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William Robert SNEAD Remembers D Day

More: American GIs in Mumbles, Swansea & Gower >

On 14th July 2016, Kim & Gareth Griffiths, from the United States visited the American Forces Memorial at Newton Village Hall. They were welcomed to the Hall by Bert Harris and John & Carol Powell who explained how the memorial came to be built and that the original hall was used as a Dining Room by the Americans. Kim and Gareth were in Wales to visit the family of her husband, who live in Milford Haven.

Kim revealed that her grandfather, William Snead Sr. from south Boston Virginia, was an American Soldier, who had trained for the Normandy Landings in Swansea and Gower and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day 6th June 1944. Sadly, William had passed away in May and had always kept safe a letter sent to her grandmother in America, from a Mrs. A. Thomas of Grovesend who lived near the camp known as Camp Mynydd Lliw and had welcomed him into her home. They shared Christmas cards and letters for several years after that, but William later regretted not keeping in touch.

Kim wanted to find the family of this kind lady, to thank them for her hospitality and the Evening Post published an appeal for information along with William’s wartime memories.

Kim was pleased to be contacted by Mrs Philips, the granddaughter of Mrs. A. Thomas. Next year, William’s son Bill, plans to journey to Wales in his father’s footsteps and hopes to meet the family who gave hospitality to his father and to visit the American Forces Memorial at Newton.

An appeal to locals - In 1944, the Officers at many of the American Camps made an appeal for locals to take in one or two soldiers to share their hospitality, home life and a meal. They were allowed to take a ration pack from their mess, as they were told not to eat locals' precious rations.

It is seen that Mrs A. Thomas was one of those who answered that call.

My D-Day Memories

by veteran William Robert Snead Sr. as told to his son Bill

William Robert Snead D-Day veteran

The 19 year old Army recruit completed over two years service in Europe as a Corporal Technician Fifth grade. The veteran wears his awards and decorations with pride. From our left to right: Army of Occupation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal (with D-Day Arrowhead & Two Battle Stars), World War II Victory Medal, French Legion d'Honneur and a Good Conduct Medal.

William said 'I was 20 years old on D Day 6th June 1944 and it was one day that I will never forget. I was in the English Channel on a L.C.T. (Landing Craft Tank) which was able to transport 5 tanks and other equipment, was like others at the time, overwhelmed by the rough sea.' [An L.C.T. was notoriously difficult to handle, made a lot of water and 'rolled like a barrel.'] 'I wasn't really sure what happened, all I knew was that the vessel was sinking. Another vessel, probably an L.S.T. (Landing Ship Tank) pulled along beside them and threw netting over the side of their vessel and we climbed up the netting to safety'.

Private W. R. Snead, served in the 4142nd Quartermaster Service Company, 5th Engineer Service Brigade, whose task was transporting & resupplying the 29th Infantry Division'

L.C.T. (Landing Craft Tank)

'Because of the sinking I ended up getting to Omaha Beach at sometime between noon and 1:00. I had the barrel of a [M2 Browning] .50 caliber machine gun on my back and another man had the tripod and a third had the gun.

At the beach we were dropped of in water over our heads. I kept pushing up with my legs to get some air and tried to head towards the beach. I finally got to some shallow water and it was a miracle that My two buddies and I were able to set up the machine gun on the beach and return fire. An Angel pushed me up'.

'The strongest memory in my mind was the 'Boom, Boom, Boom' of the big guns from the ships in the channel and all the machine gun fire. When I hit the beach there were bodies everywhere on the beach and many floating in the surf'.

Landing Craft (LCVP) approaching OMAHA Beach

William and family at the Normandy American Cemetery, 2004

Left to right, Bill, Joanne Woodruff, William, Carolyn Bransby & Jimmie Snead

His son Bill continued, 'We have been to Normandy three times with father, in 1999, 2004 [Photo of the sixtieth anniversary] and 2009.

One of the first places we visited was the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy. He first told us in 1999 that he was put on the detail to pick up the dead on the beach'.'Father said he did that for what he thought was about three days and remembers keeping their dog tags and burying them on the beach.

He found dead soldiers with pictures in their hands, crosses in their hands and little bibles in their hands. The real gruesome part of those days he would not even talk about. Just shake his head and fight back his tears'.

'His best friend was Robert W. Snell, because their names were close alphabetically. They had been together since basic training in Fort Bragg, NC.

He visited the grave of his best friend

They did everything together except on the afternoon of Sunday 11 June 1944, Snell was sent out on a mission and my Father wasn't and that night Snell was killed.

William's best friend is one of the servicemen buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and it was a poignant experience for us all when we visited his Cross.

My Father was still talking about Snell even on his last day here on earth, as he lay in the emergency room at our local hospital.

Anytime my Father was feeling real bad physically, he would talk about his buddy, Snell. Their was a bond there that never ended for my Father'.

