75th Anniversary D-Day

[hoppes]

These are some pictures that were never released to the public. Thanks to jvnshr for converting my pps file.This is one of the great sacrifices this country made. Great weekend to remember and give thanks to those that never returned and to those that returned with life-long scars. Take a moment from all the crap of daily living to thank our great men and women. Happy Memorial Day !!

D-Day Pictures
(The music doesn't work unfortunately)

Hoppes

 

[tbradsim1]

My oldest son was in England with the 82nd Airborne doing HALO jumps and was asked if he wanted to jump with the old timers for the 50th Anniversary. He did and I watched on TV, as they marched in St Marie Eglise I broke down and was finally rewarded thru my son for my service in S Asia.

 

[npod]

A few years ago I went to Normandy to visit the WWII memorial sites and visit the cemetery and Omaha Beach. It was one of the best trips I’ve taken. Not easy to get to, but well worth the hassle.
Omaha Beach Memorial

 

[npod]

@hoppes, THANK YOU. The pictures are wonderful. I didn’t mean to hijack your post, just wanted to add to it since many (most) people aren’t aware of the memorial site or cemetery.

 

[mso489]

My favorite telling of D-Day is Eisenhower's "Crusade in Europe" book. Ike was not a snazzy writer by a long shot, and you have to be determined to plough through it. But as you go, you realize the unthinkable detail he and his staff, and ultimately the soldiers themselves had to confront. The weather was a stinker, and some of the intelligence on the beaches was incorrect. Besides which, he had to spend months grooming the allied leadership civilian and military to do their part and understand ours, all with many unpredictable and arrogant personalities. You have an intricate and elaborate plan, and then most of what happens isn't planned and every soul diving into fire has to ad lib as they live or die. I can never see those old black and white films of that armada of hundreds of ships all churning head-on at the beach always makes me choke up. Patton had to go cool his heels out of the action partly to convince the Nazi high command that the attack was coming at Calais, just enough off balance to make it work.

 

[kcghost]

Very nice. Hope we remember this event hundreds of years from now.

 

[jpmcwjr]

June 6, 1944.
My father, USN, European theatre, said May 27th was loading day, not sure it that was called "L-day" officially or not. For my mom, it was unloading day as she gave birth that day to a future pipe smoker.

 

[hoppes]

npod: Thanks for the pictures. If one has never visited the Normandy Coast, it is impossible to understand the magnitude of that day in 1944. I had a close family friend that was my father's nurse in Ohio. She was a dear young lady that had just married 3 months before D-Day. Her young husband was drafted at that time and went ashore with the second wave at Omaha Beach He was killed one week later. The family was never the same. He is buried in the American Cemetery above Omaha. I took my daughter to see his cross and grave site. She had no knowledge of the Second World War.

It was a very sobering experience for both of us. Every younger person should make the trip and understand the history that was made there.The younger generation might be more humble and appreciative of this country.

Hope everyone is having a meaningful and safe Memorial Day, Hoppes

 

[mso489]

History has never been more important, the real solid scholarly telling that is rigorously based on firsthand accounts and documentation and subject to ongoing scholarship and revision, and on top of that, that is written in an interesting compelling way that non-scholars can enjoyably read (so they will). Many or most don't know which came first, Vietnam or the Korean War, and that is the easiest question on the test. In the United States, our own Constitution remains unknown and misunderstood by many, the branches of government, separation of powers, and checks and balances. The history of the working people including many diverse ethnic groups remains significantly under reported. D-Day was unquestionably one of the greatest battles in history and among the most decisive. Long live the memory of those who were there, survivors and the fallen.

 

[tbradsim1]

Old Timers 50th jump my Son participated in.

 

[voorhees]

My grandfather was 20 yrs old when WWII started.And 22 by the time the U.S. became involved. I cannot recall the exact dates he served, but know he was involved in The Battle of Saint-Lo (July 1944) shortly after the D-Day invasion. And the subsequent Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944). He served until the VE day in May 1945.

Many a men were lost during that campaign and I am forever grateful to them. I am also grateful my grandfather returned home safe, but never the same.

 

[dukdalf]

Although I was born long after WWII ended, a feeling of debt has been imprinted on me to all American, Canadian, British, Polish and other allied soldiers who put their life at risk to liberate Europe from the nazis. They will be remembered.

 

[pappymac]

Often overlooked in discussions about D-Day (and about military services in general) is the service of the U.S. Coast Guard.
https://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2014/06/5-facts-you-may-not-know-about-the-coast-guard-at-normandy/

 

[tbradsim1]

. You're right Pappy, also this.Nurses coming ashore.

 

[pappymac]

Brad,

The landing craft for just about all amphibious assaults in both the Atlantic and Pacific were manned by U.S. Coast Guard personnel. The one pictured is a Higgins boat like the ones built in New Orleans for the war.