D-Day....June 6, 1944 - 70 years ago today

[tummyman]

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. We must never forget the sacrifices so many made on the beaches in France to ensure freedom. May those hero's who lost their lives that infamous day rest in eternal peace.

[dickiej]

Good post......I have a patient who flew 20 missions over Germany. He is now 91 and lives alone, drives, and is sharp as a tack. He showed me his photo albums and I was mesmerized listening to him. We talked about d-day and I could see he was starting to get emotional so I left. We should never forget how the greatest generation saved the world from tyranny and try and teach history to the younger generations. They have no idea the immense sacrifices the WWII generation made.

[RailroadJoe]

A very emotional place to visit is the graveyard in Normandy. My daughter just got back from visiting and said next to the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii this is another very solemn place. It makes you think.

[nhboat61]

I want to say thank you and remember my grandfather and great uncle who came ashore in Normandy so long ago and help liberate Europe .

Also, 70 years ago today, Rome was liberated and another great uncle was part of that and helped free family members still living in Italy under Fascist and Nazi rule at that time.

[dt5150]

Amen.......

[TheProfessor]

As one who has visited Normandy on June 6.
On a beautiful sunny day as today is there.

One is awestruck standing and walking amongst the white crosses and stars at the US cemetery. And to read the names on the crosses. Some just state "Unknown".

St Mere Eglise has a museum both indoor and outside. The famous parachute is still hanging on the church roof in center of town. Inside the museum is one intact glider. The movies don't do justice as to the rudimentary construction of these gliders.

Some areas along beaches have the concrete bunkers still intact for viewing. Interesting to view that some had small railroad type tracks to bring the replacement ammunition from other storage bunkers.

Walking along Omaha beach, we had locals walk up to us and in limited English say "Thank you".

Just driving along the coast roads there is monument after monument. Listing and stating how many lives were lost just taking out one emplacement.

Also there are many reenactment people and places along the roads. Interesting to view US WWII jeeps with locals dressed in WWII Army uniforms. More then a few WWII vehicles just driving along.

All of the locals were friendly, polite, and grateful.

A trip to be taken by those who can. A trip that I will never forget.

[JMR]

I do not think we can over-state the contribution that these hero's made to history. Try to imagine the world today if they had failed. My heart and admiration goes out to all of them. My father was a fighter pilot in northern Italy and was speechless when he saw the D-Day part of Saving Private Ryan.

[MAXUM]

At no other time in history has this country ever proved it's greatness than in WWII. To think of the sacrifices that were made by everyone during that time. It's easy to look back now and say we won the war, but many don't realize that we were facing significant foes that in some cases had superior firepower and home field advantage. Many of the solders were put into harms way, mistakes were made and many lives were lost. I cannot imagine the stress our military brass was under and how difficult it was for them to make the decisions they did only knowing for sure that they were sending men in that would not make it back, and have to live with that. Yet then we had men of honor, character, and conviction, we had a population that was willing to sacrifice for the betterment of this country and we had leaders that were for the most part statesmen. It was and always will be the greatest generation of all. The USA faced incredible odds many times being out manned and outgunned, yet we prevailed and thank God we did. The world would be a far different place had we not.

Something to think about considering the current state of affairs this country finds itself in now.

[VitaBene]

My uncle Jim landed on Omaha beach in the first wave 70 years ago today, ultimately seeing action through France and the Rhineland (this was after serving in Tunisia and landing in Sicily (as part of the Big Red 1)).

The only way I know the above is from his service records. He, like many combat veterans, never spoke about the War. He was one of the kindest, gentlest people I have met. I had the pleasure of him living with us for the last five years of his life.

I went to Normandy 10 years ago today and was extremely moved by all of the sites, but especially Omaha (so much beach to cross) and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by RailroadJoe

A very emotional place to visit is the graveyard in Normandy. My daughter just got back from visiting and said next to the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii this is another very solemn place. It makes you think.

There's a French village preserved today that shows a village after decimation by the enemy.



The village at Oradour-sur-Glane serves as a reminder that even a month after the Normandy invasion, Frenchmen suspected of aiding the resistance were marched out to be shot. Ultimately, none in the village survived that day. Below is a photograph of male Oradour-sur-Glane villagers being rounded up.

A piece of WWII trivia, is that the enemy's uniforms were designed by Boss of New York.

[Merrymeeting]

Thinking of my uncle today. He was a Gloucester fisherman. As a result, he was tabbed to drive one of the landing boats on D-Day. Like most of his generation, he didn't talk much about his time in the service. But I recall my mother telling me once about him talking about the landings. Once he dropped the gate, many never even made it off the boat, and of those who did, many never made shore. And he had to do this multiple times during the day.

As the father of 2 boys now at the age of those soldiers, I cannot imagine the horror, either for them or for the parents who had to listen to it evolve on the radio.

Thanks to all of them.

[cee65]

I had opportunity to visit Normandy and the D-Day Beaches a few years ago. Actually just a couple days after the June 6th date. Every American should go here if possible to experience in some small way the significance of June 6 1944. The American Cemetery @ Colleville-sur-Mer will take your breath away when you turn the corner and see all those white crosses that go on forever there. I was there at the time of the lowering of the American flag and while this is taking place, Taps is played by a bugler. It was impossible not to have tears in my eyes at that moment. The cemetery is on American soil as was given by the French for that purpose. There is an organization locally of French people who keep fresh flowers placed on various grave sites in appreciation by those who still remember the sacrifices made by so many young men and women during those treacherous days of WW2.

[ApS]

The New York Times maintains a microfilm library. Each day of the war can be found at this index. (H. J. Simpson is the contributor's user-name).

War casualties by name and town are normally listed from New England, New Jersey, and New York states, but on D-Day, the entire 28 pages of the first section are devoted to the D-Day invasion.

One U. S. battleship, reclaimed from the Pearl Harbor attack, is mentioned in the tiny sample below:

.

[BroadHopper]

My Dad participate indirectly the D-Day effort. He was stationed at Argentia Naval Base, a refueling and maintenance facility of British and American ships as well as the convoys of the Atlantic. There was a massive buildup of fuel and supplies before the invasion. There was a rail line to Argentia. There were fuel cars lined up along the spurs. The Germans could just drop a bomb and the navy base cease to exist. There was an army air base nearby (McAndrew?) that provided air protection. There were blimps floating around the base providing security. It was a sight to behold, nevertheless scary.
When the ships returned from Normandy, many had to be repaired and the dead and injured had to be flown or railed home. My Dad did not want to talk about this as he did say the ships reeked of burnt flesh and blood.
He personally met Roosevelt and Churchill during the agreement of the Atlantic Charter.

[trfour]

C47/ Goonybird, the 'Workhorse' in the sky at that time and still flying today!

Video...
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27704073



Terry
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