As history passed by the grave of Alexander Bolivar Cromartie in the Canoe Canaan Freewill Cemetery, his descendants continued to live in the small town of Canoe, Alabama. One of his daughters married into the Mixon family.
The family ran a store in Canoe. Many would remember this store as being built for the purposes of being a bank around 1913. Yet the bank was short lived and the building was used as a school annex and later the Mixon Grocery.
The Mixon’s son, Emmett Leonard Mixon Jr., would have grown up during the Great Depression and a vastly different world than ours today. It was a time of close knit small communities, church, family and hard work.
On the dark day of December 7, 1941, when the Japanese Empire plunged the United States into the second world war of the 20th century, many of the young men of Canoe and the surrounding areas had never heard of many of the distant places where the war was being fought. Yet many were about to embark on the greatest crusade of their generation.
Emmett was one of those boys who was about to rapidly become a man. He soon found himself a Private in Co.G, of the 16th US Infantry Division. On the morning of June 6, 1944 these men were among those who stormed the beaches of Normandy which had been darkened for nearly 4 years by the stain of Nazi occupation.
The June 6, 1944 invasion of Europe, known as D-Day was the largest military landing in history. The fate of Western history hung in the balance as the Allies attempted to open a second front against Hitler’s Europe. Years of planning went into the invasion and no one knew whether the bold invasion would be a success or a failure.
Many American forces landed at Omaha Beach, and at 0630; the 16th and 116th Infantry landed under heavy machine gun fire. Also landing was the Big Red One, the 1st US Infantry Division, which suffered great losses on the beach. The second wave landed at 7 and also suffered great loss. Around 9am the US Army Rangers, the 16th and 116th US Infantry managed to open exit points on the beach yet the situation was critical as the Germans, from their superbly constructed pill boxes, delivered a withering fire upon the men.
Yet small bands of men huddled together, made a determined effort, and moved forward.
By 11:05AM the 16th reported beach exits were open to them in their regimental sector. The Division soon requested the battleship, USS Arkansas open up with her 16 inch guns in an effort to silence the German batteries which were ripping into the men on the exposed beachhead.
Later, at 12:56 PM, the Assistant Division CO reported to the USS Ancon that no identification of the beach defenses were known and that spasmodic artillery fire was falling in the area, presumably coming from the German defenses.
Around the same time the 50th Division of the British Army was notified that the 16th Infantry Division had entered Colleville-Sur-Mer, a French village near the coast.
The tiny village lay in the assault sectors known as Fox Green and Easy Red in the Omaha Landing Beach. The village contained a church, whose tower was captured by a few American soldiers. From their perch high atop the steeple, American snipers now began to rain hell down upon the Germans. Soon the Germans hit the steeple with a Panzerfaust which was a sort of rocket propelled grenade. Yet by the time the Germans destroyed the steeple and raided the church they found the Americans gone yet three French Resistance fighters inside.
Meanwhile in Co. G of the 16th, Pvt. Mixon’s group found themselves blocked as their advanced continued against heavy German fire. Pvt. Mixon, boldly crossed in front of the enemy lines and secured an abandoned machine gun and delivered an effective and deadly fire upon the enemy strongpoints in an effort to save his fellow comrades. Pvt. Mixon was mortally wounded in the engagement. His commendation read: “His gallantry and devotion to duty were invaluable to the success of the invasion.”
According to those who lived in the Canoe community at the time, people came to the Mixon household into the late hours of the night to give support and love to his family when they received the news of his death. According to an Atmore Advance article from July 1944, Mixon was survived by his parents, a sister (Frances), and two brothers-Charles Robert Mixon who was in the USMC at the time of his brother’s death and Billy Mixon.
Emmett Leonard Mixon Jr. never lived to have a family, or to grow old or to have grandchildren to tell his story. He died on a far-away beach on a June day. It is easy to take for granted the great gift from God of being born in this country. Yet for the family of Emmett Mixon, they knew the cost of liberty. Pvt. Mixon is buried at Canoe Freewill Cemetery. Coming from Flomaton, it’s just over the last railroad crossing before crossing the Highway 31 bridge over Canoe Creek. Stop, visit his grave and say thanks. We owe a great debt for his sacrifice.
Available now: The Butler Street Chronicles; Selected histories of the communities surrounding Butler Street and will include information on settlers at Steadham, Pond Fork, Sizemore, Sardine, Butler Street, Hollinger and other communities along this route. Pick up your copy for $15. Copies can be purchased from the author or at Amazon.com or Lulu.com.
Vote for and support the Canoe Landmark District referendum on the 2020 ballot. Call for more details.
Shadows and Dust Volume III: Legacies is available for purchase in the amount of $30.00+$5.00 shipping and handling to PO Box 579 Atmore, AL 36502 or visit Lulu Publishing.com; Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles.com OR at the Monroe County Heritage Museum in Monroeville, Alabama.
Canaan Freewill Cemetery in Canoe, Alabama seeks donations for the upkeep of the grounds and other maintenance. This historic cemetery is a memorial to the hardworking, good people of the area who settled, raised families, built communities and churches and, when their time had come, were buried in its hallowed confines. Send your donation today to 105 West Meadow Dr. Atmore, AL 36502.
