Many Californians, from all walks of life, are in Normandy, France this week for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Having just spent Memorial Day in solemn tribute to the approximately 1.5 million Americans who have given their lives fighting for the future of our country in all 12 major wars since the American Revolution through the Iraqi War.
Among those attending the historic remembrance of D-Day is a family with a history in Los Alamitos. They have gathered at the cliffs of Normandy along with Americans and others from around the world to pay tribute to the 80th Anniversary of the bloody, invasion on June 6, 1944.
Undoubtedly, it is impossible to replicate in words or images the unspeakable horrors of walking to that wall of hot German lead that ripped brave Americans, and other Allied service members, to pieces on that day.
Dubbed the “Greatest Generation,” one does not have to wonder why.
President Joe Biden is expected to join French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and other world dignitaries to express the world’s gratitude for the men and women with the courage to liberate by force, the Nazi foothold on Europe.
Among those in attendance are the family of George Hibard, who lived in Los Alamitos, his wife Sarah, and daughters Emily, Summer, and Darci. Emily is now an elected member of the Los Alamitos City Council.
Emily’s grandfather’s parents, Mrs. and Mrs. John Hibard of Dancy, Wisconsin, had five boys serving in World War II.
Sgt. Harold Hibard was in the infantry. Private First Class George Hibard was a Marine. Sgt. Charles Hibard was in the Army Air Corps and Technical Sgt. Floyd Hibard served in Army ordinances. The fifth son John “Jack” Hibard, served with a conditioning branch of the Marine Corps at Oceanside, Cal.
Of the five brothers, Infantryman Harold was assigned to the storied 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. He and his band of brothers were among those who got the call to storm the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
For Harold, it would be his last steps on earth. Tragically, yet heroically, that’s where his life ended, dying on the bloodied beach three weeks before his 23rd birthday fighting to keep America free.
The price of freedom hit very close to home for the Hibard family so they are now all back in France to pay their respects. For his heroism, Harold Hibard was awarded a Purple Heart.
In twelve major wars since the American Revolution, more than 1.5 million Gold Star veterans lost their lives in battle for this democracy. Millions more were permanently disabled, scarred and emotionally affected as warfare always affects those with the courage for combat.
One of Harold’s brothers, George Hibard, survived the war, and his son, also named George, is Emily’s father. They moved to Downey and the Hibards eventually moved to Los Alamitos.
“Me and my sisters, Summer and Darci, grew up in Downey listening to our grandfather, George, tell stories about the war and his brothers during the war. My Dad and some other family members were in Normandy for the 70th anniversary of D-Day,” she said.
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“So, with the 80th anniversary of D-Day, our family really wanted to be in Normandy,” she said. And today, June of 2024, they are indeed in France to pay tribute to Harold Hibard and all those who gave “the full measure of devotion.”
Of the five Hibard WWII brothers, only Jack Hibard, 99, is still alive. He now lives in Pomona. Although he received an official ticket, he was too sick to make the trip, Emily reports.
The memorable event will likely be televised, but for those to wish to livestream the dedication ceremony, it is available at https://www.abmc.gov/d-day80.
If any other families within the reach of our papers have service members with links to D-Day or World War II, we can only hope these D-Day tributes reach you as well as we all thank you for your service.
Without question, WWII was an all-encompassing struggle for freedom. It took men and women, but it took machines and logistics as well.
One of the key players, who could have, in fact, carried either of the Hibards somewhere along the way stands tall in Long Beach with much fanfare, but little recognition for the key role it played in winning the war.
The next time you drive by The Queen Mary, remember the role this amazing luxury liner played in carrying troops for the Allies to prepare for D-Day and for the entire war.
When The RMS Queen Mary, and later her sister ship, The Queen Elizabeth were pressed into the service in the 1930’s, they were the superfast mode of international travel. With a maximum of speed of 30 knots, (35 mph), they could quickly ferry passengers back and forth across the ocean.
Launched in 1934, The Queen Mary quickly became one of the most famous and opulent vessels of its time, symbolizing British maritime prowess. However, the onset of World War II dramatically altered the Queen Mary’s destiny.
When war broke out in 1939, the British government recognized the strategic importance of the Queen Mary’s speed and size. Capable of carrying large numbers of passengers across the Atlantic in record time, the ship was ideally suited for transporting troops.
The Queen Mary was retrofitted for war in record time, her luxurious fittings removed and replaced with basic accommodations to house thousands of soldiers. Painted in dull gray to camouflage her from enemy submarines, she was nicknamed the “Gray Ghost.”
The Queen Mary’s impressive speed allowed her to outrun German U-boats, which were a significant threat to Allied shipping. The great ship could carry up to 16,000 troops (an entire U.S. Division) in a single voyage, significantly more than other troopships of the time.
This capacity made her invaluable for thepurposes of rapidly moving large numbers of soldiers, including American GIs, across the Atlantic to join the European theater of war.
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In the lead-up to D-Day, the Queen Mary was heavily involved in Operation Bolero, the codename for the buildup of American forces in the United Kingdom. Between 1942 and 1944, the Queen Mary made numerous voyages across the Atlantic, ferrying American troops to Britain in preparation for the eventual invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe.
We don’t know if Harold Hibard was ferried over on The Queen Mary before the invasion but it is likely that he was, as the two Queens were essential in moving American troops.
The Queen Mary’s wartime service highlights the adaptability and resilience of civilian infrastructure in times of conflict. Her transformation from a luxury liner to a vital military asset underscores the importance of logistical capabilities in warfare.
The thousands of troops she carried across the treacherous Atlantic waters played a significant part in the success of the D-Day invasion and the eventual Allied victory in Europe.
So on this fateful day, 80 years later, lest not forget the men like Harold Hibard, who sacrificed the rest of their lives for their nation and don’t forget the Grey Ghost, aka The Queen Mary, without which this miraculous invasion could have never happened. She is a relic of U.S. military history.
That in itself, is a reason to visit, knowing that so many American war heroes once graced her presence. The Captain and crew remained the same as those who operated The Queen Mary in her luxury role, so as we salute the men and women of the Greatest Generation, we solemny remember those who gave all and those who risked it all to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today and that only a more united nation can hope to preserve.