www.soldiersandsailors.us
Home│2009
Trip to France│Other
WWII Veterans I Know│The
WWII Memorial│The
Home Front│Contact
Me
WWII Events Page with Photos│Latest
Happenings│6th
Beach Battalion│Who
am I?
The Sergeant
John W. Gabersek Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Long Lost Cousins Reunite While Honoring
Family Heroes of WWII
The Story of Coxswain Amin Isbir
Video Part 1 in Normandy, May 20th, 2009 -
Video Part 2 in Normandy, May 20th, 2009
- Events of May 21st as seen on CBS News June 4th, 2009
Proud Cousins, Jim Ameen and Eric Montgomery, Graveside with Amin in Normandy
James Ameen, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and Eric
Montgomery, originally from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, last saw each other in
1975. Their last contact was at a funeral for the very man whose
unmistakable picture would bring them together again. Twenty-nine years later, on the sands of Miami Beach, Florida, their
passion for honoring family heroes of WWII would reunite the cousins and
renew family ties. This amazing portion of a remarkable story was the preamble
to setting the cousins on course to change history. In May of 2009, the two will journey to another beach,
better known to the world as Omaha, to honor a fallen great uncle killed on
D-Day and to bring to a conclusion a five year quest.
Ameen’s
and Montgomery’s focus quickly turned to two brothers of J.B., Amin and Esper,
whose portraits were on the very next page, each dressed in their Navy uniforms.
“Did you know that Amin was killed in Normandy?” asked Ameen. As to how no one
knew and from that moment Montgomery and Ameen were on a mission to uncover the
past.
Not knowing who to ask or where to turn Montgomery scoured the
internet for any information on what may have happened to Amin on D-Day. A few
weeks after reuniting with his cousin, Montgomery found a web site that
highlighted the 5th Special Engineers Brigade in Normandy. A photo
of Amin’s name inscribed upon an Omaha Beach memorial was the first clue as to
what happened. The inscription read, “In honor of the valiant Americans of the
5th Engineer Special Brigade who gave their lives in the assault on this beach
on 6 June 1944.” A story on that web site also described how two sailors and
their commander were killed as they departed a landing craft. Could one of the
sailors have been Amin? An email sent to the contributor of the picture
rebounded back to Montgomery.
Undaunted, Montgomery kept looking. “That initial finding led me
to the American Battle Monuments Commission web site. I found Amin’s name and
his date of death listed as June 8th. Something just didn’t seem
right. If he had been one of those men killed in the landing craft, then how
could the date of his death be June 8th? A thousand questions and
just as many ideas crossed my mind. I immediately contacted Jim and we both
agreed that something was amiss. We at least knew for sure he was killed in
Normandy on Omaha Beach, but how?”
Questions Answered
On June 5th 2005, the day before the anniversary of
D-Day, Montgomery reached out to Amin’s sister Della for help. “The last time I
saw Aunt Della I was about 11 years old, when J.B. died. She was so open and
friendly even after nearly 30 years. After exchanging greetings and family
information, I asked her about Amin and if she knew what had happened to him on
D-Day. She told me that she didn’t have the nerve to ask yet knew someone who
would definitely know. ‘Call this fella, Joe Vaghi. He was there and he’ll
tell you everything you want to know.’ I was stunned”, said Montgomery. “Until
then, I had never met a D-Day veteran, but when Aunt Della said that this man
would know everything about what happened to Amin, I just couldn’t believe my
ears.”
Within moments Montgomery phoned Mr. Vaghi. “The next two hours
were absolutely remarkable. I reached a now retired Lt. Commander Joseph Vaghi
on the first ring almost as though he was expecting my call. I introduced
myself as Amin Isbir’s great nephew and suddenly the phone went silent. Not
knowing the extent of what he knew about my great uncle or anything at all about
Mr. Vaghi, I feared that I may have struck a nerve. After further reassuring,
he immediately opened up to me. He could not believe that after all this time
someone was asking about Amin and what happened to him. Although not wanting to
rush into things out of respect for Mr. Vaghi, my first question was how well he
may have known Amin. ‘I knew him well, very well. He was the oldest man in my
company and he knew so much about being a sailor. We had the best company
because of Ami.’ I was immediately overcome with a sense of pride. As our
conversation continued, I was to find out that Mr. Vaghi was Amin’s commanding
officer and believe it or not, one of three Navy Beachmasters for the assault
upon Omaha Beach. Ensign Vaghi’s endearing way of dropping the N off of Amin’s
name told me how close the two were. From that instant I was so eager to learn
more, not only about what happened that morning, but all about the men of the 6th
Naval Beach Battalion and their mission to liberate Europe.”
