Editor’s note: On D-Day, Lt. Charles Parker led a company of Rangers from Omaha Beach to Pointe du Hoc. Decades later, in 1994 — in advance of the 50th anniversary of D-Day — the Pioneer Press interviewed Parker, then 75 and living in Anoka, about his World War II service. About 8:30 a.m., June 6, 1944, Lt. Charles H. Parker was in command of a company of Rangers approaching Omaha Beach in an assault boat. “That was a bitch. That channel was wild, stormy. It was so rough. Three-quarters of the men were vomiting. Boats were floundering. “We saw what was happening on Omaha, with the 29th Division. They were just being slaughtered. Our battalion commander slid our whole force east about 500 yards so we landed with far fewer casualties and with our command intact. We were the only ones there that did that. “Our particular coxswain, the boat I was in, put us right on a sand bar, so we stepped out in not more than knee deep water. In that area, it’s … [Read more...] about From the archives: A D-Day veteran returns to Normandy
Crawl space flooded when it rains
Weather Service confirms 4 tornadoes touched down in Thursday storms
Beth LeBlanc and Leonard N. Fleming The Detroit News Published 7:56 PM EDT Mar 15, 2019 Marc Stine was feeding his cows on Thursday in the central Michigan village of Vernon when he saw a funnel cloud on the southern horizon. “It was coming over the trees there,” Stine said Friday morning, pointing across the street. “I didn’t feel right about it.” He dropped what he was doing and made a quick retreat. When he returned, the cherry red barn he rents on Garrison was demolished and 1,000 bales of hay lay atop his three cows. He thought the cows were goners, but discovered they’d laid down in what amounted to crawl space beneath the hay. Safe and sound. “There had to be 30 people (helping) out here last night,” Stine said. “We got them out.” Four tornadoes touched down as strong storms swept the state Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Two in Shiawassee County left a trail of destruction … [Read more...] about Weather Service confirms 4 tornadoes touched down in Thursday storms
‘I was freaking out:’ Residents in path of tornadoes assess damage
Beth LeBlanc and Leonard N. Fleming The Detroit News Published 2:34 PM EDT Mar 15, 2019 At least two tornadoes touched down in Michigan Thursday night, leaving a trail of destruction through Shiawassee County that resulted in damage to at least 60 structures, officials say. The weaker of the two tornadoes was reported as EF-0; it touched down for seven minutes at 6:47 p.m. and created a path of damage 6.4 miles long and 100 yards wide from near Bennington to about two miles southwest of Corunna. It struck the intersection of Bennington Greens and Innsbrook drives, where it snapped and uprooted trees and hit a farm, the National Weather Service said, lifting the roof off of an outbuilding. Officials have confirmed another, stronger tornado touched down in Shiawassee County the same night traveling from north of Morrice through Bancroft, Vernon and then Lennon, said meteorologist Alex Manion. Manion said teams are still gathering data as to the timing, path and strength of the … [Read more...] about ‘I was freaking out:’ Residents in path of tornadoes assess damage
Two tornadoes hit Shiawassee Co., damage at least 60 structures
Beth LeBlanc and Leonard N. Fleming The Detroit News Published 12:58 PM EDT Mar 15, 2019 At least two tornadoes touched down in Michigan Thursday night, leaving a trail of destruction through Shiawassee County that resulted in damage to at least 60 structures, officials say. The weaker of the two tornadoes was reported as EF-0; it touched down for seven minutes at 6:47 p.m. and created a path of damage 6.4 miles long and 100 yards wide from near Bennington to about two miles southwest of Corunna. It struck the intersection of Bennington Greens and Innsbrook drives, where it snapped and uprooted trees and hit a farm, the National Weather Service said, lifting the roof off of an outbuilding. Officials have confirmed another, stronger tornado touched down in Shiawassee County the same night traveling from north of Morrice through Bancroft, Vernon and then Lennon, said meteorologist Alex Manion. Manion said teams are still gathering data as to the timing, path and strength of the … [Read more...] about Two tornadoes hit Shiawassee Co., damage at least 60 structures
Residents of Vernon describe tornado strike, assess damage
Beth LeBlanc and Leonard N. Fleming The Detroit News Published 11:09 AM EDT Mar 15, 2019 Marc Stine was feeding his cows in the village of Vernon on Thursday when he saw a funnel cloud on the southern horizon. “It was coming over the trees there,” Stine said Friday morning, pointing across the street. “I didn’t feel right about it.” He dropped what he was doing and made a quick retreat. When he returned, the cherry red barn he rents on Garrison was demolished and 1,000 bales of hay lay atop his three cows. He thought the cows were goners, but discovered they’d laid down in what amounted to crawl space beneath the hay. Safe and sound. “There had to be 30 people out here last night,” Stine said. “We got them out.” Officials have confirmed at least one tornado touched down in Shiawassee County at about 6:50 p.m. Thursday in the area of Tyrrell and Cork roads near Vernon, said Shiawassee County Undersheriff Robert … [Read more...] about Residents of Vernon describe tornado strike, assess damage