D-Day, 6 Jun 1944

[ftrplt]

Seventy-one years ago today a huge number of young American, British, and Canadian soldiers, airmen, and seamen lost their lives in the largest seaborne assault in human history. None of my family was involved (all, including my dad and uncles) were in the Pacific. These warriors, these heroes in every sense of the word, sacrificed themselves to rid the world of an evil so wicked as to defy imagination. Bless them, one and all; may they rest in honored glory!   FTRPLT

 

[huffelpuff]

Amen

 

[Stick]

Yes, good shout.

I had a strange experience today. I found myself scanning my bookcase for something to read for 20 mins or so and ending up sliding out a book on the landings. It was primarily a book of old photos taken by those who were there during the build up, the landings and the weeks after. I flicked through the familiar pages and as usual felt immensely humbled by the actions depicted within. It was only an hour or two later when I noticed the date on my phone that I remembered the significance of todays date.

I've been to the beaches a few times and have stood choked in the American cemetery, mesmerised by the endless rows of white memories.

Here's to all those who took part in Overlord, most especially the fallen.

 

[ftrplt]

Brother Stick,

My "bucket list" has a trip to Normandy and the cemeteries on it. BTW, be sure and celebrate "Magna Carta" day on 15 Jun!!! Without that document, there probably wouldn't be a Great Britain nor a United States of America!! :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[Brewdude]

Yes, it was a day which will stand out as one of the boldest and bloodiest days in history.

My late Pap was stationed in the UK that particular day. He was in the Army Air Corp and flew B-17's and B-24's. He once told me that his squadron was scheduled to fly that day but was grounded due to the weather. He saw plenty of action elsewhere and came home, unlike many of his companions.


Cheers,

RR

 

[RDPipes]

Seventy-one years ago today a huge number of young American, British, and Canadian soldiers, airmen, and seamen lost their lives in the largest seaborne assault in human history. None of my family was involved (all, including my dad and uncles) were in the Pacific. These warriors, these heroes in every sense of the word, sacrificed themselves to rid the world of an evil so wicked as to defy imagination. Bless them, one and all; may they rest in honored glory!   FTRPLT

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[puros_bran]

Interesting thing, Many for whatever reason believe this was Americas entrance into the war.   This guy had been in Africa and Italy for almost two years by this point.








And I'm glad you posted, now we don't have to put up with yet another of Monblas shaming post.

 

[ftrplt]

PB, excellent point! Many of the troops used for the Normandy Invasion had already fought in North Africa and Sicily, if not also Italy. They aren't called the "Greatest Generation" for nothin'"!!!!! FTRPLT

 

[PeterD]

...Let us remember the sacrifices everyone made...

..."find the cost of freedom buried in the ground"... Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young...

 

[Stick]

PB, excellent point! Many of the troops used for the Normandy Invasion had already fought in North Africa and Sicily, if not also Italy. They aren't called the "Greatest Generation" for nothin'"!!!!! FTRPLT

....and the Pacific I believe?

 

[kaitlyn3837]

I posted it about this on Facebook yesterday (I follow the Navy and they made a post that was definitely worth sharing). Well said, and definitely a big THANK YOU to everyone who sacrificed and that day, before that day, and since. But expecially for the men who gave themselves for our freedom on D-Day.

God bless the USA.

 

[riff raff]

Not a single mention of D-Day in my local paper yesterday. Sad.

 

[MartinH]

Hey Everyone,

I find myself in a strange place when it comes to WWII. My grandparents were Germans (I'm German) and my grandfather was a prisoner of war in France, shortly after D-Day. What happened during that war was horrible, and what the Nazi Regime did is unforgivable. The thought of my child dying in a war is beyond my conception, yet it is a reality now and was then. My dad is a former US Air Force NCO (Sr. MSGT) and so I'm also a US military brat!

