Capt. Jeremiah J. Barkie

How this story crossed my path

During the ongoing search for information, photos, and stories about 'Antwerp X', Dieter Dijck and the Dr. Cornil's family presented the opportunity to look through the Cornil family photo albums. In these were numerous photos referring to the stay of American soldiers in or near Putte. Soldiers from the anti-aircraft artillery who protected the port of Antwerp from V-bombs during 'Operation Antwerp X'.

For their contribution to our freedom, I would like to take this opportunity to tell their story and give them the recognition they deserve. Family friend to the Cornil-Vercammen family was Captain Jerry Barkie of the 789th AAA Gun Battalion.

Biography and Wartime Service

Jeremiah 'Jerry' Joseph Barkie was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 6, 1920 to Dora and Charles A. Barkie. Jerry was a graduate of Brooklyn Preparatory School, Fordham University, and command and General Staff College as well as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He graduated in law as a second lieutenant on June 9, 1942.

On June 10, 1942, he entered active service and was assigned as a Platoon officer to the 601st Coast Artillery Regiment. On July 22, 1942, he was promoted to first lieutenant. On March 22, 1943, he was transferred to Camp Stewart, Georgia, where the 789th AAA was being formed. He was promoted to Captain on May 13, 1943 and became Commanding Officer of A Battery, 789th AAA Aw Gun Battalion.

With the 789th he went overseas and during the secret operation 'Antwerp X', Jerry Barkie found himself stationed in the Belgian city Lier. He established his headquarters at the Vercammen family's horse farm in the Anderstad suburb. It was there that he got acquainted with the Cornil family, as one of the three Vercammen daughters, Maria (Mia), had married Dr. Jules Cornil, surgeon and general practitioner in nearby Putte. Mia was a recent widow and lived with her four children in Putte. Her husband, Dr. Cornil, had been assassinated by a hit squad of collaborators working for the German 'Sicherheitspolizei' for his ties to the local resistance group. Captain Barkie became a welcome guest and friend of the family often spending time with the kids.

Jerry Barkie’s stay in Lier was interrupted by the Battle of the Bulge when the 789th was shortly transferred to the vicinity of Verviers. Here they took up roadblock positions to serve as a final line of defense in case the German army achieved their breakthrough. Luckily the Allied lines held after the initial push which created the 'bulge' and after a few weeks the units which had been taken out of the Antwerp X line could return to their previous mission.

After VE day Barkie was transferred to serve as Commanding Officer of D Battery, 491st AAA AW Battalion for a few months while his old unit was rotated home. Jeremiah Barkie returned from the European Theater after twenty months of overseas service on December 2, 1945 from La Havre, France to the US. Among his awards and decorations, he received the Bronze Star Medal, the EAME Service Medal with four campaign stars, a Presidential Unit Citation and the Belgian Fourragere for his actions in Operation Antwerp X, and the Battle of the Bulge.

Upon return to civilian life, Jerry Barkie served with the New York US A.R. School in various positions including that of Assistant Commander and ended his military career as a colonel after 38 years of service. He married Justice Alice Sullivan on February 2, 1946 and together they had five children.

Jerry Barkie served as vice-president for an international insurance firm and was elected mayor of his town Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1989. In 1991, he was asked to act as coordinator of the Antwerp Monument Committee, a committee dedicated to placing a monument in the City of Antwerp to honor those American military units which successfully defended Antwerp against the onset of the V1 weapons. In 1994, he was a guest of the City of Antwerp for the 50th Anniversary celebration of its liberation at which time the monument was dedicated.

Jeremiah J. Barkie, 95, retired Colonel in The United States Army and fourth Mayor of Hilton Head Island, died on Saturday, May 9, 2015 in Hilton Head Regional Medical Center, South Carolina, after a short illness. He was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Justine A. Barkie, and his daughter Loyola.

Gallery

click on the images to enlarge

Thanks to the Cornil family for sharing these photos from their family albums
Parts of this story were excerpted from the book 'Lier 40-45' by Wim Govaerts, many thanks