Was Harrison Summers the Rambo of D-Day??? | American Artifact Episode 106

[@gregoryirwin5287]

My US History teacher was in the 2/502nd HQ heavy weapons platoon...had a short jump...very low altitude...saw many troopers drop and their chutes did even have time to deploy..way too low.....survived to serve in Market Garden, the Bulge, and Operation Varsity...also served on Korea with the 101st in helos....thanks SGT. Sherman J. Oyler!! Thanks JD for your time and dedication to preserving their service and sacrifice!!!

[@jetsons101]

All I could think of as I was watching this was the movie The Longest Day..... Thank the Greatest Generation for our Freedoms we enjoy today. JD it's always enjoyable to see you and Erik in the video together. Thanks to you two for keeping history alive......

[@kasienimm7733]

The Longest Day is one of my favorite movies. You are right to associate the crickets to this movie.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@jetsons101]

Funny how the "cricket" took me right back to the move. I heard there is a colorized version now.@@kasienimm7733

[@JumpingIntoHistory1944]

Wow! Thanks to Bando I was able to find out a bunch of unheard stories about my great uncle who served with the 501st. Great video

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Bando is the man.

[@your_royal_highness]

Exactly. His book on Cobra was incredible

[@dlghenderson2837]

My dad was one of the pilots flying the C-47s dropping them amidst flak.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow! 🇺🇸

[@57Banjoman]

We had crickets as toys when we were kids-I had no idea that they had such an important history-I love your videos-thank you so much!

[@thenikonjones]

So awesome that you collaborated with Mark Bando! Love that guy! He is the definitive expert on the 101st Airborne in WWII and his relationship with some of the guys from the 502nd was really special, enabling him to share their heroic stories like this one! I'm sitting here looking on Pages 68-71 of his book "101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" and he talks about the XYZ complex. There is a photo of Harrison on page 71. Mark, if you are reading this, thank you so much for all that you have done to remember these guys. My hats off to you sir! JD, thank you! Erik, thanks for your knowledge and sharing the cricket sounds with us. The echo in the church was awesome! Really enjoyed this one guys!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@keithsifford5326]

Amazing that these places are still pretty much intact. What great stories. Appreciate you all for sharing.

[@mikerologameplay8281]

Love the animated maps/graphics to orient us to the discussion! Well done as always JD, really enjoy your episodes!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad that you like them. Credit to Sandervk History for the animations.

[@truthtriumphant]

Great episode! Mr. Harrison Summers definitely deserves the Medal of Honor!!! What an American hero!!! So absolutely courageous!!! 🇺🇸👏💯💗💝🔥💪🙏

[@thelocalmaladroit8873]

Excellent video! Thank you so much for honoring these heroes.

[@sscinamon]

As always great job. Thank you

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@jacquelinebloom4339]

What a great telling of a historical moment. Thank you both!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@johngetty3839]

I will never get tired of hearing about these paratroopers stories. Every one is a unique vignette and all happening almost simultaneously to each other. Great job with the video, as usual.

[@mr.tall-man1573]

Details of Summers' raid are in Stephen Ambrose's book D-Day June 6 1944. Amazing story and thanks for the visual of this JD!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@wandagarrett942]

Hard to believe such a beautiful peaceful place had such things going on. Thankfully he prevailed!

[@keithrayeski6417]

So I’ve seen some of the later run crickets that were produced without the hole but, had a hole because paratroopers used a nail to make a hole. There’s all kinds of relics but none that I’ve ever seen, in such pristine condition!! What a treasure!!

[@sonofhawaii4227]

What an incredible story! At a time where there were so many brave men, Lt. Summers deserves to be honored as a hero. 🫡 Aloha!

