Thread: Told by Walter L. Marlowe

Let me first start by thanking Walter for sending me by email his personal story of the days leading up to and including D-Day thru to the VE Day. What you read here is the words of Walter L. Marlowe commander of the 1st platoon of “E” Company of the 502nd Parachute Infantry; Army Serial Number was O1295745 who has kindly given me his permission to add his emails to war44.com

Walter L. Marlowe commander of the 1st platoon of “E” Company

Thank you Walter for your kind permission allowing me to add your story.

Please note this thread will stay closed, please feel free to open new threads for replies.

Email #1

On June 6, 1944 I commanded the 1st platoon of E Company of the 502nd
Parachute Infantry. Our objective was Exit no. 4 Utah Beach and if Possible the St. Marcouf Battery.

Walter L. Marlowe

PS I am now 85 yrs old.

Email #2

Dear Jim:

I will start with the short form. I enlisted in the Army just out of High School in San Antonio,TX. The Army agreed that I would serve 1 year on active duty then go into the reserve for 5 years.( Nov.20,1940) I selected Ft. Benning,Ga to do my training. After training based on my marksmanship score I was chosen to be an enlisted instructor for new 2nd. Lieutenants taking the Basic Infantry course. After about 6 months of that work I was promoted to Staff Sergeant In May of 1942 I was informed by my Commanding Officer that I had been selected for OCS. I graduated OCS on October 1942 and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry on October 8, 1942. I was accepted for Parachute training at Benning and began ten days after my Commission was given. Upon graduation from Jump School I was assigned to the 502 Parachute Infantry.
They were at Ft. Bragg, NC and had just become a part of the brand new 101st Airborne Division. I was assigned to "E" Company and Capt. Jim Hatch was its Commander. After unit training from Nov, 1942 to July 1943 we were sent to the UK near the City of Reading. The 2nd battalion was quartered near the Welford Air Field in a converted stable with the House as HQ and quarters for the Battalion Commander and Staff.

Will continue soon,

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe
(Airborne all the Way)

Email #3

After we got to England we trained near Stonehenge and at the assault training centres at Slapton Sands and Ilfracombe on the Irish Seashore. During this period with a Captain of our Regiment we were detailed to go to Jedburgh in Scotland to train people we did not know for several weeks. We completed that duty and a few weeks back with my unit I was informed that I would return to the USA by air to form up one the company of replacements. They explained that I was on the promotion list for 1943 and as a First Lt. could command one of the companies. All other officers would be Second Lts out of The Parachute School. I flew home in a B17 that had completed its 25 mission in Europe and was being replaced by newer aircraft. We stopped for fuel in Iceland and Newfoundland. I was in the USA until late March. We were loaded on a British Transport Named “The Athlone Castle” She was a very fast ship and she had until the war started carried the Royal Mail between England and Capetown, South Africa. I was told that her top speed was about 40 land miles per hour. We made it from New York to Liverpool in six and one half days.
After delivering the unit to Division HQ I returned to Welford to join My company in training. This was in April 1944.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #4

We had several practice link up exercise with the 4th Infantry Division who would be the shipboard Division landing on Utah Beach. One of these practices called Operation Tiger was held at Slapton Sands. The Royal Navy was providing security and most of the 22nd Infantry Regiment made up the seaborne forces. We were taken the so called drop zone and disbursed as if we had arrived by aircraft. We began on time and just as we were moving in on the beach area we were halted and were told the exercise had been cancelled. Nearly a half century we found out that German E Boats had got among the LST and other landing craft and sunk some of them. The whole thing classified and the soldiers that died were buried in a special cemetery and all of the medical officers and people who knew what happened were sworn to secrecy.

The next time we practiced we met the 8th Infantry Regiment and they were the actual "D" Day unit we met up with.