Unbelievably, Vaghi’s entire C-8 platoon waded safely ashore and
began to carry out their assignments of setting up medical, communication, boat
repair and hydrographic duties of safely moving men and equipment on and off the
beach. Beachmaster Vaghi, shouting instructions to the liberators using a
megaphone over the chaos of battle, was approached by an Army officer. The
officer asked Vaghi to use his hand held radio to call to the ship for
additional equipment. In the midst of continued shelling, machinegun and rifle
fire that would rain down onto the men, the sailors did their best to fulfill
their mission, all under the command of Ensign Vaghi.
A Fateful Moment
As the morning progressed on towards 8:45 AM, conditions on the
beach were a living hell. Coxswain Isbir and Ensign Vaghi were working together
to clear the wounded and dead. Moving a fallen soldier onto a stretcher, a
kneeling Vaghi and a standing Isbir prepared to move the body out of the way.
Vaghi continues, “All of a sudden there was a tremendous explosion.” Ensign
Vaghi was knocked unconscious but Amin wouldn't be so lucky. “What happened, as
I later found out, was that some 5 miles from the landing beaches the Germans
had a railway gun. A shell from that gun landed nearby, hitting a jeep that
flew into the air. Your uncle was killed when that jeep landed right on top of
him. He never knew what hit him”. Until his conversation with Montgomery,
Ensign Vaghi had never shared the details about this moment with anyone.
Moments after the explosion, Ensign Vaghi regained his senses and
noticed that the explosion set another nearby jeep ablaze. This second jeep was
full of ammo, grenades, gasoline and, worst of all, was surrounded by wounded
men. At great risk to his own life, he and another man relieved the jeep from
all its explosive burdens and in doing so spared the lives of all those men
around it.
A few weeks later Ensign Vaghi was told by intelligence officers
that the Germans targeted the location where he and Amin were by homing in on
broadcasts from Vaghi's field radio back to the ship. “How they did that, I
don’t know, but that is what they told me.” Nearly a year later and while
aboard a ship in the Pacific, Ensign Vaghi was awarded the Bronze Star for
saving the lives of those wounded soldiers and sailors surrounding that Jeep
ablaze on D-Day morning.
Vaghi states, “Ami told me that he felt that he would never get
home again to see his ‘Little Woman’. He was a very religious man, very smart,
and knew so much about being a sailor. He was the oldest of all the guys
onboard and had the respect of all the other younger sailors. We had the best
Company because of Amin!” Ensign Vaghi mentioned to Montgomery that Isbir liked
to call him Mister Vogi and as their conversation continued, he too would call
Vaghi “Vogi” by mistake. Given the seriousness of the conversation they both
laughed aloud and gained an immediate appreciation for each other.
Montgomery continues, “When I began my research, I found that
Amin’s headstone in Normandy indicated that he was
killed on June 8th, which contradicted historical fact. I asked
Ensign Vaghi if he knew of this and how such a thing could happen.” Vaghi
replied, “There simply wasn’t a way to take care of the fellows who were killed
like we wanted to. We had a job to do. Two days later, the graves registration
units tagged all of those boys Killed in Action on June 8th.” Della was
right, Joe Vaghi would provide more information than Montgomery could ever
imagine. “I pledged to Ensign Vaghi that I would do everything I could to
correct Amin’s records to the actual date of his supreme sacrifice. Little did
I know what hurtles I would have to overcome. We said our goodbyes, but I knew
in my heart that we would meet in person someday. As I hung up the phone, I
recalled the beginning of the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’. The opening scene
of the invasion had such a spiritual effect on me. I owed it to Amin and the men of the
Battalion to follow through on my promise.”
