Posted on 06/05/2009 6:44:25 PM PDT by doug from upland
D-DAY - June 6, 1944: the greatest generation saved the world from the Nazis
dday dot org ^ | 6-5-07
Posted on 06/05/2007 8:57:58 AM PDT by doug from upland
D-Day: It is hard to conceive the epic scope of this decisive battle that foreshadowed the end of Hitler's dream of Nazi domination. Overlord was the largest air, land, and sea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944. The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and over 150,000 service men.
After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, for the Allied Forces, it all came down to this: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run, and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men (most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carrying eighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yards of beach before reaching the first natural feature offering any protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and bracketed by artillery, they found themselves in hell.
When it was over, the Allied Forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 were dead. Yet somehow, due to planning and preparation, and due to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of the Allied Forces, Fortress Europe had been breached.
After you have finished reviewing this site, return to this page and click the links below to find out more about D-Day.
“Sounds like your dad was an amazing man.”
Thanks. I think so, and also think the same about your Uncle.
It is unfortunate in one sense that my dad never spoke more about the war. It was only several years after he passed that I looked into his war record, the outfit he served with, and comprehending what he went went through.
To say least, I was awed, absolutely humbled, and at the same time, extremely proud.
My grandfather had been promoted to first lieutenant two days before Pearl Harbor was attacked, but he was never deployed overseas. Great-uncle Gordon, however, served as the operations officer for the 15th Tank Battalion of the 6th Armored Division. He crossed the Normandy beaches about a month after D-Day. On November 15, 1944, he was severely injured by a German mortar barrage and spent the next twenty months in a hospital in Scotland.
Both my grandfather and great-uncle Gordon passed away in December 2005, but I have this recording of their experiences to help keep their legacy alive.
I just wish that I had the forethought to do the same. You are fortunate to have preserved the memories of those heroes. It is something to treasure.
Many things, starting with innocence.
A bit too trite of a summation, I think. War is war, and though technology changes, the brutality doesn't - and prewar America was hardly innocent. But in WWII, America alone freed the world from global totalitarian horror. And so many people who find that important, myself included, find the results worth the effort, and are even proud of the fight.
Freedom
.
The trick is to push the buttons really hard
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.