We finished our enhance training on May 20, 1944 and were placed on 24 Hour notice for active operations. On June 2nd we were take to the Welford Airfield and quartered in aircraft Hangers. We were then briefed on Operation Neptune and were told that we could leave our assembly area because we were Bigoted. All letters were impounded although we did not know this. D Day was scheduled for Monday June 5, 1944. That morning the wind was gusting to 25 miles per hour and the severe showers in our area. At 16:00 hours we were ordered to stand down.

To Be continued,

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #5

Continuing After the postponement on June 4 we had to be notified be 13:00 Hours on June 5 that the invasion was on. Command and staff was assembled at 12:00 hours in operation center for briefing. The Col. reviewed our mission and that we would follow our June 4 timeline. The rain had stopped and the wind speed was less that 10 MPH. I brought my platoon in to look at the model map of our drop zone and our objective. Lt. Zimmer and his group of Airborne Engineers (20 total) were also briefed. They were tasked with disabling the Costal Battery after we captured it. WE then proceeded to draw our chutes and go to the Airfield where the rest of our equipment was.

About 17: 00 hours we had chow and began to put on some of our gear. Underneath our Jump Suit we all wore OD wool shirt and trousers. We were all required put on our Mae West life jacket first then the rest of our equipment. It may be of some interest that the weapons I was carrying were a Thompson Submachine Gun model M1. I had three 30 round magazine and three 20 round magazine for the Thompson and a Colt Model 1911A1 with three 7 round magazines. For first Aid purposes I carried three first aid kits and two morphine needle. I also carried a SCR 536 Radio. It was very small about the size of a carton of cigarettes.

About 18:30 hour there was a big stir and I saw General Ike talking to 1st Lt. Wallace Stroble commander of our 2nd Platoon with cardboard sign that his aircraft was chalked No.23. Each troop commander of an aircraft had their plane number on a piece of cardboard hanging around his neck. In about 20 minutes we completed putting on all our gear. At about 22:30 we all began boarding our aircraft. Engine start began about 20 minutes later, and at 22:50 our plane began to taxi to the runway. We were airborne a few minutes later and formed up in a V of 9 planes wide. You might wonder how we had light to this but we were on Double British Summertime. Our flight path was Southwest toward the South coast between Plymouth and Southampton. When we crossed the coast line all navigation and interior lights were turned off and our aircraft dropped to lower altitude.


AS Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #6


I believe that I left off that we had crossed the Southern Coastline of England and dropped to a lower flying altitude. The aircraft then took a southeast course toward a check point called Hoboken. I was later told that this was a naval vessel that had been doing this for about 2 months. When our aircraft passed over the beacon we then turned to fly down the water between Brittany and Normandy. After about twenty minutes on this course we then made a sharp left turn that would allow us to cross the Normandy Peninsula by the back door. We increased our landfall altitude to about 1500 ft. At that time I stood up and had each of my men hook their static lines to the metal cable running down the middle of the plane. The pilot had turned on the red light that warned us that we were approaching our drop zone. We entered some clouds and our three plane formation got separated from the other six planes. When the green light came on we began jumping. Landing in the dark was no fun but the moon would not rise until about 2:30 local time or in military time 02:30. Our operational order stated that we were to land four and one half hours before nautical twilight, that last phrase was the Navy's its meaning was dawn or dusk.

We were equipped with a cricket to challenge with one click was answered by two clicks. I began to roll up my stick by moving in the direction of the flight. The first person I encountered was Sgt. Morris one of my squad leaders and at the end of the hedgerow three other men and one was my RTO. It was apparent that we had not dropped on our DZ. By using a map and flashlight hidden under a raincape we located ourselves on the map, we were about two kilometres NW of our drop zone. Lt. Zimmer showed up with eleven of his men so we decided to proceed cross country toward the gun battery.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe jm/WLM


*Walter has just had surgery on his right wrist so is not able to type just yet so his Granddaughter Ms Jacquelyn Marlowe has kindly offered to do this for him until Walter is fit enough to do this once again.
So our Thanks goes out to Jacquelyn ..