[@simonsmith1974]

Every single one of those paratroopers were amongst the bravest of the brave. Jumping from a plane knowing you'll be surrounded? Requires a helluva lot of guts. RIP to every single soldier, airman and sailor that died on D-day and every day in World War two to secure our freedoms. For freedom, isn't free, it comes at a high high cost. And every so often humankind is asked "are you willing to pay it?" and it feels like we're entering into another time where such men as these are needed.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@brutter602]

How true. Well said. The world is entering dangerous times. The generation that saved us all from tyranny are needed again. Those that are in power need to be reminded of the sacrifices that were made in the name of freedom and liberty.

[@mikefriend1514]

Not sure that Grammers and TikTokers have what it takes. They’d die taking selfies whilst giving away their positions to the enemy.

[@thomasdragosr.841]

@@brutter602I think we are in 1938...

[@Tld0026]

@@mikefriend1514. Their man bun wouldn’t fit into the helmet unfortunately.

[@miriam5984]

Thanks for this video. Harrison Summers was well-known here in Northern WV. Buried near my home.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Awesome! Glad to share his story.

[@frankmarullo228]

Another awesome video JD. I gotta say I love your videos like this one . THANK both of you guys for this one.. FRANK from montana.....

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pauldouglas3084]

Really enjoyed the video mate can't wait for the next one

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@simonsmith1974]

Also, Kudos on the video JD and Erik. Always great contents

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@simonsmith1974]

@@TheHistoryUnderground you're welcome. I have been a world war two nut since I was a kid. But as much as I thought I knew you teach me there's more to know. I love history!

[@BTI508]

Outstanding 👏🏼👏🏼 I know of another paratrooper that would be a fantastic episode. Robert Murphy Massachusetts 82nd Airborne His life in total was astounding!

[@Peace2U-ec6es]

Always amazing how much appreciation the French had for those who sacrificed so much for the sake of Freedom and Liberty. All their monuments contain names and other identifiers, regardless of where they came from to defend their freedoms. The only question I have is "what happened?" Thanks JD! Great stuff as always- Summers and Winters!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@rienslingerland2185]

Thanks JD And Erik for all your videos many thanks

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Our pleasure!

[@rienslingerland2185]

Thanks from Holland and Germany

[@bobleicht5295]

Was visiting a SME resident who was about 8 on D-Day; asked him his memories of the invasion, and he interrupted me: “Do you mean the Liberation?” In an instant I understood why these good folks revere the soldiers who risked all for them.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@sandramosley2801]

A great insight into their view of what happened. Very interesting!

[@johnjones8880]

Yes, I was told real quick by my French friend it was not an invasion..

[@dougmoodie8713]

Great video as always, definitely should have received the M.O.H, then again, all those who stepped up and onto the two way range were heroes.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@dougmoodie8713]

@@TheHistoryUnderground 🇬🇧

[@Mr.Ashley81]

I love all your music choices!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@mweinbender]

Another fantastic story.

[@dachluhr]

Love the detail and personal aspects of soldiers you add to battles.

[@your_royal_highness]

I KNEW this was the guy you were going to highlight. I think his exploits were some of the most amazing and if anyone deserved the MoH it was him

[@bobcalderon2534]

I had a uncle in D-Day, thanks for the history.😊

[@lennardsturgess7200]

thank you, JD nice little story for a weekend

[@ryanbonner4981]

Great video, love the information that you cover with this one. Keep’em coming!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@JulezWinnfield]

I spent 3 years as an 82nd Abn Div paratrooper in the 80's. My old 1Sgt used to say there were only two kinds of Army soldiers......those that jump out of aircraft while in flight, and everybody else. AATW!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

I would place myself with everybody else.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

All, I could think of was the Longest Day, every man who landed that day was a true hero. Too many never made it home. All of them are leaving us now, God bless them all

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@MrSebfrench76]

How beautiful is my beloved Normandie, when you are filming it, J.D ...

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@justinmelton9178]

As a 6.5 year veteran of 1-502 thank you for keeping our history alive. SSG Summers is a legend amongst the battalion!

