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Title: D-Day Post by: indianasmith on June 06, 2015, 08:59:51 AM Seventy-one years ago today, over 100,000 American and British soldiers stormed ashore on five separate beaches in the region of France known as Normandy. They were guarded by over 600 warships and 10,000 aircraft, and 400 troop ships were used to take them across the English Channel. They encountered heavy fire from machine guns, mortars, and 88 millimeter artillery guns at the hands of the Third Reich's skilled soldiers. 10,000 Americans were killed or wounded in that single day of fighting, but they held all five beaches and by the end of the day, their armor and artillery were following them ashore. The liberation of France had begun.
The Greatest Generation is almost gone. My Dad, an Army veteran of World War II, is nearly 89. He was barely 19 when the war ended. In the next decade, most of the World War II veterans will be gone. Shake their hands, and thank them, for we shall not look on their like again. "Their hair may be whiter and thinner, and some of the spring may have gone out of their step, but never forget, when they were young, these men saved the world." - former President Bill Clinton. Title: Re: D-Day Post by: BoyScoutKevin on June 09, 2015, 05:25:39 PM This is not to take away from what the Americans and Brits accomplished that day, but . . .?! It was truly an international allied effort, as there were also . . .
Australians -- Belgians -- Canadians -- Czechs -- Danes -- Dutch -- Free French -- Greeks -- Kiwis -- Norwegians -- Poles -- and Slovaks fighting alongside the Americans and Brits that day. Many of them fighting to free their homeland from German occupation. One of the above was Canadian James "Scotty" Doohan, and not all the allied casualties were caused by the Germans. Some were caused by friendly fire, including Scotty. One of the few people who can really say that their life was saved by smoking, as one of the bullets that hit him was stopped by a silver cigarette case, a gift from his brother, which he kept in his breast pocket. He also lost his middle right finger, being shot off, in the same incident. So, every time in "Star Trek" you saw somebody's hands operating the Transporter, that was not Doohan, but a stand-in. Thus, here's to all the allies that fought that day, both still living and deceased. Title: Re: D-Day Post by: Allhallowsday on June 09, 2015, 10:11:47 PM A great and terrible day, thank God the Allies defeated Nazi evil and the Axis.
Title: Re: D-Day Post by: indianasmith on June 10, 2015, 12:57:20 AM I didn't intend to belittle any of the sacrifices made that day.
All the Allied powers chipped in. Title: Re: D-Day Post by: Flangepart on June 10, 2015, 07:36:21 AM (http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/images/paintings/hmcms/large/hmp_hmcms_r1997_56_1_large.jpg)
(http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0895.jpg) (http://www.terryjamesart.com/images/items/enlarge/487.jpg) (http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm6228.jpg) Title: Re: D-Day Post by: BoyScoutKevin on June 10, 2015, 11:44:28 AM I didn't intend to belittle any of the sacrifices made that day. All the Allied powers chipped in. I know you didn't, Indy. You have always, as long as I have known you on this board, have been very respectful of all military. I just wanted to remind, not you, but . . .?! others, of the other nationalities who were there. Some of which even took me by surprise, as there are some Americans--who, unfortunately--think of D-Day as a being a totally American affair. |