Decorated veteran Rick Carrier talks about his WWII experiences, at a Nov. 10 event that benefits the restoration of St. Peter’s Chelsea.
BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Hearing a first-person account of World War II’s decisive battle would be reason enough to attend this talk by U.S. Army Combat Engineer Rick Carrier — but like so many of the Greatest Generation, participation in D-Day wasn’t the only mark he left on history. After being among the first group of soldiers on Utah Beach, Normandy, Carrier marched through the European Theater of France, Belgium and Germany. While behind enemy lines in 1945 on a mission to obtain strategic supplies, he became the first allied soldier to discover Buchenwald concentration camp — then helped to liberate it, alongside Patton’s Third Army.
After the war, Carrier studied art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He co-authored 1955’s “Dive, The Complete Book of Skin Diving,” then was hired personally by Howard Hughes to design underwater rigging for one of the tycoon’s Hollywood publicity stunts. This past summer, the 89-year-old (a longtime member of Chelsea Community Church) was back in Normandy for a ceremony marking the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. In October, the President of France awarded Carrier the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor — France’s highest honor.
Carrier’s talk will focus on his military service, with insights on how he managed to stay alive — a mixture, he says, of following his grandmother’s wisdom and adhering to U.S. Army sensibilities. A Q&A session will follow the talk, and there will be photo opportunities at the reception. Funds raised by this event will benefit the restoration of St. Peter’s Chelsea.
Mon., Nov. 10. Talk from 6:30–7:30 p.m. and reception from 7:30–8 p.m. (includes meet & greet and light refreshments). At St. Peter’s Chelsea (346 W. 20th St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Suggested donation of $20 for adults, $10 for students/seniors. Free with I.D for veterans & first responders (with I.D.). For more info, visit facebook.com/events/859189994104980/.