[@terryeustice5399]

Thanks JD for sharing this information. The Cricket was a quite an artifact. Erik thank you as well. 💯👍👊

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@geoffthiessen646]

Thanks for the great video

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@bobklocek3620]

I love hearing about the side stories and the acts of bravery compared the the main invasion. You have to wonder how many other stories like this have been lost to time. Keep up the great work! Love your channel.

[@dankorolyk5917]

Another great episode JD

[@tomwarner2468]

Those cricket gadgets we used to get them at the fun fairs in elementary school! They looked like bugs ,painted!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@c431inf]

Really squared away, great video thank you for sharing 🇺🇲

[@billyruprecht9581]

Thank you for sharing Harrison C. Summers’ story. I’ll tell you that Summers was put in for the Medal of Honor twice. The first time was after his crazy heroic action, the second was a year after he passed away. Both efforts failed. I still think he deserves that recognition as well. He wasn’t the only one who didn’t receive teller Medal of Honor, Dick Winters was another.

[@jasonford7826]

Really cool being able to visualize the XYZ complex after reading about it in George Koskimakis book

[@brucewood1827]

That's what the paratroops anticipated and trained for. I was with the 82nd ABN in Ft. Bragg, and the 173rd ABN in Nam. Both units were tops, with the 82nd having been airborne since WW2. I'm proud to be a veteran paratrooper. I'm glad the paratroops are being covered in your videos. Great job JD.

[@dirtdigger949]

Summers was twice nominated for the Medal of Homor and was turned down both times once alive and then once again after his death in 1983.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Really is a shame.

[@randystolz]

As always JD, ty for showing us the ground and telling these stories.🤓🤓 It occurs to me that one element missing from your narrative is the revolutionary low level reconnaissance and tactical air support provided by P-47 Thunderbolt pilots... Have you thought about incorporating parts of the airmen's contribution to Normandy, Bastogne, etc??

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Definitely. Thanks!

[@alcom3101]

Toujours un Moment de Détente🔬🛠🗽🍀Beau Travail comme d'habitude🎬Alex Le Silex Picardie Somme France🙏🌌

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@mehullad2383]

What is it with paratroopers with such names? Summers, Winters, ordinary men but absolute heroes!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Absolutely.

[@okieg8960]

This is my great grandmas town. She was born in 1932, said she said . “ angels falling from the sky “.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🪽

[@camdodge9891]

JD brilliant video & i love the music you put in your videos it’s just awesome JD

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you so much 😀

[@camdodge9891]

@@TheHistoryUnderground you are welcome JD

[@thinghammer]

That's very clever how you demonstrated the cricket in the church. I've had that question for a long time myself. How did they hear those things? Now I know. Nice job, fellas!

[@LoneWolf051]

The Objective XYZ was also depicted very well in the game Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yes. Should have mentioned that.

[@keithrayeski6417]

The sound of the cricket in the church didn’t resonate with me. What did however, was the sound of the boots of the paratroopers entering and moving through the church. It chills my soul, the mental image of young men from far away towns and cities who had no idea that the were part of something so momentous! But what an unforgettable experience for Erik to stand on that ground, holding a toy that left such huge fingerprint on one of the most world changing events of human history…and clicking that cricket…now THAT’S an echo the walls of that church could never equal! I cannot tell you how moving that is…it’s hard to believe how long ago that was….because I grew up with four uncles who served, three in combat and one in the rear as a cook…and the were just really great guys…no wild stories…just living life…and having been part of something to incredible…humble men.

[@spd90254]

JD, Excellent story as always. A suggestion, I don't believe you've covered yet in your Normandy stories is the story of The Bedford Boys. Highly recommend the book The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw.

[@billywalker9223]

Great idea! The Bedford Boys had the highest casualty ratio of the landings. Some of my relatives were in that unit.

[@happydays2300]

Outstanding.

[@realwealthproperties5671]

I love the story of Harrison Summers. It continually surprises me that it is not more widely known. What an absolute sack on that man!

