D-Day’s Black Barrage Balloon Operators and Other Lesser Known WWII Facts

16. The 320^th Were Virtually Erased From History

One of the 320^th Barrage Balloon Battalion’s medics, Waverly Woodson, Jr., performed prodigies of selfless courage on D-Day. Although seriously injured and burned when his landing craft was hit by an artillery shell, Waverly ignored his wounds to help others. Repeatedly and often recklessly exposing himself to enemy fire for over 30 hours, he saved the lives of dozens of GIs that day, and was nominated for the Medal of Honor. Waverly did not get it. For that matter, no African American soldier received the Medal of Honor during WWII. It would be another half century before an African American received a Medal of Honor for his service during WWII.

As to Waverly’s unit, the 320^th was one of two black units present at D-Day that received a commendation from General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Although the 320^th won accolades at the time, and returned home as minor celebrities, they and their story all but vanished from the record in subsequent years. Few books about D-Day mention the men of the 320^th. No movie about that day – including iconic ones such as The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan – show black soldiers, although Saving Private Ryan at least showed the barrage balloons, even if it did not depict their operators.