Correcting History
With a whole notebook full of details, Montgomery set upon the
task of correcting Amin’s records. “The road to set the record straight has not
been easy. Since the moment I spoke with Amin's commanding officer, so much
time passed that I began to think that I would never be able to complete my
quest.” Getting to the right person in the right position took nearly 4 years
for Montgomery – and that person was U.S. Navy Lt. Nathan Kaspar. On April 25th,
2008, “I couldn't believe my ears when the lieutenant said to me, ‘this doesn't
seem too difficult.’
Shortly after speaking with Lt. Cmdr. Vaghi, Montgomery
contacted Senator John Warner's office in Washington D.C. thinking that a
congressional order might be required to change his uncle’s records. At that
time the Senator was the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. After
6 months of corresponding with a member of Senator Warner's staff, communication
mysteriously ended. A follow up phone call to the Senator's office revealed
that his contact had resigned and all the correspondence was lost. More than a
year passed and progression with the new replacement led to another dead end.
Yet all momentum was not lost. Veterans of the 6th Naval
Beach Battalion, who were also there on D-Day morning, began to share their own
memories of Amin's death. Ken Davey, whose father Dr. J. Russell Davey,
Company B's Physician, began sharing the history of the battalion on his web
site,
www.6thBeachBattalion.org. Montgomery wrote a letter to Ken which then
led to his introduction of Tom Beaty, a historian who is presently recording
oral histories of America's WWII Veterans. A number of the 6th Naval Beach
Battalion men are featured on his web site,
www.witness-to-war.org.
Two veterans in particular, Coxswain Ed Marriott and Seaman Bob Giguere speak
candidly about Amin and the explosion which ended his life. Surely, this
additional evidence was all Montgomery needed to present, but to who?
By now it was Christmas 2006 and Montgomery had the honor of
meeting Lt. Cmdr. Vaghi at his home in suburban Washington. “He and I
spoke at great length regarding my great uncle for nearly two hours. I
tried my best to find out all that had happened prior to, during, and after the
invasion: training, food, towns, men in the unit, equipment they used and
notable events that you can’t find in any written reference. I was indeed
blessed to have spoken to the man who best knew Amin. Once again Vaghi
said: ‘We had the best company because of Ami.’ When he said that, tears once again filled my eyes
for the great uncle I'd never met. After the meeting I sat down and wrote the
beginnings of my web site,
www.soldiersandsailors.us, eager to share the story
with everyone.”
In June 2007 Ameen and
Montgomery had the privilege of attending the 6th Naval Beach Battalion reunion
held in Bedford, Virginia. They were able to meet many of Amin’s shipmates and
collect their vivid recollections of that day. Weeks later, Montgomery sent to
each of the men a comprehensive written report of what they learned about Amin’s
death ‘for the record’. Montgomery collected the signed reports to provide
documented proof of what had happened that fateful morning.
Members of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion
Andy Chmiel – Bob Giguere – Clyde Whirty – John Rogers
Joseph Vaghi - Curtis Fleming - Richard Onines - Torre Tobiassen
- Frank Walden - Vince Kordack
June 6th 2007 – Bedford Virginia
A few months later Montgomery had another chance meeting, this
time in Washington D.C. with the Program Manager of the U.S. Air Force Missing
Persons Division, MSgt. Susan L. Williams. There is much to be said for being
at the right place at the right time and October 20th, 2007 was such a day.
While escorting his Great Uncle Sgt. John Gabersek, (an Army combat medic who
served in the Philippines), to the WWII Memorial, Montgomery took a detour to
the newly opened Air Force Memorial overlooking the Pentagon. Dressed in his
Army uniform, the former medic and Montgomery toured this beautiful memorial.
They were approached by curious onlookers; MSgt. Williams and her family. After
introducing John to the Williams family, Montgomery asked if they would like to
look at some photos of John from his early days in the Army; they were keenly
interested. Montgomery continues, “As we were looking though the album, I began
to tell MSgt. Williams about my efforts to assemble enough details to warrant
John the issuance of the Purple Heart and my numerous attempts to correct Amin's
records. She then told me what her position was in the Air Force and offered
her help. She placed me in contact with her Navy counterpart, a Lt. Brownlowe
who she met a few weeks prior. What a stroke of luck I thought!”