[@johnbannister2734]

Remember in the film The Longest Day a paratrooper doing one click with the cricket and a German Soldier returning signal with a rifle bolt clicking twice Great video keep up the good work

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@helenabiesma5560]

nobody got the Summers and Winter connection - lovely story and brilliant told and also the question was if he did not kill he would be killed - the sad story of war - 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@cyndiebill6631]

What a beautiful farm. It’s so hard to believe what it went through. The don’t think about it just do it differently came into play here. 👍🙂 By the way I loved this place even more when I saw the chickens. ♥️🐓😁

[@i.r.oldairborneviking2823]

I was a paratrooper with the 82nd but in 1972-75. These guys in WWII were nothing less the bravest of the brave!

[@larrydemaar409]

I agree with you that Harrison Summers should have received the Medal of Honor. All those guys hanging back, for some reason, could have been witnesses to verify his heroic actions.

[@oifiismith]

Aloha! Bruddah. Mahalo for sharing this brave soldier's story and actions. I agree with you, he deserves the M.O.H. Another great video, JD. Much luv and respect.

[@Infinitegrowth-zt1mh]

These were kids. Always important to keep that in mind

[@Chris-Nico]

Am I mistaken, but I thought both the 82nd and 101st were issued crickets? So everyone was on the same page…. Awesome video, thank you both.

[@rickseconds7676]

Summers must have been carrying a lot of magazines!

[@benusmc6154]

Reminds me Léo Major! Liberated the town of Zwolle by himself!

[@johnhannahM2.0]

Summers was focused on the task at hand. He put all fear on the shelf.

[@ryanaines6617]

Lots of Canadian and British paratroopers on D-day too

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Correct. I have videos on them as well.

[@RobertSmith-lq4kj]

There definitely should be a movie about Summers .

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

100%

[@massagedude3487]

Oh my word what a guy!

[@peterkossits4794]

I've been trying to track down an original cricket. There are almost none of these things left! They told the paratroopers to get rid of them after the morning of June 6th and it looks like very few people actually kept them. A museum in the UK wanted to get one for the 75th anniversary commemoration and they got very lucky when ONE single person managed to find one in their attic.

[@carlsanders4680]

JD, sorry if I am stepping out of bounds. But something I noticed. Since I started watching you a couple of years ago and am now backtracking to catch up on the episodes I missed. From episode 1 and all I have seen, as great a story teller as you are. Your back story for each video to explain the how, why and how it happened is off the chart. You have to spend hours upon hours of research to teach us every thing you do. The back story you have not told us is how you started with this channel. It seems to me you must have had a background as a history teacher. What was your job before you started this? Did you start with a full time job at this and then this became full time? You started episode 1 like you had already been doing this for a while. You are absolutely phenomenal at what you do. Look forward to every episode. Sorry if I sound like I am prying into your personal life. Do not mean to. You are just so good at this, wondering how you got here. Thank You !!!!! If we do not have teachers like you to tell us about our history, good and bad. How can we keep moving forward as a country?

[@davidcrowder1987]

I'm in agreement with you, J.D. Those actions were worthy of the CMOH.

[@jeffe9842]

Those crickets were made by Acme? A coyote comes to mind.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😂

[@mcvet57103]

It's so hard to imagine such a beautiful countryside was once the scene of so much violence.

[@Wreckdiver59]

Crazy that he didn't encounter more resistance. It sounded more like a video game than real life 🫣 I agree with your assessment on the medal 👍 I have a whole bag of reproduction crickets. I think I may have even given you one 😅 They're fun to play with but I would love to come across the real thing. I just know there's one in an attic or basement somewhere waiting to be found.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Ha! Pee Wee Martin used to just carry his around in his pocket.

[@kennethward3354]

Respect Respect an more Respect .

[@dispatch444]

I’m curious about the wall with the “shoot holes” I think they are referred to as. Being an obvious part of a former fortification I’m curious about the history behind the wall who,what,when and why it was constructed. I’m probably wrong about it, but the method of construction to me looks like it’s a few hundred years old.

