U.S. Navy veteran Harold Leroy McCreary of Beech Grove displays model of the LCI412 Landing Craft Infantry that he was on during the allied forces invasion of Germany-held France on D-Day. McCreary resides at Envive Healthcare of Beech Grove.
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
By Al Stilley
Editor
U.S. Navy diesel mechanic Harold Leroy McCreary had landed the LCI412 Landing Craft Infantry among hundreds of crafts offshore on Omaha Beach on D-Day.
A total of 150 soldiers had moved ashore from the craft to the beach under heavy fire from German positions above the shore. His assignment was to stay with the craft.
McCreary wanted to make sure the soldiers were advancing but he did something his superior officers had cautioned him against. So he climbed up from the rear and lower engine room and boldly opened the hatch.
Within seconds, he dropped quickly to avoid enemy fire from German soldiers from above the beach. It was his duty to stay on board so he could help pilot the craft back and forth across the English Channel during the WWII theater in Europe.
“We hit the beach at full speed; I didn’t think the enemy knew where we were (because) we were that close,” McCreary, the diesel mechanic in the “rear steer” on the LC1412 recalled. “I can still hear the buzz of bullets past my ears. I dropped to the floor below and kept my head down.”
His craft also sustained a punctured hull from the wooden barriers that the Germans had placed near the shore to thwart any incoming crafts or ships. The damage was repaired, and the craft returned to England for future English Channel crossings.
McCreary also recalled that the LCI412 was not really made for ocean crossings but still made 30 crossings for the Allies with soldiers and equipment across the English Channel. He also emphasized the LCI412 was a “craft,” not a “ship” because of its shorter length.
Earlier this summer and 80 years after D-Day, McCreary sat with son Bob and his wife Sheila in a meeting room at Envive Healthcare (formerly St. Paul Hermitage), 501 N. 17th Ave., Beech Grove. They were joined by U.S. Marine veteran and Beech Grove business owner Joe Wolfa.
Within a few weeks, the McCreary family and friends plan to gather again to celebrate Harold’s 100th birthday on Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Envive Healthcare of Beech Grove where he has lived for the past several years.
McCreary is among the honored military personnel living today who were part of D-Day that changed the course of WWII. After training at Great Lakes near Chicago, McCreary was assigned as an LCI412 diesel mechanic.
“I was never scared even on D-Day because of my training,” McCreary said. “I knew everything would work out and the war would end in our favor and that’s exactly what happened.”
McCreary returned to southern Indiana where he married his sweetheart Ruth. They have two sons and three daughters. As a hobby, he installed a go-kart track at the American Legion post for a benefit activity. They moved from Versailles where he had a woodworking business to Fountain Square in 1962.
On the Southside, he worked for Joe Borman’s cabinet company and later sold kitchen cabinets and appliances for Sears. McCreary always had a small workshop on the Southside where he continued to use his variety of hand tools.
He also volunteered to build cabinets for the American Legion and his church.
After 20 years, he and his wife moved to Fruitdale so the family could enjoy holidays and weekends on a lake. And they lived for a couple of years in Florida.
More than 15 years ago, McCreary became a resident of Envive Healthcare of Beech Grove.
Wolfla praised McCreary for being part of the historic D-Day landing and for his WWII service.
“Yes, he not only can talk the talk, but he can walk the walk,” Wolfla said after meeting a fellow veteran. “He has earned it.”
They are looking forward to meeting again along with McCreary’s family and friends later this month for a centenarian birthday celebration.
Editor
U.S. Navy diesel mechanic Harold Leroy McCreary had landed the LCI412 Landing Craft Infantry among hundreds of crafts offshore on Omaha Beach on D-Day.
A total of 150 soldiers had moved ashore from the craft to the beach under heavy fire from German positions above the shore. His assignment was to stay with the craft.
McCreary wanted to make sure the soldiers were advancing but he did something his superior officers had cautioned him against. So he climbed up from the rear and lower engine room and boldly opened the hatch.
Within seconds, he dropped quickly to avoid enemy fire from German soldiers from above the beach. It was his duty to stay on board so he could help pilot the craft back and forth across the English Channel during the WWII theater in Europe.
“We hit the beach at full speed; I didn’t think the enemy knew where we were (because) we were that close,” McCreary, the diesel mechanic in the “rear steer” on the LC1412 recalled. “I can still hear the buzz of bullets past my ears. I dropped to the floor below and kept my head down.”
His craft also sustained a punctured hull from the wooden barriers that the Germans had placed near the shore to thwart any incoming crafts or ships. The damage was repaired, and the craft returned to England for future English Channel crossings.
McCreary also recalled that the LCI412 was not really made for ocean crossings but still made 30 crossings for the Allies with soldiers and equipment across the English Channel. He also emphasized the LCI412 was a “craft,” not a “ship” because of its shorter length.
Earlier this summer and 80 years after D-Day, McCreary sat with son Bob and his wife Sheila in a meeting room at Envive Healthcare (formerly St. Paul Hermitage), 501 N. 17th Ave., Beech Grove. They were joined by U.S. Marine veteran and Beech Grove business owner Joe Wolfa.
Within a few weeks, the McCreary family and friends plan to gather again to celebrate Harold’s 100th birthday on Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Envive Healthcare of Beech Grove where he has lived for the past several years.
McCreary is among the honored military personnel living today who were part of D-Day that changed the course of WWII. After training at Great Lakes near Chicago, McCreary was assigned as an LCI412 diesel mechanic.
“I was never scared even on D-Day because of my training,” McCreary said. “I knew everything would work out and the war would end in our favor and that’s exactly what happened.”
McCreary returned to southern Indiana where he married his sweetheart Ruth. They have two sons and three daughters. As a hobby, he installed a go-kart track at the American Legion post for a benefit activity. They moved from Versailles where he had a woodworking business to Fountain Square in 1962.
On the Southside, he worked for Joe Borman’s cabinet company and later sold kitchen cabinets and appliances for Sears. McCreary always had a small workshop on the Southside where he continued to use his variety of hand tools.
He also volunteered to build cabinets for the American Legion and his church.
After 20 years, he and his wife moved to Fruitdale so the family could enjoy holidays and weekends on a lake. And they lived for a couple of years in Florida.
More than 15 years ago, McCreary became a resident of Envive Healthcare of Beech Grove.
Wolfla praised McCreary for being part of the historic D-Day landing and for his WWII service.
“Yes, he not only can talk the talk, but he can walk the walk,” Wolfla said after meeting a fellow veteran. “He has earned it.”
They are looking forward to meeting again along with McCreary’s family and friends later this month for a centenarian birthday celebration.
McCreary has a collection of photos and medals during his service in World War II that included the historic D-Day landing. Photos include the LCI412 Landing Craft Infantry, military photo and military documents. The landing craft was used to transport U.S. Army soldiers.
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
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