What Ike Really Said......
"What Ike Really
Said
The photograph has been printed and reprinted far and wide. It
is found in school books, history books, and encyclopedias. It
is on display at the Pentagon.
It is, of course, the photograph of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
taken the evening before D-day, June 6, 1944, speaking to the
men of the 101st Airborne Division. The caption always reads
that he is urging his paratroopers “on to total victory.” But to
this day what really occurred and what was really said is still
known only to the men with whom he was talking.
The troops had been moved into the marshaling area at Greenham
Common airfield during the latter part of May and had been fully
briefed with aerial photos and sandbox mockups on the coming
invasion of Normandy. Restricted to the area now that sensitive
information had been passed along, the men had little else to do
other than check their equipment and go over the plans and their
final objectives.
The “go” came on the evening of June 5, 1944, after an entire
day’s delay due to weather. Everyone was more than ready, in
full battle gear. It was rumored that Ike was in the area, yet
the men’s reaction was surprisingly calm. Until it was added,
“But you ought to see his driver—a woman!”
There was a wild dash down the temporary street between the
tents to see the driver of Ike’s car, Kay Summersby. As the men
ran down the street, who should be heading up the same road but
Ike and his group of officers and photographers? When the two
groups converged, correct military courtesy prevailed, the
parachutists standing at attention and Ike coming over to greet
his men.
His words were not “total victory,” as might be expected before
one of the war’s greatest battles, but rather, “What’s your
name, lieutenant,” and “Where are you from?”
“Strobel” and “Michigan, sir,” were the replies. Ike recalled in
some detail the spectacular fishing he had enjoyed there. Then,
quickly, he moved on, the photographers having captured the
exchange on film.
The troopers’ brief delay was over and they continued on to see
Ike’s car and its beautiful driver. Then, a few minutes later,
the troopers boarded planes, and just hours later they were
parachuting behind the beaches of Normandy.
In the following turmoil the incident was forgotten until early
July, when the same lieutenant saw a grainy picture of Ike and
his troops in the pony edition of Time magazine. There he saw
himself, standing in front of Ike, with camouflaged face and the
identifying number 23, his plane number, hung around his neck.
Over the years the photograph has found its way into countless
publications about World War II, and almost always the caption
has read “Ike urging his troops on to total victory.” I have to
smile along with the others who were there because we all know
what was really said. You see, I was that Number 23."
—Wallace C. Strobel was a 1st lieutenant in Company E, 502d
Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. He lives in
Saginaw, Michigan.
source:AmericanHeritage.com