World War II Honoree

Sherwin St. Clair Grannum

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Middleborough, Massachusetts

Honored By

Paul Provencher

MEMBER OF THE 502ND PORT BATTALION DURING THE D-DAY INVASION. UNIT ARRIVED IN THE AREA ON THE BOATS ON D-DAY BUT DID NOT LAND UNTIL THE AFTERNOON OF D-DAY. STARTED OFF LOADING THE BOATS ON THE NEXT DAY AFTER CLEARING THE BEACH OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES AND DIGGING FOXHOLES. HAD EVERYTHING ON THE SHIP. THIS INCLUDED FOOD, AMMO, GASOLINE AND SUCH. A TRUMPETER WITH A BLACK BAND THAT FORMED IN SCOTLAND AS PART OF THE BATTALION. WERE KNOWN AS THE 502ND BAND. THIS BAND HAD DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF IT THAT PERFORMED AS EITHER THE MARCHING BAND, THE CONCERT BAND OR THE SWING BAND. ON OR ABOUT THE THIRD DAY OF THE OFF LOADING ON OMAHA BEACH HAD SOME TIME TO GET OUT INSTRUMENTS AND PLAY A LITTLE MUSIC FOR ENTERTAINMENT. A HIGH RANKING OFFICER CAME ALONG AND SAW THEM PLAYING AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED. HE SAID THEY COULD GO AROUND AS THE BAND TO PERFORM FOR THE TROOPS FOR THEIR MORALE AND WELFARE. FOR THE REST OF THE WAR PLAYED AROUND EUROPE LIKE THE UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATION (USO). SOME OF THE PLACES PERFORMED AT: PARIS, THE 1ST BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION AFTER THEIR LIBERATION AND THE AMERICAN CEMETERY ON THE CLIFFS OVERLOOKING OMAHA BEACH. EVERYDAY LOAD UP IN A TRUCK AND MOVE FROM CAMP TO CAMP TO ENTERTAIN THE TROOPS.