By Ward Stone
James “Jim” Dietrich, a new resident of Patrick County and the father of Shelly Stone, participated in events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Operation Overload, commonly referred to as the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France; or simply D-Day. As a World War II veteran, Dietrich was invited to participate in events in and around the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford last week.
On Wednesday, June 5th, Dietrich traveled to Lynchburg’s regional airport where WWII aircraft had been prepositioned for the75th Anniversary D-Day Aerial Tribute. He was able to get up close and climb through the aircraft including the famous Whiskey 7, CH-47 Skytrain, which was the lead aircraft dropping elements of the 82nd Airborne Division near Sainte Mere Eglise, France in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Sainte Mere Eglise was the first town liberated from Nazi control by allied forces.
Dietrich said that other aircraft onsite included the Memphis Bell B-17 Flying Fortress, a B-25 Mitchell (the type aircraft used in the first United States’ retaliatory attack on Japan), a P-51 Mustang, a British Spitfire, and a German Focke-Wulf 190 fighter. According to Dietrich, the highlight of his airfield visit was actually flying in a PT-17 Stearman Trainer – this aircraft was the trainer used by all aspiring US and Canadian WWII pilots during their primary phase of flight training.
On Wednesday evening Dietrich attended the Bernard L. Marie, 35th annual WWII dinner, this year titled “75 Year Anniversary Celebration,” and held at Holiday Inn Valley View in Roanoke. The 42 WWII veterans in attendance were recognized for their sacrifice and successful efforts in defeating the fascist governments of Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese Imperial Military. Dietrich said General Officers from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Belgium were guests of honor presenting after dinner remarks; Dietrich also said that two veterans received the French Legion of Honor for their previously unrecognized contribution to the liberation of France during WWII. The guest speaker was George Patton Waters, grandson of Gen. George Patton, who provided the audience with both humorous and serious insights into the general’s intimate family life, according to Dietrich.
On Thursday, June 6, Dietrich was honored along with 89 other WWII veterans at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. Dietrich said this year’s ceremony was titled “The Final Salute” commemorating the 75th anniversary of the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice displayed by our WWII soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen.
Dietrich enlisted in the US Navy at age 17 on the day he graduated from high school in June, 1943. He became a Navy signalman assigned to the newly commissioned USS LST 920 in June 1944 (LST is the acronym for Landing Ship Tank — the 1940s version of today’s super tankers and sometimes referred to as “Long, Slow Target”). On August 14, 1944, while sailing en route to England with supplies and equipment, LST 920’s convoy was attacked by German submarine U667 resulting in the loss of Dietrich’s sister ship, USS LST 921, and the British HMS LCI 99. On September 9, 1944, LST 920 landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, striking an underwater obstacle resulting in serious damage to the ship’s hull. Following repairs in England, LST 920 sailed through the Panama Canal and into the Battle of Okinawa. Upon Japan’s surrender the damaged but operational LST 920 carried repatriated Japanese soldiers and their families from China and Korea.
When LST-920 was decommissioned in 1946, Dietrich was the last sailor off the ship. Following WWII, Dietrich returned to civilian life but was called back to active duty in 1950 for the Korean War and was assigned to USS Epperson DDE 719 (a destroyer escort). Dietrich’s email address is usnavy719@gmail.com and he welcomes inquiries about his military service.