Within a few days, Montgomery called Lt. Brownlowe anxious to get
one step closer to correcting Amin’s records. After informing Brownlowe about
the details regarding Amin's death, the Lieutenant said to Montgomery that the
first step would be to acquire Amin’s Casualty Report from the St. Louis records
center. Once in hand they would move forward from there. Thinking now that the
goal of amending Amin’s record was finally within reach, Montgomery was hopeful,
but months passed by. After a series of emails and phone calls went unanswered,
Montgomery nearly gave up.
In April 2008 Montgomery tried one last time to reach Lt.
Brownlowe. Lt. Nathan Kaspar answered the phone and stepped into the ongoing
saga. When Montgomery explained to Kaspar that he had as evidence signed
testimonies from his Amin's comrades–in-arms, the Lieutenant explained that by
the end of the day Amin’s records would be corrected. “Once again, I couldn't
believe what I was hearing. Lt. Kaspar said he would pull from micro-fiche
Amin's DD-1300 (Report of Casualty), present the new evidence to his Commanding
Officer, initiate the correction and issue a corrected casualty report.” Lt.
Kaspar was right and within hours of receiving the signed testimonies from
Amin’s comrades, Amin’s corrected DD-1300 came to life nearly 64 years after his
death. “I will never forget that day,” exclaimed Montgomery.
With Amin's paperwork and story now being read into amended
history, Montgomery knew there was still more work to be done. At the National
D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, missing from the Necrology Wall is the name
of U.S. Navy Coxswain Amin Isbir. Hopefully, with the amended report, Amin’s
name will soon join the 2500 soldiers, sailors, and airmen who are listed upon
the wall as those killed in action on June 6th; D-Day.
Lastly, placing an amended headstone over Amin’s grave in
Normandy was Montgomery’s final request. Lt. Kaspar contacted the American
Battle Monuments Commission requesting a correction to Amin’s head stone. Yet
even in death, Isbir remains a Navy man under Army control. Believe it or not,
all casualty records are kept by the Army regardless of the service branch. Lt.
Kaspar submitted the transfer paperwork to the Army and soon Martha Sell of the
American Battle Monuments Commission had in hand Amin’s amended Report of
Casualty. With the formalities complete, the order for the stone cutters in
Normandy to begin work was given. Montgomery praised the collaborative efforts
of Kaspar and Sell, “The dedication to duty and professionalism shown by
Lieutenant Kaspar and Ms. Sell exemplifies the depth of concern they have
to those servicemen and women killed in action.”
History Being Made in Normandy
All that remained for Montgomery to do was arrange a date for
the corrected stone to be placed. A flurry of communications ensued between
Montgomery and Dan Neese, Superintendent of the Normandy American Cemetery.
Montgomery continues, “To be present when the caretakers of the cemetery begin
excavating the old stone, and then place the correct marker, is a once in a
lifetime dream. I looked at the calendar and knew that this had to take place
prior to Memorial Day and most certainly prior to the 65th anniversary of the
invasion. How fitting would it be if Amin’s corrected stone be placed on
Ascension Day? There just can’t be a better day than that.” With the blessing
of Mr. Neese and his gracious staff, who are giving up their holiday to grant
Montgomery’s request, (Ascension Day is a national holiday in France), Coxswain
Amin Isbir’s new grave marker will be set in place on May 21st, 2009,
a fitting tribute to a man who gave his life for the freedom of others. “Thank
you Mr. Neese and crew!”
While in Normandy, Ameen and Montgomery will be hosted by Frances
Nicolas, a resident of Bayeux, France who has opened up her home and heart for
the two men. Introduced to Mrs. Nicolas by Seaman Robert Watson, a D-Day
Veteran of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion, Frances is an associate
member of the battalion. She has reverently cared
for four of ‘her boys’ interred within the cemetery. On Easter Monday, 2009,
she visited Amin’s grave with an Easter bouquet and quietly whispered, “Jim and
Eric will be here soon”.
