My great uncle landed at Sword. My dad hit France 3 weeks later as a replacement.
Honorable men, both. RIP.
Honorable men, both. RIP.
D Day
- Thread starter vonn
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My grandmother had three stars in the window during the War. My Uncle Joe, on the left, landed at Normandy and was captured during the struggle for St. Lo. Surviving his imprisonment, he was liberated by a Russian armored unit. My Uncle John, on the right, is on furlough due to wounds received in Germany. He was troubled by that wounded leg into his 80's. My Uncle Steve was still fighting in Germany with an artillery unit, and would return home safe. My grandmother was obviously thrilled to have two of her sons back home. My cousin Don, John's son, is seen swimming in the tunic. My Uncle Joe got prematurely grey. Years later I would ask him why he had grey hair. He would briskly rub his scalp and say, "German 88's". These guys were my heroes.
Attachments
Congress should create a law requiring every NFL player to visit the cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer.
Fox mentioned it. Said more on it tonight.
"Invasion: They're Coming," by Paul Carell
A book that few will have read is Invasion: They're Coming, by Paul Carell. This fascinating book is D-Day through the fall - that is, libration of - Paris from the Wehrmacht's point of view. It is written in the manner of Ryan's book with substantial input from surviving Wehrmacht staff and command officers. What intrigued me most was that despite several errors at the time, those interviewed believed strongly that the D-Day invasion through the first several days could have been - should have been - an Allied debacle.
A book that few will have read is Invasion: They're Coming, by Paul Carell. This fascinating book is D-Day through the fall - that is, libration of - Paris from the Wehrmacht's point of view. It is written in the manner of Ryan's book with substantial input from surviving Wehrmacht staff and command officers. What intrigued me most was that despite several errors at the time, those interviewed believed strongly that the D-Day invasion through the first several days could have been - should have been - an Allied debacle.
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My Dad was there, but never talked about it. Not a word.
I discovered he was there through a speech one of his officers made at a reunion. I wasn't there, Mom was at home with us kids, so she didn't know either. I found a cache of documents from the reunion at a local historical archive. Because President Truman attended, someone thought to donate the minutes and materials. A copy of the speech was in that file.
And this thread was the first mention in any media I've seen today. That is beyond a sad statement on our citizenry today.
I discovered he was there through a speech one of his officers made at a reunion. I wasn't there, Mom was at home with us kids, so she didn't know either. I found a cache of documents from the reunion at a local historical archive. Because President Truman attended, someone thought to donate the minutes and materials. A copy of the speech was in that file.
And this thread was the first mention in any media I've seen today. That is beyond a sad statement on our citizenry today.
With all that I have to mourn and celebrate....
Every day is D-Day, Veteran's Day, Korea Day, WWI Day, Civil War Day, Vietnam Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Revolutionary War Day, Gulf Day, Afghan Day...... and even a lot more.
Now that I'm almost 63 I look back in even more sadness and gratitude at all of the (mostly) young men that gave their lives in these conflicts.
Every day is D-Day, Veteran's Day, Korea Day, WWI Day, Civil War Day, Vietnam Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Revolutionary War Day, Gulf Day, Afghan Day...... and even a lot more.
Now that I'm almost 63 I look back in even more sadness and gratitude at all of the (mostly) young men that gave their lives in these conflicts.
Nightmare Thought
Did you ever wonder just what a Normandy invasion would have been like if Nazi Germany had not squandered three fourths of its army and armor on the Eastern Front and all those divisions were available in the west?
After being thrown back into the ocean, we probably would have had to Nuke Germany.
Did you ever wonder just what a Normandy invasion would have been like if Nazi Germany had not squandered three fourths of its army and armor on the Eastern Front and all those divisions were available in the west?
After being thrown back into the ocean, we probably would have had to Nuke Germany.
My next door neighbor when I was a boy was a veteran of D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Hurtgen Forest. He was in a tank destroyer outfit and was wounded in action several times.
This is a copy of a small picture he took with a Kodak camera he took to war with him. It shows General Eisenhower and his command staff on a visit to Moe's sector in 1944. You may recognize Patton, Bradley and Hodges flanking Ike.
I am still in touch with his widow, who is now 92 years old; we went to the Greenwood cemetery this Memorial Day, where Moe is buried in the Jewish section there. I planted a small flag on his grave, after checking to be sure this was allowed under Jewish custom.
Moe was my next door hero, although he never talked about the war. I know he lost a number of friends, and those that survived hung together as valued buddies for many years after the war.
Some ask why I fly the flag today. I tell them it's because 74 years ago on this day, thousands of our young men ran straight into jaws of hell on the Normandy beaches in France and 9000 of them gave their lives for our country. Go look it up, son. It's called D-Day.
John
This is a copy of a small picture he took with a Kodak camera he took to war with him. It shows General Eisenhower and his command staff on a visit to Moe's sector in 1944. You may recognize Patton, Bradley and Hodges flanking Ike.
I am still in touch with his widow, who is now 92 years old; we went to the Greenwood cemetery this Memorial Day, where Moe is buried in the Jewish section there. I planted a small flag on his grave, after checking to be sure this was allowed under Jewish custom.
Moe was my next door hero, although he never talked about the war. I know he lost a number of friends, and those that survived hung together as valued buddies for many years after the war.
