Luther Parks
Port Units Work Together on Loading Program for Invasion
Headquarters European Theater of Operations -- Officers and men of two U.S. army port units worked side by side with complete harmony and high efficiency in loading hundreds of ships with war cargoes for D-Day and Allied operations in France.Enlisted technicians and officers were assigned wherever they were needed most at each stage of the loading, and transfers were made rapidly from one sub-port to another when certain harbors had emergency jobs to handle.
Master plans were prepared for each ship, showing where each type of cargo was to be stored. Vehicles, guns and ammunition needed first by disembarking troops were stowed in upper holds within easy reach. Other items were placed in lower holds in a descending order of urgency.
The harmonious operation of the units was so successful that all loading was completed in plenty of time for the Allied landing in France. There were no major accidents and no large bottlenecks. When the D-Day signal came, cargoes were aboard and the ships were waiting in the harbors to go wherever the fighting forces called for supplies.
Among the members of this unit were Pfc. Wilbur Schwanke of Lowell, Pfc. Luther Parks of Schneider and Pfc. Robert Miller of St. John.
This Lowell Tribune article was found in the March 29, 1945, issue (page 2, columns 1-2):
- A letter received by the Wilson Parks tells of their two sons, Elmer Parks, M.P., and Luther, with the 3rd army, enjoying a visit on March 12th "somewhere in the European battle area." They had not seen each other in over two years, and needless to say, the reunion berween the two brothers was an enjoyable one.
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