veteran's corner

D-Day, aka ‘Operation Overlord’

“At the altar where I first joined the sanctuary of God I ask to seek divine guidance for me in the great struggle that looms ahead.” General Douglas MacArthur would write that to Dr. W.P. Witsell, rector of Christ Episcopal Church at Little Rock, Ark., prior to the Normandy invasion.

D-Day was an event that riveted the world, turning U.S. country bumpkins into national heroes in a matter of weeks. It’s code name was “Operation Overlord,” and it was the largest amphibious invasion throughout the annals of wartime history.

I have a list of 134 young men and a few women serving their country from the town of North East back then, which pretty much exhausted the young male population of our small northeastern Dutchess County town. My father, Martin Conklin, and my friend Bill Robert’s dad, Harry, hit those beaches of Normandy.

They experienced sheer terror, brutality and heroism, as did most of the soldiers who were a part of D-Day. Many involved hardly ever uttered a word of their experiences, my dad being one of them, although Harry, my pal Bill’s dad, did so toward the end of his life when interviewed by a reporter.

Harry Robert was the first Army Ranger to scale the cliffs of Normandy to neutralize enemy positions slaughtering those crossing the beaches. Though he was seriously wounded, Harry fought on, later being nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he refused.

His words were: “I’m proud I served, but I don’t have to be proud of the people who try to glorify it. The heroes are the ones who died. For every medal I received, someone had to die in front of me and behind me.”

My father would not discuss his time in hell, though I believe if he had, it would have been a proud legacy for his family. I can perfectly understand that revisiting past traumatic events could likely rekindle past demons, and no one wants that.

D-Day — a day when the greatest armada of ships, the greatest fleet of airplanes and the greatest infantry of troops landing on five beaches in Normandy during the WWII era was assembled to rescue our allies from infamy and preserve our own freedoms.

God bless those brave men and women and you, all of our patriotic readers and your families. Continue to stay safe and healthy and enjoy this summer together.

 

Town of North East resident Larry Conklin is a Vietnam War veteran and a member of both the Millerton American Legion Post 178 and the VFW Post 6851 in North Canaan, Conn.

veteran's corner
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

The borrowed Pine Plains cruiser parked on Main Street in front of the Millerton Inn during the Millerton Street Fair on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissy

MILLERTON — After receiving substantial state grant funding in July 2024 and beginning to roll out new equipment that fall, the Millerton Police Department suffered a setback when the February fire at the Village Water and Highway Department building destroyed much of its newly acquired gear — including patrol vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

Thanks to full-value insurance coverage and swift support from the Town of Pine Plains — which loaned the department a vehicle — Millerton officers were able to remain active in the community. Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said two custom-built, four-wheel-drive Ford Interceptor cruisers are now in production and are expected to arrive by the end of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park has been delayed after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation intervened to determine the status of wetlands in the proposed building site.

Archive photo

MILLERTON — The long-awaited groundbreaking for a new community pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park — once expected this past April — now faces significant delays with no definitive timeline in sight, Mayor Jenn Najdek said.

The primary setback stems from a still-pending permitting process, as the village awaits final approvals from the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding septic placement and wetland buffers. A patch of wetlands on the site — roughly five feet by five feet, Najdek said — requires a protective buffer, which could range anywhere from 5 to 100 feet. That determination will dictate whether the current pool design needs to be altered or moved altogether.

Keep ReadingShow less

North East town records brought into the digital age

North East town records brought into the digital age

Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.

Photo by Grace DeMarco

MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.

As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.

Keep ReadingShow less

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Nora Garcia, 6, of Millerton, bottom right, gets a face painting treatment from Maddy Rowe, a Webutuck High School senior. Nora’s sister, Juliana, 8, top right, is decorated by Giana Kall, a Webutuck senior. The program was sponsored by the Webutuck PTA.

Photo by John Coston

Locals and visitors packed into downtown Millerton Saturday, June 28, for the first ever Millerton Street Fair hosted by the Millerton News, the Millerton Business Alliance and Townscape. Representatives from local nonprofits, businesses along Main Street, Bee Bee the Clown and face painters from Webutuck High School drew in crowds all afternoon.

Festivities officially opened at 10 a.m., and a steady stream of visitors soon followed. Volunteer firefighters hosted a bouncy castle, a duck pool, a “put out the fire” ring toss game, and the “touch a truck” event at the fire department’s garage.

Keep ReadingShow less