Normandy American Cemetery

'My Father proudly wore a Bronze 'Arrowhead' device, on the ribbon of his European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal, as well as two 'Battle Stars,' (one 'Star' was awarded for the Battle of St. Lo). The 'Arrowhead' was presented for taking part in the Normandy D-Day Amphibious Landing.

He was 21 years old, on July 21st, 1944 and first Allied ships were able to use Cherbourg Harbour at about this time. He recalled driving trucks from Normandy to Cherbourg picking up ammo and fuel.

On our trip to Cherbourg he remembered being on parts of the road that winds along to Cherbourg. 'After the Battle of the Argentan - Falaise Pocket, between 12 and 21 August 1944, the town of Argentan was in ruins.

During the fighting, William helped hold a bridge at Argentan, where he slept in a railroad box car at night.

'Arrowhead'

We visited Argentan on our tour of France and found the Catholic Church where he would sit on the front steps and sometimes a nice French lady with her children would bring him and his buddies lunch. One buddy went by the name of Gildersleeve, from somewhere in New York State'.

William & Steven Spielburg, 60th Anniversary of D-Day, 2004

Stephen Speilburg attended the event with Tom Hanks and they both shook hands with US Veterans and posed for memorable photos.

William was sent to the French Riviera for R & R during the war and he went again in 2009.

In this special photo, he was thanking God, for his family and for sparing his life, so he could return to this place of refuge.

'He was always so proud to be able to be a part of ridding Europe and the U.K. from the evil that Hitler was using to destroy the people of those continents. The French people were so appreciative of my Father when he visited there each time. Many there were still living that had lived through the German occupation. These brave souls had passed all the stories to their children and grandchildren of what the American, British and Canadian forces had done. Especially D-Day.

I saw grown men weep on my Father's shoulder and thank him for their freedom. They are so thankful for all that the Allied Forces did for them'.

William & Family at the French Embassy in Washington

Our family. Left to right is Jimmie Snead, Carolyn Bransby, William R. Snead, Joanne Woodruff, Bill Snead.

William was invited to receive the Chevalier Legion d'Honneur award from the French Government for his service in liberating France.

This picture says so much about him returning home from that dreadful war and being able to start a family. He was a great Father that any child would be proud of and he loved his family. At the age of 19, he had to leave his Mother and go abroad, to places he knew nothing about. How servicemen did that I will never understand. His Father had died when he was 17 and he was helping his mother, brother and sister survive in the early 40's and he sent a large portion of his Army check to his Mother each month. An amazing Generation.

D-Day Veteran William Robert Snead Sr.

William completed his wartime service as a Corporal, Technician Fifth Grade and the four chevrons on his sleeve stand for two years overseas service. The shoulder insignia shows that after the landing, William was transferred from 5th E.S.B. into 'The Advanced Section Communications Zone', commonly known as A.S.D.E.C. and they took over command of areas left behind as the Army moved forward.

The flash under his legion-dhonneur-chevalier medal, is the Engineer Amphibian insignia, his original units name.

'An interesting story my Father remembers while training in Swansea. One night he and a bunch of buddies piled on a jeep and went to Pontardulais for a time of partying. They drank a lot of alcohol that night, so much so that one of the soldiers died that night from alcohol poisoning. My Father said the only thing that saved him was that he didn't care that much for alcohol and didn't drink much'.

'I have a copy of the letter Mrs. A. Thomas wrote to my Mother from Swansea. They shared Christmas cards and letters for several years after that. This was the only letter we now have from her. I wish my Father had visited there earlier than he did or at least kept writing to stay in touch'.

'My Father grew up really poor during the Depression here in Danville, Virginia, USA. In 1932 they received nothing for Christmas. They were tobacco sharecroppers but very hard working people and always proud of whatever they had. He only finished the fourth grade and was drafted in the US Army in March 1943. He married my Mother in January, 1943.

After the war he moved 30 miles East of Danville, Va to South Boston, Va and tried farming for a year but knew he would never survive as a farmer. He got a job with a house painter and in 1950 started his own painting company named W. R. Snead Paint Company. If you google the name, it will show up and it is still going strong 66 years later.

Father retired in 1984 and I ran the business until I sold it in 2009. I now help the company by doing small jobs and also estimating'.'I worked with my father since I was 13 years old and he was certainly one of "The Greatest Generation".

William was a great gardener

Dad in the garden leaning on a hoe, is the children’s favorite picture

'I will be forever grateful for who and what he was, a man of honor and integrity. I never saw him one time short any customer or friend and he always gave extra on every job'.

'He also was a strong Christian and I believe that shaped his life and his family's life'.

"That Day", D-Day, shaped his future life and gave him the ability to know he could do anything he wanted to accomplish'.

William always tried to do something on every June 6th to commemorate D Day. For the 70th Anniversary of D-Day in 2014, we really wanted to return to Normandy, but this year he just didn't feel like making the long journey.