I guess what I wanted to share, are sentiments I've discovered in the letters from my German family during the war. My grandmother (who was a pre-teen at the time) had to be in the Hitler Youth. One of her letters to her sister - who was in a Sanatorium due to TB - talks about the morning after what is no known Krystalnacht. In her letter she writes that the Brown Shirts came and took all the Jews. No one knew where they went, what happened to them, or at least she didn't as she was only a child. There was no real distinction between the Jews and the Germans prior to Hitler. Everybody identified themselves as a "Holzheimer" or a villager from Holzheim. (This is the village where I grew up.)

What the Allies did was beyond brave and their victory changed the lives of all of Europe for the better. If they hand't won that war, I'd either have lived (and would still live) in the modern 3rd Reich, or under the Soviets. We wouldn't be where we are today without the Greatest Generation. So, I often find myself torn between knowing what the average German seemed to endure during the Nazi Regime and the allied bombings, and the realization that that regime had to go.

I don't know, it's always a sad, uncomfortable feeling on historical days where we recollect the happenings of WWII. On the one hand I am proud of being a German, on the other a lot of shame goes with Nazis and Fascism. When I was a child, we never talked about the war, everyone talked about the Kaiser, but WWII was an off-limits topic. Or at least, it was taboo and never discussed.

Anyway, I thought I'd share.

 

[puros_bran]

Interesting Martin..

When I was still in highschool I would sometimes sneak over to the college my sister attended and hang around with the cool kids..

I met a Japanese student that apologized for WW2. I was just freaked out about that.. This kid had nothing to do with WW2 with the exception of his grandfather may have fought for his country.. And he was apologizing to me? I suppose I'm to American to understand that.

An interesting thing to think about.. The vast majority of the German Army were no different than the U.S. Army, just people 'fighting for their country'. And the vast majority of the German people were just work a day schmucks like you and I... Throwing all of Germany to the dogs for the crimes of some is like throwing my son to the dogs because of something Washington does.

 

[Stick]

Hey Everyone,

I find myself in a strange place when it comes to WWII.  My grandparents were Germans (I'm German) and my grandfather was a prisoner of war in France, shortly after D-Day. What happened during that war was horrible, and what the Nazi Regime did is unforgivable. The thought of my child dying in a war is beyond my conception, yet it is a reality now and was then. My dad is a former US Air Force NCO (Sr. MSGT) and so I'm also a US military brat!

I guess what I wanted to share, are sentiments I've discovered in the letters from my German family during the war. My grandmother (who was a pre-teen at the time) had to be in the Hitler Youth. One of her letters to her sister - who was in a Sanatorium due to TB - talks about the morning after what is no known Krystalnacht. In her letter she writes that the Brown Shirts came and took all the Jews. No one knew where they went, what happened to them, or at least she didn't as she was only a child. There was no real distinction between the Jews and the Germans prior to Hitler. Everybody identified themselves as a "Holzheimer" or a villager from Holzheim. (This is the village where I grew up.)

What the Allies did was beyond brave and their victory changed the lives of all of Europe for the better. If they hand't won that war, I'd either have lived (and would still  live) in the modern 3rd Reich, or under the Soviets.  We wouldn't be where we are today without the Greatest Generation. So, I often find myself torn between knowing what the average German seemed to endure during the Nazi Regime and the allied bombings, and the realization that that regime had to go.

I don't know, it's always a sad, uncomfortable feeling on historical days where we recollect the happenings of WWII. On the one hand I am proud of being a German, on the other a lot of shame goes with Nazis and Fascism. When I was a child, we never talked about the war, everyone talked about the Kaiser, but WWII was an off-limits topic. Or at least, it was taboo and never discussed.

Anyway, I thought I'd share.

That's a fascinating family story Martin, thank you for sharing that with us.

Wars of any kind will always have innocent victims with the Great War and WWII being perfect examples. It's very easy to start pointing fingers and being critical of a nation's actions (I know I have in the past) especially when it's driven by a chap such as Hiltler. But lets not forget what happened to the folk of Germany who, after the war found themselves outside of their home country. More often than not they were subjected to terrible treatment that often ended in execution. Women, children and men. There were even instances when, for example, a Swedish family who were known German speakers, were brutally executed. War truly is an ugly thing. Let's move on.