Amin Isbir was born on September 10, 1907 and was the third child
of Mary and Michael Isbir. He was the first child of Syrian-Lebanese heritage
to be born in the United States. His brother Espir, better known as Izzy, was a
father figure to Montgomery during his childhood. Amin’s younger brother J.B.
married Montgomery’s grandmother and took under his care Montgomery’s mother
during the post-depression period and throughout the war years. Upon receiving
the news of Amin’s death, Mrs. Isbir wore black clothing in symbolic mourning of
her son. Aunt Della and family never knew the complete story about Amin’s death
until the fall of 2005. Later that winter, Della passed away. Her son, named after her
fallen brother, followed her to heaven a few months later.
Amin Isbir joined the United States Naval Reserve on April 13th,
1933 and was employed as a river-barge deck hand for the Carnegie-Illinois Steel
Corporation prior to the war. News of Amin’s death reached the Isbir family on
July 5th, 1944. The original newspaper clipping, saved by
Montgomery’s grandmother Frances, survives. Amin was 36 years old on D-Day.
Montgomery concludes, “I can’t say enough about the French and
American patriots, who have helped my cousin and me correct history. Across the
globe many people will read this story and find it to be unbelievable. I can
only hope that Amin’s story, and that of our trip, inspires others to reflect
upon their own family’s sacrifice during WWII. These men were what President
Roosevelt described in his D-Day prayer, as the ‘Pride of Our Nation’. How
right he was, and how proud Jim and I are to remember Amin, James and every WWII
Veteran.”
Apart from being present during the replacement of Amin’s
headstone, Ameen and Montgomery will assist in placing American flags upon the
graves of 9,387 Americans who are interred on the plateau overlooking the place
of Amin’s death. They will also meet with a number of D-Day survivors courtesy
of Mrs. Nicolas. Prior to their arrival in Normandy, the men will travel to
Metz to follow the footsteps of Montgomery’s Great Uncle John Louis “Dan” Povirk.
PFC Povirk was part of the 95th Infantry Division, 377th
Regiment which liberated the city from German occupation in mid November 1944.
The cousins will be hosted by Mr. Mathieu Gitzhofer of nearby
Le Ban-Saint-Martin.
Ameen and Montgomery couldn’t have found a better ambassador than Gitzhofer.
Montgomery adds, “Mathieu has devoted so much of his spare time towards honoring
those men who liberated Metz. His web site,
www.ironmenofmetz.new.fr is a true
labor of love for the men of the 95th and a shining example of how
much respect the French people have for American soldiers.”
Continue onto Part
Two of This Incredible Journey...
Ameen and Montgomery wish to express their many thanks to the
following:
The Isbir Family
Our Friends of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion:
Lt. Cmdr Joseph Vaghi
Pharmacist Mate Andy Chmiel - Pharmacist Mate Vince Kordack
Signalman Richard “Red” Onines - Motor Machinist Mate John Rogers
Motor Machinist Mate Clyde Whirty - Coxswain Ed Marriott -
Radioman Torre Tobiassen
Hospital Apprentice Frank Walden - Seamen Curtis Fleming
Seaman Bob Giguere - Seaman Bob Watson
Mr. Tom Beaty and the Witness to War Foundation -
www.witness-to-war.org
MSgt. Susan L. Williams, U.S. Air Force Missing Persons Programs
Manager (Retired)
Lt. Nathan L. Kaspar, United States Navy POW/MIA Case Analyst
Ms. Martha Sell - American Battle Monuments Commission -
Washington D.C.
Mrs. Frances Nicolas – Associate Member of the 6th
Naval Beach Battalion, Bayeux France
Mr. Mathieu Gitzhofer –
95th Division Historian, Metz,
France
Mr. Christian Millet – Mr. Michel Brunel –
www.thefrenchwillneverforget.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Few Who Remember"
Those are few who remember the boys dressed in khaki and blue,
clutching arms under smoke filled skies...
As waves crashed upon distant shores,
mothers at home cried for boys no more...
Untested men emerged in silent fury,
with God Almighty being the Judge and Jury...
only God knew what price they would pay...
A whispering bullet made its way along the line,
calling out for an American soldier who stood the test of distant
time...
Updated July 23rd, 2009 - On behalf of my cousin and I we are truly
honored to have our great uncle's story highlighted on the CBS Evening News,
June 4th, 2009. We would have never guessed that what
began nearly 5 years ago would take center stage across America. Thank you
CBS for telling Amin's story and about the men of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion
which served with him on that Longest Day, June 6th, 1944.
