BRICK – June 6 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when 156,000 Allied troops invaded five beaches in Normandy, France by sea and by air, which ultimately liberated western Europe and laid the foundation for ending World War II. The attack was known as the greatest amphibious landing in history.
This is likely the last major milestone for the surviving veterans, the youngest of whom are in their late 90s.
Brick resident John Santillo was 97 when he attended the 75th D-Day Anniversary observance in France, which was memorialized by producer-director Lawrence Schwartz of Point Pleasant Beach, who created a poignant documentary about Santillo’s life and his 2019 journey back to Normandy.
Brick veteran John Santillo spoke to the 5,000 people during the 75th anniversary of the Normandy invasion in 2019. That scene was shown in the documentary “Oh, Johnny!” which was screened at the Point Pleasant Library. (Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
Lawrence and his editor, Jack Diehl, took 10-15 hours of raw footage to tell the story of Santillo’s early life and wartime experiences in “Oh, Johnny!” which had a recent showing at Point Pleasant Beach Library.
The 40-minute film, which is in its marketing stage, includes photos from Santillo’s childhood in Newark where he lived with his close-knit Italian-American family, and contrasts that with his life as an Army draftee.
The director used archival footage of the invasion, which was interspersed with footage of Santillo speaking, dancing, singing and joking.
Santillo’s wartime experience and exuberant personality made him the perfect subject for what Schwarz jokingly calls “a non-fiction musical.”
The director-producer is committed to preserving the legacy of World War II veterans. He met Santillo at Brookdale Community College where Schwartz serves on the board of the Center for World War II Studies.
“His story represents all veterans,” Schwartz said. “I felt compelled to tell his story – people are just drawn to him, he was a wonderful, warm human being. He loved going to Brick Memorial High School where he spoke on multiple occasions.”
During the 75th D-Day celebration in France, Santillo is seen in the documentary speaking to over 5,000 people at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, situated on a bluff high above the French coast.
“I shed a lot of tears for the soldiers behind me,” he said to the crowd.
The movie poster for “Oh, Johnny!” which tells the story of Brick WWII veteran John Santillo. (Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
Santillo said that when the landing craft for troop-transport (called Higgins boats) arrived at Utah Beach, “everybody was quiet. Some prayed, some said ‘What are we doing here?’ but we were all scared,” he said. “We didn’t know what we were getting into.”
Within minutes, Santillo saw bodies of his fellow soldiers floating in a sea of red blood.
“I have a lot of memories here,” he said to the gathered. “We were all together that day. Some got out alive, some died. I’m not a hero, the heroes are buried – I salute you,” he said of the 2,500 American troops who died in the beach assault and airborne operations.
Schwartz said as soon as the boat ramps came down, “they were sitting ducks. Many drowned because they were carrying 60 pounds of equipment.”
The Germans were waiting in bunkers called “pill boxes” scattered throughout the hills facing the beaches, which were bombarded by the Navy.
Brick veteran John Santillo was interviewed for a documentary that was screened at the Point Pleasant Library. (Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
Schwartz said that Santillo got a lot of love and respect during the 75th commemoration ceremonies. “People were constantly coming up to him, it was very emotional. He was grateful he got to go back.”
When Santillo was asked by an interviewer in Normandy what he would say to world leaders today, the veteran did not hesitate. “Wars are rotten, no good, filthy. Anyone who starts a war is no good.”
With 110 World War II veterans passing every day, we need to keep their legacy alive, Schwartz said. “Johnny is a proxy for all the veterans.”
According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, 119,550 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive.
“Oh, Johnny!” has been accepted into three film festivals, including the June 28 Jersey Shore Film Festival in Red Bank and the International NY Film Festival on the same date.
Santillo died in December of 2020 due to health issues that were exacerbated by COVID-19. The veteran will always be remembered since there is an annual John Santillo Scholarship at Brick Memorial High School.
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