Ex-GI Gets Sunken Kit--41 Years Later
A U.S. Army veteran whose amphibious tank was sunk by a German mine off a Normandy beach on D-Day on Friday recovered his personal belongings almost intact 41 years later.
John Glass, a corporal in the 58th Armored Field Artillery Batallion at the time, returned to France at his own expense to collect his boots, shaving soap, personal mail and packs of cigarettes.
The tank, lying 180 feet deep in the English Channel, was sealed airtight and everything aboard was kept intact.
Glass, now 65 and a retired electrical engineer from North Carolina, told reporters at an emotional ceremony in this small Norman city that his squad was among the first wave that fought its way onto Omaha Beach on June 6.
His tank was hit by a mine about a mile off the coast, but Glass managed to swim to shore. Most of his company died during the landing.
The tank, an M-7, was retrieved by a French company specializing in this type of operation. It is now on display on the shore at Port-en-Bessin.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
