Pvt John F. Stack was listed in the
Company B
jump roster with the notation of "EVA", or
Evacuated. Blinded in one eye, he eventually made it home and
visited the factory where he had worked prior to his enlistment. The
article shown at left and below appeared in that unnamed firm's
newsletter. |
John
(line 12) was flown home from Prestwick, Scotland to LaGuardia, New York
on a MATS C54, aircraft serial no. 41-37283. That aircraft was
later in service with KLM and Air Algeria. |
![](../../images/france/stack_john_07_small.jpg)
Above, John Stack, visits some of his friends in Mail Room. left to
right: Alma Bennett, Chester Bell, Mrs. Marie Adlicks, Margaret Padula,
Jack [John] Stack, W. D. Tyndall, Grace Pereretta, Doris Cochrane, and
Florence Bohlman. |
Fourteen Days of Hell
Paratrooper John Stack,
formerly Stationary Stock and brother of Kay Stack, Secretary to Harry
Kay, Divisional Attorney, visited with some of his friends at the
Teterboro [NJ] Plant several weeks ago. Although censorship
forbids telling a more detailed account of his activities during the
invasion of France, we can, however, recite a few highlights showing the
courage, fortitude, and sacrifices of this stalwart American paratrooper
during his fourteen days of hell battling the Nazis.
Jack left these shores on Christmas Day, 1943, bound for England.
As it turns out, it was the job of his Division to prepare for the
initial invasion of France. Two days before D-Day, American planes
carried men high over French soil. Some of them, including Jack,
parachuted down at Ste. Mere Eglise to establish bridgeheads in this area.
Fierce fighting ensued as they had landed in a German bivouac area, and
the Heinies were prepared for them, but after 3 days of bitter battle, the
Paratroopers took the bridge.
A few days later Jack volunteered along with 50 others, to capture
a village nearby which was hampering further operations of our invading
forces. In a matter of hours, and armed only with rifles, pistols
and submachine guns, this small band of "devil fighters" wiped out the
German garrison and took the town with the loss of only one man.
On the 8th day, 4 more American planes carrying Paratroopers and supplies
were flown over their sector to reinforce their diminishing manpower and
ammunition. But before the new arrivals had time to jump, the Nazis
laid down a withering barrage of flak. All four planes crashed on
the other side of the river. |
No one
survived. Again Jack, together with a few of his comrades,
volunteered to swim the river to secure the identification of their fallen
comrades. Under the cover of darkness, but through constant rifle
fire at all times, the boys swam across 4 times, got to the wrecked planes,
secured all the dog tags and other identifying marks, tagged and hid the
bodies and returned safely to base. Later, according to Jack, the
"Medics" went over and took care out all the bodies.
In he afternoon of the 14th day, the Nazis began laying down a
heavy tank artillery barrage all around them. Jack was on his hands
and knees about to get out of his foxhole when a shell from a German 88
landed under his face. The explosion blew him more than 25 feet in
the air and shell fragments pierced his left eye. In less than 20
minutes he was picked up by the "Medics" and carried to a field hospital
back of the lines where he was treated for his wounds and given a
considerable amount of blood plasma to save him from shock. This
14th day was June 18th. It was also Jack's 20th birthday.
Jack is now stationed at Old Farms Convalescent Hospital.
Although encumbered at the moment by his lack of sight, he nevertheless
faces the future with cheerfulness and determination to overcome any
impediments in his rehabilitation to civilian life --- even the lack of
sight. |