June 6th 1944 - D Day

RicInOR · Jun 5, 2017

June 6: A walk across a beach in Normandy

That is 73 years ago - those who were there would be in their 90s+ There are few of them.

Today your job is straightforward. First you must load 40 to 50 pounds on your back. Then you need to climb down a net of rope that is banging on the steel side of a ship and jump into a steel rectangle bobbing on the surface of the ocean below you. Others are already inside the steel boat shouting and urging you to hurry up.

...

If you are lucky, very lucky, on that day, you will walk all the way to Germany and the war will be over and you will go home ....

RicInOR · Jun 5, 2017

My dad was not there - June 44 he was still training in Florida.
My Uncle Stewart was part of the diversion. He drove a motorcycle for Patton. He'd be in Europe soon. Had been in North Africa already.
My Uncle Donald was on the Atlantic. He was an enlisted man in a 3 person torpedo bomber. His groups work can be seen at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago - U505.
My Uncle Roy, oldest of the brothers, was in London. He had signed up in about 1940 -with the promise that those who were early would do 2 years, train any draftees and be done. He was sent to London about the start of the Blitz and worked as an MP thru those hours.

All of them came home.

For that I am eternally grateful.

Of these only my dad is alive - 90 and spry.

I don't have the tales from my mothe's brothers. They all come home, and are now gone. I know one drove truck - mostly in Hawaii - Ordnance.
Another got enough Navy experience that he got a job in the 50's and 60's on a small converted mine sweeper. You may have heard of her - Calypso.
The others - I just don't know.

But I do remember, and will fly my flag in remembrance, that June 6 marks the beginning of the end.

Dungannon · Jun 5, 2017

The guys going down the cargo nets went to the beach in LCVP Higgins boats. Those walking off an LST came in much later waves. Even LCI's in the second wave took a beating, and some never retracted from the beach. I like the sentiment of the article nonetheless.

clearconscience · Jun 5, 2017

There was an old guy at my gym that would just hang out for a couple hours, talk to people and ride the sit down bike.
Barely pedaling fast enough to light the screen up. All the knowledge in the world. Nice as Mr. Rogers.

One day a friend was talking to him and the man told him he retired from the military can't remember what branch.
My friend asked if he was a part of any action.
The old man just smiled and said he ran on a beach on France once.

That was all he had to say. I almost teared up.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Stomper · Jun 5, 2017

Being an ARMY vet I would just like to say that on D-Day, the largest military amphibious operation in history was executed by the ARMY.... and there wasn't a U.S. Marine to be seen.

(All my buddies who are old leathernecks LOVE it when I say that!

)

I salute ALL the vets who served in every capacity throughout our history!

nfield4 · Jun 6, 2017

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. One of the early waves. The U.S. Coast Guard identifies the unit as Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.

Oughta be National Holiday!

tac · Jun 6, 2017

Heroes, every one.

My Uncle Geoff was just down the coast, wading ashore with a freakin' bicycle over his shoulders, with the rest of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. He went the rest of the war as a platoon sniper, and never got a scratch.

Quote - 'The Queen's Own Rifles landed on "Nan" sector of Juno Beachhead and with the support of tanks of the Fort Garry Horse captured the strategic seaside resort town of Bernières-sur-Mer. The battalion fought its way to its D-Day objective - the village of Anisy 13.5 km (8.4 mi) inland, the only Regiment to reach its assigned objective that day. The QOR had the highest casualties amongst the Canadian regiments, with 143 killed, wounded or captured. As well as losses in the initial landing, the reserve companies' landing craft struck mines as they approached the beach...

tac

RicInOR · Jun 6, 2017

D-Day remembered in photos: Showing the contrast from 1944 to now

RicInOR · Jun 6, 2017

73 years ago today, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord. For you historically challenged Millennials, "Operation Overlord" was the code name for the invasion at Normandy. Oh, Normandy is in France. Oh, right -- France is a country in Europe

parallax · Jun 6, 2017

1944: 18 year olds storm the beaches of Normandy to a certain death.

2016: 18 year olds need a safe space because words hurt their feelings.

My how the world has changed.

Ura-Ki · Jun 6, 2017

Many forget the losses on D-Day, of the countless Men that went ashore never even made it to the beach! Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coastguard, Merchant Marines, all took part in those landings, not just the Army, and all suffered losses!

RicInOR · Jun 6, 2017

Ordeal of Omaha Beach

jsparks747 · Jun 6, 2017

My great uncle was a marine who guarded the lab and the scientists who were working on the Manhattan Project. He had a photo of himself with Einstein signed from when he visited the laboratory. He died about 7 years ago now.

parallax · Jun 6, 2017

For those that gave everything, just so I can have the freedom I enjoy today.
I can never repay you, but I will always be grateful.

RicInOR · Jun 6, 2017

D-Day Weapons (June 6th, 1944)

RicInOR · Jun 7, 2017

A turning point in the war in the Pacific.
A? The!

Remembering Midway

The Battle of Midway, fought 7[5] years ago this week, was an extraordinary victory for the U.S. Navy and proved to be the strategic pivot in World War II's Pacific theater of operations.

During the three-day sea battle of early June 1942, a scant six months after Japan's devastating offensive strike on its fleet base at Pearl Harbor, the outnumbered USN sank four Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carriers. Japan lost not only the carriers, but also their highly trained warship and aircraft crews, irreplaceable sailors and naval aviators with elite skills.

As the carrier hulls hit the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Japan's strategic offensive war ended and its long, bitter defensive war began. Though the war in the Pacific would continue for another agonizing three years and two months, America had seized the strategic offensive. A pivot had occurred. After Midway, America initiated and Japan reacted.

Midway Campaign Battle of the Coral Sea

Shortly after the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April of 1942, the Japanese began planning for a decisive battle in the vicinity of Midway, to take place in June. The Coral Sea operation in May was actually an integral part of the overall strategic plan which was to bring about this battle. The intention was to smash the remnants of American naval power in the Pacific, and advance Japan's outer defensive perimeter more than a thousand miles further by seizing the western Aleutians, Midway Island, and, ultimately, Fiji Samoa and New Caledonia simultaneously severing the Allied life line between the U.S. West Coast and Australia. Like the Pearl Harbor operation, the Midway operation was the brain-child of Isoroku Yamamoto But it was neither as well planned nor as well executed.

RicInOR · Jun 7, 2017

The Forgotten Guns of D-Day

Someone mentioned Marines

battleship U.S.S. Texas (BB-35). With prisoners coming aboard, the ship's Marine Detachment was called on to draw arms and serve as guards. While the Marine NCOs carried M1911A1 pistols, the guards themselves were armed with one of the unlikeliest guns of D-Day: the Model 50 Reising submachine gun made by Harrington & Richardson. It may not be well known, but U.S. Marines participated in the D-Day invasion and many of them did so with their Reisings.