As the world celebrates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, you can find links to one of its greatest battles right here in Door and Kewaunee counties. On June 6th, 1944, over 150,000 Allied troops took to the beaches of Normandy as a part of Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day. Approximately 10,000 soldiers, including 2,500 Americans, died as part of the battle that helped liberate France and ultimately won the war for Allied forces in Europe.
More than 2,300 American vessels were involved in the invasion, many built in Sturgeon Bay. One of those ships was led by Captain Gene R. Gislason, a Sturgeon Bay native who could maneuver out of harm’s way when his vessel was damaged so it could return hours later to save lives and deliver supplies. The Silver Star he earned that day and the story of his heroism and others are on display at the Door County Maritime Museum.
Another ship that survived the invasion was the tug Major Wilbur F. Browder, which towed ammunition barges across the English Channel to support the effort. Three years later, the New York-built boat found itself in Kewaunee, where it was renamed the Tug Ludington and assisted harbor operations before it was eventually taken out of service. Before last year’s planned tribute to the vessel, Tug Ludington Committee member Jim Schaller spoke about the tug's history after the City of Kewaunee purchased it in 1995 for $1.
The Tug Ludington is open for tours daily at 7 a.m. through October 15th. Remembrances for the end of World War II took place last month on May 8th, when the fighting stopped in Europe, also known as V-E Day. The war officially ended in the Pacific theater on September 2nd, 1945, also known as V-J Day.
