02/22/2024
Today Post 146 would like to recognize Malcolm Joe Ballou, A Bethlehem WW2 Veteran who passed away on Feb 15th. Our thoughts are with his family this week as they mourn such a great man.
The Town was fortunate enough for Mr. Ballou to share his story in 2016 for the Little Town heroes film. After digging into the history books we believe his actions during those precious minutes were one of a handful that determined the outcome of that day, that campaign, and the whole war!
Below is an overview of events that morning which is a combination of Joe’s first-hand account and matching them to the post war report of the 29th infantry between the hours of 0600 and 0900.
Mr. Ballou, A Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class assigned to LST-262 and coxswain of Landing ship #1, was assigned to take a platoon of the 29th infantry on the first wave on Omaha Beach. Mr Ballou, as modest as can be, made 3 very important statements during his interview which can fit perfectly with post battlefield reports from a platoon from Charlie Company, 116th Division, 29th infantry. The First, was Joe’s recollection of passing right in front of the USS Texas minutes before the landing. The USS Texas, a Battleship, was assigned to bombard Omaha beach that morning. Around 0600, the Texas had been ordered to reposition at the town of Vierville, Charlie company had been assigned this sector. As most every other landing on Omaha beach, casualties were extremely high and the landing craft were hitting mines and craft tipping over with German ramps constructed on the shelf. Those coxswain’s that were fortunate to open their gates were met with concentrated heavy machine gun fire and mortars. But, Joe stated in his interview that he was fortunate enough not to hit heavy fire and there was little resistance when pulling up on the beach and dropping his men off.
According to post war reports, there were 3 Landing craft from Charlie company, which steered left of the targeted zone onto the edge of a burning grassland area. These 3 landing craft landed at 0650 and the men safely got on the beach with only a loss of 6 lives. In fact, being off course and not recognizing the landscape, the soldiers were confused when no other troops were in sight so they held tight for 20 minutes not knowing how to proceed. When in fact, these men were in the best shape of any of the first wave as the remaining 29th infantry (and 2nd rangers) were in fact decimated with a 70% and higher casualty rate. Eventually, the men took action. Joe’s third statement was his detailed description of the troops coming back for a Bangalore and making their way to the only pillbox in this remote beachhead. Joe witnessed the Bangalore being ignited and destroying the pillbox allowing the troops to open the beachhead. In the same post war accounts, this platoon from Charlie company, had a young private who was able to get over the beach and place the Bangalore in the opening. He was killed as he tried to ignite it. A 2nd Lt then followed suit and was able to ignite it. These actions confirmed from post war accounts that this was the first breakthrough on Omaha and allowed the first couple hindred yards of open beachhead that morning. Communication was made and troops now had a secure place to land. Without the actions of these men surely the 2nd and 3rd waves would have suffered the same fate as the 1st waves. The situation was so dire that the powers that be almost abandoned the assault on Omaha. But Joe’s landing craft made it possible for the 29th to get that small breakthrough on the beachfront in the first hour of assault. His decision to veer course in the first wave and keep his landing craft put for the men to grab the weapons was instrumental that morning.
The Town of Bethlehem was fortunate to have such a humble, brave, courageous hero living among us. The town is forever grateful for his service and we honor his actions this morning. His Actions that saved his assigned platoon, the men coming in on the 2nd and 3rd waves, all Men involve in the battle of Normandy, and in return the thousands and millions of people under the evil tyranny in Europe.
