Lest we forget...

[PALADIN85020]

Seventy-eight years ago tomorrow, on June 6, 1944, the U.S. and its allies invaded the Normandy coast of France from the sea to take on heavy fortifications and munitions constructed by the Germans under the command of Field Marshal Irwin Rommel. We call that event D-Day.

2,501 Americans lost their lives on that day, together with 4,414 Allied troops.

They gave their lives knowing that death was almost certain, but they did it anyway. Those men and their sacrifices should never be forgotten.

The weapons used by both sides may be seen here:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/members/paladin85020-albums-d-day-june-6-1944-a.html

John

 

[NYlakesider]

My next door neighbor was one of them.. Got his feet wet at Normandy and went right to the end. Came out a E7!

 

[raljr1]

My brother in law's dad was one...some of the things he did were the stuff of legends....i have tremendous respect for the men who went through thar.

Robert

 

[Greyman50]

Truly the Greatest Generation.

 

[Grayfox]

My Dad was there. Went ashore on Omaha Beach with the 29th Infantry Division. He never talked about it much. Just bits and pieces here and there. But when he did, he got that thousand yard stare and quickly dropped the subject.
Most kids in my generation looked to movies, TV or sports for their heroes. I just looked across the room.

 

[quikdraw67]

The Greatest Generation indeed.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My wife's Uncle Bob was in 1/325 AIR (1st Bn/325 Airborne Infantry Regiment) of the 82Nd Airborne. Uncle Bob was a glider trooper, whose job was to kill enemy tanks. Trained on the 2" Bazooka. When he went into Normandy, he carried a captured "Panzerfaust", 88mm size, with 5 rounds extra. At Operation Market Garden (A Bridge too Far) he carried a 100mm Panzerfaust, with 4 rounds extra. He never ran out of ammo before the Germans rand out of armored vehicles!

My B-I-L and oldest son were in the same Battalion just different Companies. They did have the same job: Kill Tanks! In 1982 my B-I-L was in E Company and used a Jeep mounted TOW. In 1998 my son was in A Company and used Javelin Rockets from on foot!

It doesn't matter how many men are with you, coming down in a moonless night sky, with an extra 100 pounds of gear and weapons on you, and an enemy wanting you dead; is a very lonely way to make a living!

Ivan

 

[Rustyt1953]

Up until 1998 ( the year before my dad died) he had never heard of The Greatest Generation until I showed him this.

He said: "now they tell me."

 

[fordson]

My mothers cousin was with the 82d. His war lasted from the time he stepped out of the C-47 to the time he hit the ground. Pretty much lost his left arm at the elbow. Only thing that held it in place, he told me, was the buttoned jacket sleeve. They managed to re-attach the arm but much like Bob Dole's arm it was useless to him. Many of my fathers friends, while I was growing up, were D-Day veterans from the 1st, 4d, 29th, 82d and the 101st. He had a regular "posse" of veteran friend. Several were Navy and AAF veterans. There was only one Mariner that I remember. Hmm….
Great bunch of guys. Always talked about the funny stuff, seldom the bad stuff. Miss 'em all, especially dad.

 

[fordson]

For some unknown reason, my post are duplicating.

 

[fordson]

For those interested, some D-Day readings:

Omaha Beach by Joseph Balkoski
Utah Beach by Joseph Balkoski
Operation Overload by Max Hastings
Pegasus Bridge by Stephen Ambrose
Code Name Mulberry by Guy Hartcup
Engineers of Victory by Paul Kennedy
Beachhead Assault by David Lee
Gold Beach by Tim Saunders
Sword Beach by Tim Kilvert-Jones
Dog Company by Patrick O'Donnell
The Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign by John English

And the classic - The Longest Day by C. Ryan

All available from your favorite book store - Amazon

 

[fordson]

Once again, I'm double posting and don't know why??.?.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Once again, I'm double posting and don't know why??.?.

There is a poltergeist that is currently haunting the forum software.

The staff is aware and have called in an exorcist.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Once again, I'm double posting and don't know why??.?.

I've had the same problem. The first post does not appear to go through, so if you try again right away, you get a message to the effect that you already posted. You'll find that's true if you look at the field. If you wait longer and try again, you get a double posting. Then you'll have to delete one of them. This is very frustrating, and it's a hitch in the software on the forum.

John

 

[Rudi]

D DAY! Always remember.

 

[SS336]

My Dad was there. Went ashore on Omaha Beach with the 29th Infantry Division. He never talked about it much. Just bits and pieces here and there. But when he did, he got that thousand yard stare and quickly dropped the subject.
Most kids in my generation looked to movies, TV or sports for their heroes. I just looked across the room.