[@moobaz8675]

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

[@Chiller11]

Some pretty effective CQC in 1944. I suppose the Thompson would be a good weapon for the time. Handier than an M1 rifle with 30 rounds of fully automatic fire and detachable magazines.

[@tpl608]

Eisenhower is on r cord saying he never had a plan to get past the beach. He said he only had a plan to get on the beach. That men's the men deserve all of the chances edit . I have 2 hand crickets from now long dead relatives. They both kept them for luck. I cherish both.

[@sportsfan205]

The company that made the crickets still makes them today as I bought one .

[@The.Original.Potatocakes]

Anyone seen the previews for Masters of the Air?

[@mikewatson5281]

It’s weird to me that after the air drop the night before and the naval bombardment and the landings that these German soldier weren’t on high alert, but they seem to be just hanging out doing nothing , any thoughts on why that was?

[@johnlehmeyer8793]

Harrison Summers, never heard of this man. Thank you for teaching me something new!

[@Infinitegrowth-zt1mh]

Crickets are super cool

[@nanabutner]

NOT TRUE--MY DAD WAS A GLIDER PILOT IN THE 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION AND THE 82nd AIRBORNE PILOTS WERE ISSURD THE CRICKETS. This can be verified by the film “THE SILENT WING WARRIORS”. When PBS BROADCASTED this film my Dad said he had forgotten about the crickets.

[@chriscaviness5296]

It seems like there are a lot of churches in this area that mostly look the same. I’m assuming they are all Catholic Churches. Is it one church for the village or are they like churches here in the States where you can decide where you want to go and different denominations? Very interesting how big of a roll these churches seem to have played in the war!

[@frontenac5083]

Yes, each village has its own church, and usually there's only one per village (in a bigger town of course, you'll have several churches). Virtually all French churches are indeed Catholic. Although nowadays, in the countryside, if you want to attend church, it's more a matter of finding one that's open! As church attendance has dwindled, you usually find a priest in charge of several churches across a given area, and each day (or week, or however often), the mass is celebrated in a different church.

[@chriscaviness5296]

@@frontenac5083 thanks for the information! How far apart are these villages?

[@reddevilparatrooper]

Craziest Paratroopers?? That is an understatement... Men during WWII or to this day who want to be Paratroopers are not going to become Paratroopers even though they are crazy in their mind. When I went through Airborne School even in 1986, our Black Hats warned us that to be a Paratrooper is to give everything in your life to include blood, sweat, tears, and your life to jump out of an airplane if it means your life or permanent injury. Men like these who become Paratroopers have egos as big as church bells. To jump into combat to kill and destroy America's enemies is like hitting a jack pot in Vegas or wining the Hollywood Academy Awards. Paratroopers mean business when it comes to combat and destroying things. 😜😜😜 To be honest, we are honest that we as Paratroopers are fully responsible for our demise and consequences. 🙄🙄🙄

[@EriktheRaids82D]

AATW!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

The dog looks like a Bernese Mountain Dog.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Looked like a big ol’ bear to me.

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

@@TheHistoryUnderground My family and I had one, the boys can get up to 150 pounds, and the girls are usually 90 to 100. They're BIG, but they are gentle dogs. They're related to St. Bernards.

[@MrBradleyDavid]

AATW!

[@DmG2007]

Has there been any reports of German solders finding the crickets and using them against Allied solders to trick them?

[@peterkossits4794]

The paratroopers were told to dump them in the morning following the drop. They were only used once for a few hours.

[@eamo106]

I agree with you, MOH based on your facts 2023 ? I guess the ops reports were read and > ?

[@1psychofan]

The whole time your telling Harrison’s story I expected him to have the MOH. It’s a real disservice to him that he only got the DOC…. He deserved more!!! Wow!

[@GFUBAR55]

What were the Germans doing? Didn't they here the gun fire down the street in the begining?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Not sure.

[@Dave5783]

WOW