Email #7

After assembly of 1st Platoon and Lt. Zimmers Engineers we marched by compass toward the battery at St. Marcouf. Our plans gave four and one half hours in the area. The Naval bombardment was to start one half hour later and we had to clear the area. We arrived at the concrete positions of the gun battery to find that no guns were there. Lt. Zimmers people booby trapped the pill boxes. We then proceeded down the rail spur and found the guns of flat cars with several box cars of ammunition. WE killed the guards and disabled the guns by opening the breech and throwing a thermite grenade up the barrel and closing the breach. The thermite welded the breech shut making the guns useless. Lt. Zimmer and his people wired up the box cars of ammunition with TNT blocks and primer cord. Then multiple time fuses we connected to go at 10:00 hour’s local time. We then started toward Exit 4 and made contact with Company G that had been dropped closer. So we then secured the village of Ste. Marcouf. The naval gunfire started on time but the Fourth Division landed at Exit 1 which was the responsibility of the First Battalion of the502nd. What happened there is described in many books but I believe that Stephen Ambrose book on "D Day " is the most readable.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #8

After arriving at Exit 4 at Utah beach we stayed there the rest of "D" day and when a unit from the 4th Infantry Division arrived just before sundown we decided to move to St. Martin de Varreville. This was our rally point after the 4th Division was ashore. June 7 I reported to our battalion Commander and his Exec Major Alan Ginder. Maj Ginder was told to tie with the flank of "E" company. We were tasked with protecting the North Flank of the Utah landing area. The 4th sent a recon in force toward Montbourge and we loaned them a couple of Scouts to show them the trails that were not on their maps. On the 8th we were told to move to Hiesville and into Division reserve. We received word when we got to Hiesville to start work on a planned attack down Route N13 toward Carentan. Carentan at the time was held by the German 6th Parachute Regiment. We needed Carentan so we could tie Omaha and Utah beaches together.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #9

After two days on the North Flank of Utah Beach we were sent to Heisville to prepare an operation to connect Omaha and Utah beaches. To do this we first had to secure the town of Carentan. The approach to Carentan from the North was difficult as much of the land was swampy and what was available was open offering very little cover. The attack on the town was assigned to the 502, the 2nd Battalion was assigned the task of securing the line of departure for the 3rd Battalion. The plan was to assault the town proper with the 3rd Battalion with fire support from the US Cruiser Quincy and 4 US Destroyers. This half hour bombardment was to soften up the built up areas held by the German 6th Parachute Infantry Regiment. We were promised air interdiction on the St. Lo highway to prevent supplying or reinforcements for the Germans. We jumped at 07:00 and by 22:00 hours had secured the line of departure and control of the bridges.

That night we had officers call to review the plans for the main attack to start at 07:00 hours the next morning. We were tasked with following the 3rd but we were to clear the seaward side of the town. We were promised that we would have fire support from the US destroyers off shore.

As Ever,

Walter L. Marlowe

Email #10

Hello Jim:

Continuing on Carentan the attack was preceded by the naval shelling as planned. The third battalion led Lt. Col. Cole jumped off and made good progress at first the Germans laid down a huge volume of small arms fire. The third had to resort to short rushes as the volume was so great. We then started our attack toward the port side of Carentan. This force caused the Germans to divide their small arms fire. This helped the third to advance to the edge of town. Then for about two hours everything turned to sniping and counter sniping. At about noon or just after Col. Cole decided to make a bayonet assault on the central part of the city. The assault was successful and the Germans withdrew to the Carentan - St. Lo highway and set up a roadblock. We did not know at the time but they were waiting on help from The 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division. The air fighter bombers caught the 17th on the road from St Lo and halted them short of the town. We then attacked the roadblock, after securing it the 327 Glider Infantry Regiment came up and we secured the position. This anchor was our meeting place for the 30th Infantry Division to complete the link up of Omaha and Utah Beaches.

As Ever,


Walter Marlowe