Their reunion began with Montgomery attending a living history
display hosted by Ameen’s Second Infantry Division WWII reenacting group of
Hollywood, Florida. Montgomery, a living historian of the era himself attended
as a spectator. He was hoping to meet veterans who may have known a great
uncle, Corporal Steven Simco, who trained at the Miami Beach Army Aircorps
training center in 1943. Armed only with his photo album filled with the
history of his family, Montgomery began to show his album to the wool clad
suntanned soldiers and every veteran in attendance. Karma soon intervened.
One photo in particular caught the eye of the reenacting group's
medic. Montgomery’s father, his great-grandfather, and step-grandfather J.B. Isbir, were all
pictured together. Clearly visible in the photo were J.B.’s crutches,
consequences of being stricken with polio. “Who is the guy on the crutches?”
the medic asked. Montgomery replied, “He was my step grand-pap, J.B.” The
medic replied, “J.B. Isbir, of McKeesport Pennsylvania?” Montgomery asked, “Yes,
how
did you know that?”
The 5th Special Engineers Brigade Memorial Overlooking "Easy Red" Beach
Montgomery
documented his conversation with Vaghi in great detail. He notes, “In the early
morning hours of June 6th, 1944, Amin Isbir, the oldest sailor of the 6th Naval
Beach Battalion, Platoon C-8, was onboard LCI-L #88 along with soldiers of the
1st Infantry Division and those of the 5th Special Engineers Brigade heading on
an eastern course towards Omaha Beach, Easy Red One sector. An LCI-L or Landing
Craft Infantry Large carried about 200 troops. At 7:35 in the morning the ship
approached the shore. Ensign Joseph Vaghi describes the moment, ‘Smooth
sailing, all the way in. About 200 yards offshore, the boat came to a halt and
started disembarking the troops.’ The LCI has two ramps, one port and one
starboard. ‘All was going good and then bam, an 88mm shell exploded and took
off the starboard side ramp and killed many of the soldiers in a haze of red
smoke.’ Ensign Vaghi and his platoon of “Sailors Dressed as Soldiers” moved
down the remaining ramp under increasing enemy fire.” As Montgomery would find
out from Vaghi, the Navy Beach Battalions were assigned to the Army during the
invasion. That fact would prove to be the origin of the Battalion’s nick name,
the “Sons of Beaches” as no branch of the service would claim responsibility of
the group. A recommendation for a Unit Citation was written highlighting many
of the men as well as the unit but it wasn’t approved until 2000.
“That
set the stage for our trip to France”, Montgomery details. “On February 2nd,
2009, my heart nearly stopped as I received photos of Amin’s new headstone from
Martha Sell. I don’t have words to describe the feeling that came over me.
When you work on something for so long that carries with it the rewriting of
history, you can’t imagine how moved I was, not only for me, but for Great Uncle
Amin and the entire family. In my mind, his has been a soul which has rested
uneasy for 64 years.”
Coxswain
Amin Isbir was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Isbir family received
statements of condolence from President Roosevelt and the American Legion
honoring his service and sacrifice. The French Government also awarded Amin and
all the members of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion the French Croix de Guerre for
bravery. The Croix de Guerre is especially cherished by the men of the Beach
Battalion as it was for 56 years the only national decoration awarded to their
unit for their accomplishments on D-Day. The certificate and statements were
displayed proudly upon the walls of the Isbir home. In 2000, the 6th Naval
Beach Battalion was finally awarded a Presidential Unit Citation yet the Isbir
family never received the ribbon. Lt. Cmdr. Vaghi and other members of the
battalion including Ed Marriott and Vince Korkack received the Citation
personally.
Mr. Ken Davey - 6th Naval Beach Battalion Historian –
www.6thbeachbattalion.org
Mr. Daniel Neese – Superintendent - Normandy American Cemetery
by Eric Montgomery
our nation's youth leaving their homes to uphold honor so true...
They carried the burden of a nation that stood silent behind closed eyes,
Heroes will be born on days like today,
Click the image above for a high resolution photo of Amin's headstone.
Click Our Flag to Return to the Home Page.