Authored by Ashley Candreva
‘Le Tomahawk,’ Newsletter for the XIX Corps, issue No. 1. 1944-06-18. Regarding the invasion of Normandy. Created by Major Ray Craft.
Le Tomahawk is a corps newsletter created by Major Ray Craft [1] for the XIX Corps[2], which at the time this newsletter was written was made up of the 2nd and 3rd armored divisions, and 29th and 30th infantry divisions in WWII [3]. Ray Craft was a newsman from California who was the aide to Major General Charles H. Corlett [4], commanding general of the XIX corps beginning in April 1944. The XIX are most notable for their participation in D-Day, with the 29th infantry division[5] being 1 of 2 of the first divisions to land on the beach in Normandy on Omaha beach [6].
This issue of Le Tomahawk was written just 12 days after June 6, 1944, better known as D-Day, when the American, British, and Canadian Allied forces in the XIX corps stormed the beaches of France to get a foothold on the continent and make their way to Germany, liberating towns along the way[7]. This issue of Le Tomahawk gives the reader a unique insight into the daily goings-on of the XIX corps and gives ‘in real time’ updates on the activity of the XIX Corps, such as the broadening of the fronts on the beachhead from the article “CRACK DIVISION DRIVES TOWARD ST. LO TO CLIMAX 12-DAY SPEARHEAD ASSAULT,” or the update on how the American troops were received by the people in the villages of Normandy in the article “NORMANDY FOLK ARE FRIENDLY.”
These small newsletters were so vital for the soldiers because of the lack of direct communication among their fellow soldiers in the army. The traumatic experiences of D-Day were less than two weeks old, the soldiers had no way of really knowing what they would be facing in France once they captured the beaches and moved inland, and newsletters like this one provided some form of tangible news for the soldiers at this time. An example of this is the article “ALLIES ADVANCE IN ITALY; BOMBERS RAIN MORE STUFF ON GERMANY; FRENCH TAKE ELBA.” These newsletters were meant for these men, to keep them abreast of news. In war, the fear of the unknown, of not knowing what is happening elsewhere, and with one’s allies are very real struggles, and the Bellmore Historical Association is proud to curate this exceptional piece of American and military history.
What is so powerful about curating these collections, besides their rarity and importance for knowing our history, is the visceral reactions these seemingly innocuous objects can inspire years, decades, centuries later. Archival documents have a way of humanizing the past. If you don’t believe me, just read “Salute to our Dead”, Pg. 2, and pair that short sentiment with what we know about D-Day and the incredible loss of life there, and you’ll feel it, too. That is why I chose to highlight this document, in line with St. John’s Vincentian mission of transparency and service. These men served, suffered, lost and won, and Le Tomahawk provides a transparent window into their lives at this exact moment.
[1] Ovrld644 and Gordon, “Le Tomahawk | 29th Division Association Discussion Board.”
[2] Pogue, Pogue’s War. 129
[3] Wilson, Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Seperate Brigades.
[4] Pogue, Pogue’s War.
[5] The Maryland National Guard Military Historical Society, Inc, “29th Infantry Division – Research Area.”
[6] Balkoski, Beyond the Beachhead.
[7] MacMillan and Henry, XIX Corps in Action: From D-Day (6 June 1944) to Germany; Le Tomahawk (newspaper), Vol. 2, No. 6 (October 1944).
References
Balkoski, Joseph. Beyond the Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division in Normandy. 3rd Expanded ed. edition. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2005.
MacMillan, T, and J Henry. XIX Corps in Action: From D-Day (6 June 1944) to Germany; Le Tomahawk (newspaper), Vol. 2, No. 6 (October 1944). Map, 1944. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/ss:8245861.
Ovrld644, Jay G., and Gordon. “Le Tomahawk | 29th Division Association Discussion Board.” http://29thdivision.proboards.com/, November 22, 2008. http://29thdivision.proboards.com/thread/47.
Pogue, Forrest C. Pogue’s War: Diaries of a WWII Combat Historian. University Press of Kentucky, 2006.
The Maryland National Guard Military Historical Society, Inc. “29th Infantry Division – Research Area.” The Maryland Military Historical Society, 2016. http://www.marylandmilitaryhistory.org/research.php.
Wilson, John B. Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Seperate Brigades. Army Lineage Series. Washington, D.C: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1999. http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/060/60-7/cmhPub_60-7-1.pdf.