70th 1 Beginning the Odyssey - Eagles Strike

Wild Bill Wilder

June 6th, 1944, Offshore, Utah Beach, Normandy\\ Colonel Welborn,

have your tanks move ahead through the Utah Beach defenses and

open that causeway #4 as soon as possible. We must establish

a link with our airborne troops today.\\ The 70th has proven

itself in battle. We need that punch to break through. I'm counting

on you and your tanks to do the job.\\___________\\Some History: The men of the 70th were given the assignment of going into Utah beach with the first waves of infantry. Company B was equipped with DD (duplex drive) tanks, which sported a waterproofed canvas screen that was raised around the tank to give it buoyancy. It had two small propellers attached to the rear of the tank to propel it through the water. All of the 16 tanks were disembarked some distance from the beach and all made it to land even through heavy gunfire.\\ Once ashore, their mission (and now yours) was to get inland as quickly as possible and extend the perimeter of the beachhead. Of particular importance was opening the road to St. Mere Eglise to relieve American paratroopers holding the fort.\\ Sergeant Tony Zampiello had the task of driving the 2nd Platoon leader's tank of C Company past the sea wall and flushing some Germans near Pouppeville. The Germans surrendered easily and then warned the tankers of a minefield just ahead . 2nd Lt

. John Ahearn,

however, had to proceed. He ordered Zampiello to turn into the

field. The driver had seen the sign "Achtung Minen" and asked

his commander rather hesitantly, "did you say left, sir?" The

Lieutenant gently replied, "Yes, Tony, left."\\ They had only

traveled a few hundred yards when the left side of the tank was

ripped apart by an antitank mine. All the crewmembers quickly

bailed out. Zampiello got to his feet and tears welled in his

eyes when he saw his tank, "California Bomb," completely wrecked.\\

The lieutenant told his men to stay put. He took his .45 pistol

from his shoulder holster and carefully proceeded on foot to

reconnoiter the area. Cries for help revealed two wounded paratroopers huddled together under a nearby tree. When Ahearn attempted to get to them, an S-Mine, partially defective, detonated under his foot, crippling him.\\ Zampiello and the gunner, Corporal

Felix Beard rushed to him and found both his feet had been blown

apart. Eventually they were able to rescue Ahea rn (who had rescued

other wounded earlier in Tunisia). Ahearn would receive the Medal

of Honor for his actions. Zampiello and Beard were awarded a

Silver Star. It was typical of the humanity and courage of the

men of the 70th. - WBW\\Sources:\\Cross Channel Attack, Harrison\Strike Swiftly, Jensen\D-Day, Ambrose\Normandy, Essame\Normandy 1944, Badsey\