T/Sergeant Sager A. Ream was killed in action less than 2 weeks after he landed as part of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Division at Omaha Beach in Normandy. He was KIA June 17, 1944, just one day before the 29th took St.Lo. Sgt. Ream had been in the service for about four years at that time. The landing at Omaha is described below.
Teamed with the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Division was the first assault wave to hit Omaha Beach at Normandy at 6:13 AM on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The sea was rough, and a steady riptide pulled the waves of landing crafts eastward down the beach. Only one of the companies of the 116th Stonewallers landed at his planned place. Company A landed opposite the Vierville Draw that they were supposed to storm. When the landing ramps came down on the company's four surviving LCVPs, German MG42 machine guns cut down the Americans even before they could disembark. It has been estimated that two-thirds of Company A was killed by enemy fire or by drowning within the first half hour. Company F also landed at its assigned location, but was fortunate enough to land behind an accidental smoke screen caused by a grass fire. Other companies washed sidewise down the beach to land in disorganized confusion. They suffered lesser casualties than A or F, but found themselves straggling into battle. They flanked and blew up German positions. Their assault gnawed at the German defenses.
This group includes an 3 original photos of Ream, an original newspaper article about his death, and his officially engraved slot brooch posthumous Purple Heart with its presentation case.
SOLD to a collector 04-2021
