UNLIKE YOUR SUMMER BEACH VACATION,
THESE BEACHES WERE NOT THEIR CHOICE
June 6th, 1944
Everyone has heard of D-Day, June 6th. The day Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy and began their hard-won liberation of Europe. This would not be the first beach invasion, nor would it be the last during World War II by the United States armed forces. Half a world away, in the Pacific, the United States Navy landed thousands and thousands of Marines on islands many had never heard of before, and even now many do not know their names.
War had been raging in Europe and Asia for several years, the United States was relatively untouched until December 7, 1941. Although it was not called World War II at that time, it was. The United States had been involved prior to this as the “Arsenal of Democracy,” and now, to defeat the Axis powers, the United States had to reach hostile shores all over the world.
And that started with a landing craft, LCVP or Higgins boat, or a LVT or Amtrac. These would land on the beach and deposit United States soldiers and Marines. These were heroes who came ashore under unrelenting fire to invade heavily fortified and defended beaches. Thousands never left. This sand came from those beaches.
The plaques you are looking at are a rare form of historical, collectible art. They are the only plaques that display the actual sand from twenty-six WW2 landing beaches from both theaters of operation, the European and the Pacific. No one offers anything like these plaques and is why, I, as, Day of Days Productions® had them copyrighted.
All the plaques start from the Red Alder tree and are Made in the USA. The Red Alder is harvested from the Northwestern coastal states. The plaques are routed out by a wood working company in South Carolina. The caps and vials are made in California. The plaques are lasered and assembled in South Carolina. BUT they cannot be labeled “Made in the USA,” because of what makes them so special, the sand. For example, the Final Overlord Plan plaque weighs in at 389 ounces with the actual sand being .42 of an ounce, or just .11% of the plaques make-up. So take a look….
Joel Johnson, Sand Historian
The creator of the only WWII Historical Collectible Plaques in the World with the Actual Sand from the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation.
After spending nearly eighteen years in the criminal justice world, Joel Johnson changed careers. He has been a financial advisor for over 30 years in Aiken County, South Carolina. When he is not busy helping his clients plan their present and financial future, he can usually be found in his library studying and researching World War II history and his collection of all Official State Highway Maps, and specifically, South Carolina. His interest in World War II began before he was five when he received his first Marx Army set for Christmas, and has grown to an extensive collection of WWII weapons, WWII memorabilia, WWII research and reference books, and of course, maps.
Over the years, Joel focused his research and study to the European Theater of Operations of WWII, specifically D-Day and the invasion of Europe though Normandy. Joel and his wife Ute, who is from Germany, have traveled extensively in Europe to WWII sites and museums. Ute, started out reluctantly at first, but now has become an avid follower/navigator of his quests. He has explored and conducted research in England, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Iceland and Northern Africa. Now Joel has expanded his WWII research into the Pacific Theater with travels to Peleliu, Palau, Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima, Japan, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Tarawa, Kiribati and Okinawa. With more yet to come.
Joel is proud to be one of the rare ones to have been born in North Dakota. He has visited all fifty states, four of five territories, nearly one hundred countries and all seven continents. But, he has been an Honorary South Carolinian since 1984. All of these missions have started in Warrenville, South Carolina where Joel and Ute live.
WHAT D-DAY ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE AT 0630 HRS AT THE COLLEVILLE DRAW ON JUNE 6, 1944.
Although the purpose of being in Normandy during the 70th Anniversary of D-Day was to capture and film the actual conditions of what occurred on Omaha Beach, Joel gathered sand from each of the five invasion beaches. While flying home, he came up with the idea of putting this sand onto a map. Putting his interest in maps and D-Day together led Joel to create the plaque of the Final Overlord Plan with the actual sand from the invasion landing beaches. It is meant to honor all those that lived, and died, on D-Day. It represents a part of history to have and to hold, forever.
