{"id":3264,"date":"2026-06-08T11:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T11:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3264"},"modified":"2026-06-08T11:04:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T11:04:00","slug":"orlando-sentinel-150-monday-memory-of-orlandos-reaction-to-d-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3264","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Sentinel 150: Monday Memory of Orlando\u2019s reaction to D-Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When the United States and its allies invaded Europe on June 6, 1944, or D-Day, Orlando was paying close attention.<\/p>\n

Read more Asking Eric: He dropped plans for the Marines then kept all the cash we gave him for it<\/a><\/p>\n

Two key components of the nation\u2019s war efforts were then headquartered in Orlando: the Army Air Forces Tactical Center, or AAFTAC, and the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics, known then as AAFSAT.<\/p>\n

Orlandoans learned of the invasion by an agreement between area churches and the Orlando Morning Sentinel. Once the Sentinel received word of D-Day via its news wires, it notified the Orlando Police, who went around waking up area pastors so their churches would begin ringing bells to alert everyone about the big news. The bells began ringing around 3:30 a.m.<\/p>\n

The Sentinel updated its front page with the all-caps headline, \u201cAllies Invade Europe.\u201d The Sentinel\u2019s afternoon newspaper, the Orlando Reporter-Star, continued coverage with its late edition. \u201cAllied Invasion Storms Over Channel, Seizing Beachheads,\u201d was its front-page headline.<\/p>\n

The Reporter-Star also was able to quickly produce a story about local reaction to D-Day. Its headline was \u201cWild Elation Over Invasion Soon Quieted\u201d with the subhead, \u201cOrlandoans Now \u2018Sweating It Out.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s that Reporter-Star story from the afternoon of June 6, 1944:<\/p>\n

Orlando and Central Florida awoke this morning from a deep sleep, roused by pealing bells of a nearby church. Radios snapped on. Studiously moderated, but excited, voices amplified news of the actual invasion of Europe read hastily in Orlando Morning Sentinel.<\/p>\n

H-hour of D-day for which the world had waited anxiously was here. American and British fighting men were landing in France. American and British fighting men were dying in France.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Wild elation became subdued.<\/p>\n

A million men marching. Many were already dead. Others were dying. Many more would make the supreme sacrifice. It was time for devout thinking.<\/p>\n

Read more Miss Manners: People often make unflattering comments about my name<\/a><\/p>\n

The army has a phrase for it. \u201cSweating it out!\u201d<\/p>\n

That is what Orlando and Central Florida is doing.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

News of the invasion spread over AAFTAC [the Army Air Forces Tactical Center] and AAFSAT [the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics] like wildfire after reveille at 6:15 o\u2019clock. Officers and enlisted men grouped around nearest radios. Many missed breakfast, fearful of missing a wisp of news. Sentinel-Stars were bought anxiously and passed from hand to hand. Invasion was top news everywhere. On every tongue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish were there. It can\u2019t last much longer now. Where is the Luftwaffe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lt. Col. Don\u2019 S. McChesney, executive officer, AAFSAT, recalled that almost 26 years ago to the day he landed with the Seventeenth Division at Calais.<\/p>\n

Wing Comdr. E. R. H. Pollak, of the RAF AAFSAT Detail, was buzzing about. \u201cIt\u2019s grand it\u2019s come off:\u201d he said. \u201cIt is bound to be a success. Gen. Montgomery never starts anything until he is ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Air WACs [Women\u2019s Army Corps] stationed here were elated but subdued. Most of them were a little envious of the good fortune of the Air WAC detachment that left here a short time ago that was \u201cin\u201d on the invasion. They were officially reported to have arrived in \u201cThe European Theatre of Operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chaplain Thad E. Son conducted chapel at South Camp early this morning.<\/p>\n

Maj. Gen: Edwin J. House was flying this morning and could not be reached for a statement, nor could Col. H.W. Holden, commandant. AAFSAT.<\/p>\n

More stories and features from the Orlando Sentinel\u2019s 150 years of covering Central Florida can be found at OrlandoSentinel.com\/150. Sign up for our free history newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com\/newsletters<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Want more Orlando history? Buy a copy of the Orlando Sentinel\u2019s 150th anniversary book with 150 front pages from our 150 years.\u00a0Get it OrlandoSentinel.com\/150yearsbook and see more anniversary merchandise at OrlandoSentinel.com\/150yearsmerch<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more 10 years after Pulse, new play explores grief, trauma and moving on<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Orlandoans learned of the 1944 invasion by an agreement between area churches and the Orlando Morning Sentinel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-orlando-sentinel-150"],"yoast_head":"\nOrlando Sentinel 150: Monday Memory of Orlando\u2019s reaction to D-Day - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3264\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Orlando Sentinel 150: Monday Memory of Orlando\u2019s reaction to D-Day - 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