Some ask why I fly the flag today. I tell them it's because 74 years ago on this day, thousands of our young men ran straight into jaws of hell on the Normandy beaches in France and 9000 of them gave their lives for our country. Go look it up, son. It's called D-Day.
John
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29aholic
Member
For those of you who havent seen it, maybe this link will put it into perspective for you.
The Fallen 9000
'Fallen 9000' Project: Thousands Of Stenciled Bodies In The Sand Serve As Poignant D-Day Tribute (PHOTOS) | HuffPost
The Fallen 9000
'Fallen 9000' Project: Thousands Of Stenciled Bodies In The Sand Serve As Poignant D-Day Tribute (PHOTOS) | HuffPost
CCHGN
Member
My Maternal Grandpa( Delmer Boyette) was on that Beach that day. He survived the embarkation, but his whole life changed, when he came upon a cave and as per SOP, threw a grenade in and then after the blast, went in blasting away. He found that it was full of women and children. He was never the same after that day. Back then , they called it "shell shocked". I just knew him as the Grandpa who sat in his chair, never spoke and stared off into space all the time. God rest his soul.
BTw, imo, "Saving Private Ryan" depicts the realism in that landing. The other thing that the movie struck me is when the CPL fought with the German, upstairs and he's about to kill you, and there's not a darn thing you can do about it.
BTw, imo, "Saving Private Ryan" depicts the realism in that landing. The other thing that the movie struck me is when the CPL fought with the German, upstairs and he's about to kill you, and there's not a darn thing you can do about it.
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fiasconva
US Veteran
My FIL was in the 1st wave that hit Omaha Beach with the 29th INF. He said he was one of three from his LST that made it to the beach. He survived that but was wounded twice in France and Belgium in the ensuing action. He was a machine gunner. I can't even comprehend what those guys went through.
Deus Ex Machina. Or, if you prefer, the Hand of God on the side of the righteous.
Despite the many setback and screw ups by the Allies, they managed to win.
Despite the many setback and screw ups by the Allies, they managed to win.
There is a museum, I believe it is at Bayeux, France near Normandy that has an excellent (though very chilling) movie of actual filming of the Allied landing showing on a split screen, one side the Germany filming and the other the Allied. It is not edited and it really puts you there at that historic moment. Do not miss it if you're ever in that area.
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Watchdog
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The overall significance of D-Day cannot be overstated, cannot be denigrated. Yes, thousands of soldiers were killed and wounded, but seventy-four years later it still stands as a shining example of the overwhelming power wielded by freedom-loving people everywhere. The Germans may not have admitted it, or may not have even realized it, but the moment that first soldier set foot on the beach was the beginning of the end for their hoped for Thousand Year Reich.
Strangely, though, its importance seemed to be of little interest or importance to major media outlets in 2018.
I looked at ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and even Breitbart. Simply became too bored to cycle through all the other ones. CBS had a few photos. CNN has an opinion piece, but it's politically oriented. If FOX and ABC has anything, they either have it buried on the back pages, or I just missed it. And Breitbart? They're apparently too busy with politics and TV shows and celebrity gossip.
More to my surprise and disappointment, Turner Classic Movies is not showing one single D-Day oriented film. Maybe they think they emptied their magazine on Memorial Day with fictional claptrap such as Kelly's Heroes and Where Eagles Dare.
It's a sad state of affairs.
To counteract this dereliction of duty on the part of major news outlets, I'm gonna pull out my Blu-Ray edition of Band of Brothers and watch it with dinner.
Strangely, though, its importance seemed to be of little interest or importance to major media outlets in 2018.
I looked at ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and even Breitbart. Simply became too bored to cycle through all the other ones. CBS had a few photos. CNN has an opinion piece, but it's politically oriented. If FOX and ABC has anything, they either have it buried on the back pages, or I just missed it. And Breitbart? They're apparently too busy with politics and TV shows and celebrity gossip.
More to my surprise and disappointment, Turner Classic Movies is not showing one single D-Day oriented film. Maybe they think they emptied their magazine on Memorial Day with fictional claptrap such as Kelly's Heroes and Where Eagles Dare.
It's a sad state of affairs.
To counteract this dereliction of duty on the part of major news outlets, I'm gonna pull out my Blu-Ray edition of Band of Brothers and watch it with dinner.
I have to strongly disagree with that. The men who fought and died in Korea and Viet Nam were every bit as courageous. I resent that "greatest generation" line. My heart especially goes out to the Viet Nam vets who had a s--- job to do and the American public for the most part betrayed them. What a disgrace.
The warriors of today are the equals of their predecessors in every way.
"Greatest generation"? No.
My friend Joe has been gone for several years now. He hit the beach in the second wave not at Omaha in France, but at Anzio in Italy. This was about six months before D Day. He didn't like to talk about it much, but he did tell me once that nearly 2/3 of his unit died on that beach.
Originally from Boston, Joe was an old man when I knew him. He had worked as an optics technician after the war helping develop optical systems for both military and civilian use. He had some how wound up in West Texas after he retired. He was a great man, a true hero, but most of all he was my friend.
Originally from Boston, Joe was an old man when I knew him. He had worked as an optics technician after the war helping develop optical systems for both military and civilian use. He had some how wound up in West Texas after he retired. He was a great man, a true hero, but most of all he was my friend.
Okie21
Member
Saw this on my Facebook today
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