginning in April of 1945, Lee Clardy talks about events he experienced at sea around the island of Okinawa, including kamikaze attacks and taking artillery fire from the shore. As a turret officer, he remembers performing the unusual task of manually aiming a gun turret to fire on a target ashore.
While preparing for the invasion of Japan, Lee Clardy remembers hearing about the dropping of the atomic bombs and describes the reactions of his crew mates.