Well said grayfox.
Your father and most of that generation were hero's.
My Father was in the pacific with the !st Marine division, he was and is still my hero.

 

[Krogen]

I am forever grateful for the men who fought for us.

I will never forget.

 

[Beemerguy53]

The National D-Day Memorial is in Bedford, Virginia, between Roanoke and Lynchburg. It's a beautiful place, very well-done, and definitely worth visiting...

National D-Day Memorial | Website of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Our ww2 men are my heroes. Worked with many of them. Three were in the Navy at Pearl Harbor on different ships & didn't meet until after the war.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Here's the US Army's official D-Day page...very interesting...

History | D-Day | June 6, 1944 | The United States Army

 

[csurp34]

My dad enlisted in 1943 and became a submariner.

Obviously he wasn't at Normandy but he had his own, pretty significant war in the Pacific.

He stayed for 30 years, went from E1 to E8 and then 01 to 04, mostly submarines and after commissioning, submarine support.

Dad will be 97 in two weeks and appears to be the last surviving member of the USS Tirante's WW2 crew

While not at the same level of experience, I was proud to follow a little in his footsteps and serve seven years in the USN SSBN Polaris submarine program.

Tom Brokaw got it right with his greatest generation writing so BZ to him.

 

[Beemerguy53]

My dad enlisted in 1943 and became a submariner.


Obviously he wasn't at Normandy but he had his own, pretty significant war in the Pacific.



He stayed for 30 years, went from E1 to E8 and then 01 to 04, mostly submarines and after commissioning, submarine support.


He will be 97 in two weeks and appears to be the last surviving member of the USS Tirante's WW2 crew


IWhile not at the same level of experience, I was proud to follow a little in his footsteps and serve seven years in the USN SSBN Polaris submarine program.


Tom Brokaw got it right with his greatest generation writing so BZ to him.

God bless your father and his comrades, and thank you for your own service to our country.

(By the way, do you remember the CO2 air scrubbers on those Polaris boats? My late father was a chemical engineer for the US Navy, and was one of the people who designed and tested them. He worked for almost 38 years at the David Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center in Annapolis, and sailed on many of the early nuclear subs, including the Polaris boats. When he passed away in 2007, my brothers and I found a footlocker in his home filled with his Navy memorabilia, including a photo of the USS Nautilus inscribed to him and signed by her Captain... )

 

[csurp34]

God bless your father and his comrades, and thank you for your own service to our country.

(By the way, do you remember the CO2 air scrubbers on those Polaris boats? My late father was a chemical engineer for the US Navy, and was one of the people who designed and tested them. He worked for almost 38 years at the David Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center in Annapolis, and sailed on many of the early nuclear subs, including the Polaris boats. When he passed away in 2007, my brothers and I found a footlocker in his home filled with his Navy memorabilia, including a photo of the USS Nautilus inscribed to him and signed by her Captain... )

Hard to forget the scrubbers.

The active ingredient was what we called ammine.

It had a distinctive odor which we adapted to but after returning from a 3 month patrol cycle, myself and everything in my seabag reeked of it much to my wife's dismay.

In the submarine navy it is referred to as eau de submarine.

 

[fordson]

The National D-Day Memorial is in Bedford, Virginia, between Roanoke and Lynchburg. It's a beautiful place, very well-done, and definitely worth visiting...

National D-Day Memorial | Website of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation

Wife and I were there on a cold, rainy November afternoon several years ago. Didn't get to see much because of the rain, but plan on a return this Fall. When I went in to buy tickets, the nice lady at the counter asked if I were a veteran. When I replied yes, she thanked me for my service. I told her, I was just doing my job. She looked me in the eye and said "That's what they all say".
Yep, every man jack that placed their foot on a Normandy beach that day was just doing their job. Did it pretty well too, by all accounts.

 

[raljr1]

Here is the report i referred to earlier. Sgt John Donovan was my brother in law's dad. I knew Mr Donovan, but never had the opportunity to talk with him about his time overseas.

 

[Greyman50]

These are from 50th anniversary of D- Day in 94 in Va. Beach. Have a June 7 th 1944 Stars and Stripes packed up or it would be included.

 

[blues7]

A debt that can never be repaid.

Never forget the sacrifice made.

 

[wetdog]

band of brothers theme song - Bing video

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

My uncle, mom's younger brother, went in on D day and fought across
Europe until the last 2 months of the war with Germany. He was killed
on some river, don't know the details. His remains were finally shipped
home in the 50's, my grandma is buried next to him.
Mom named me after him, I'm honored.

 

[max]

John, I went to the range this morning and shot my M-1 carbine. It was made in April of 43, so it could have been there.