CPL Arthur Elmain Ratliff was born on August 25th 1919 in North Tazwell, Virginia. To his parents James D. born in 1879 to his death in 1978 and Mary Ellen Elizbeth Hopkins born in 1878 to her death in 1975. James and Mary had a large family of 11 children including Arthur. He attended Grammar school and worked on the family farm with his father.

CPL Ratliff enlisted in the US Army on April 10th 1941 in Roanoke, Virginia with service number 33046371. Eventually Ratliff join the 29th Infantry Division, 111th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B.

In preparation for D-Day, the battalion leaves England loaded into 13 DUKW’s which are then stored in an LCT. Each DUKW carries a 105mm howitzer, 14 men, ammunition, and other equipment to Omaha Beach. When the 111th’s time comes to disembark the DUKW’s are driven quite literally out of the LCT and straight into the English Channel. The first DUKW off the ramp is hit by an upcoming wave and almost sinks on the spot. Since the DUKWs are dropped about 12-miles from Omaha Beach at 0400 with a scheduled landing time of 0820, they circle, causing all of the craft to fill with sea water and begin sinking.

Most of the men of these DUKW’s are rescued by other vessels so losses aren’t high.

When it was time to ‘run’ for the beach only four DUKWs remain afloat. As they near the shore two more are lost, one to the sea and the other to machine gun fire. None of the 111th’s 105mm howitzers make landfall, however, the men from the unit did make contributions to the effort of getting off Omaha Beach. Lieut. Col. Thornton Mullins from Richmond, saw his men crouch near the seawall yelled out;

“To hell with our artillery mission, we’re infantrymen now!” With that he led

them into the fight up the bluff. Almost immediately he was killed by enemy

fire. Never-the-less his men kept moving off the beach, perhaps with more

determination.

CPL Arthur Elmain Ratliff was killed in action on June 6th 1944 in Normandy. For his brave actions he was awarded the Purple Heart. Arthur Ratliff is buried at Normandy American Cemetery.

Resources:

Corp Arthur Elmain Ratliff (1919-1944) - Find A Grave Memorial

Arthur E Ratliff : Corporal from Virginia, World War II Casualty (honorstates.org)

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 06022; Reel: 266

The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Virginia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 601

Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.

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