Monday, August 22, 2016

WW2 D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio!

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio
The largest  D-Day (1944) living history reenactment in the country takes place in Conneaut Ohio. Featuring over 1,500 reenactors from across the US and Canada perform a living tribute to the veterans of WWII through dress, mock battles, and living history displays. We had the opportunity to be there this year!

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio
There were many demonstrations over the weekend and the mock battles were superb, especially the beach landing!

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, British
Encampments for Allied and Axis forces were filled with relics the reenactors brought to display.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio Germans
And loved showing how these weapons were used in the day.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, Germans
You could meet the real men and women that lived through those times too. Last year the Conneaut D-Day hosted over 150 WWII veterans.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio
Reenacting the capture of the bridge at La Fiére, the Americans gained control of the key crossing of the Merderet River.

Here German light armor advances on the bridge.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio
And is incapacitated as it nears.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio
After the battle, a column of German soldiers head back to camp.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, German 88
There were several "Big Guns" including the feared German 88

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, STUG
and several armored vehicles including a Panzer III, Stug (seen here), M4 and an M4A1.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, M5 Stuart
Also three variants of the M5 Stuart.
D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio,
Georgie's Gal, a B-25 Mitchell, twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation took part this year. It made several passes over the beach on bombing runs. 

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio,
The B-25 was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, although the majority of B-25s in American service were used in the Pacific. The B-25 was named in honor of General Billy Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, Polish
The Polish contingent brought an artillery piece..

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, Polish
jeep to deploy it...

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, Commonwealth
and a nice sampling of arms.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, US Army M3 Half-Track
The US camp held many jeeps, trucks, motorcycles and this M3 Half-track.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, US Army M3 Half-Track
There were a couple more participating in the actual landing. One hauling a howitzer.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, German Armor
The German encampment contained its share of armored cars,

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, German Vehicles
transport vehicles of every size...

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, German Vehicles
and many motocycles.

D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, German Vehicles
Watch the D-Day Cooneaut site for next years event!!
D-Day Reenactment at Conneaut Ohio, US Pressman
You can see additional images from this year on Cleveland.com 

Have A Great Battle!!
The Old Crow

3 comments:

  1. My good buddy was there, 5th rangers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did he get to take part in the large battle? It was pretty spectacular.

      Delete
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