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69 years ago today. . . .

5K views 44 replies 26 participants last post by  Skooter_Built 
#1 ·
Imagine yourself at 18 preparing to clear the beach so you can rush up the hill and kill your enemy. Many thanks and appreciation to those who served. :usa:





 
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#15 ·
:usa:

We will be visiting there in 3 weeks, and also the WWI sites in Verdun. My grandfather was a radioman on a bomber flying those missions over france, and my wife's great grandfather received the dist service cross in Verdun in 1918.
 
#27 ·
Are you staying in Bayeux? Hopefully you'll have time at Normandy to visit all the sites. It'll take you a full day to see the WWII landmarks and tour the American cemetery. You should have excellent weather for enjoying the beach as well.

I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like. I'm not certain today's soldiers can even fully imagine what it was like back then...

That was some grisly, real, shit.
If you don't know the story, look up the event at Ranger point. I couldn't get a good photo of the cliffs to really do it justice.
 
#20 ·
http://www.newsmax.com/TedNugent/US-Invasion-Normandy-Liberation/2013/06/05/id/508328#


Newsmax
A Day That All Americans Should keep Sacred
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 11:37 PM

By: Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent's Perspective: Today, June 6th, is a day that all Americans should study, know and remember. It is as important as July 4th.

It was today, 69 years ago, that heroes of the U.S. Army stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny and the end of that evil.

Knowing the importance of victory, General Eisenhower issued the following to every soldier prior to the invasion:

“You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely . . . The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

General Eisenhower kept in his pocket a message to be delivered in the event the Normandy invasion failed. The failure message would remain in his pocket.

As the U.S. Army stormed Omaha beach they were met with devastating Nazi machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire.

Even when some U.S. commanders considered abandoning Omaha beach after the initial wave of Army warriors was cut down by Nazi fire, landing craft full of our warriors kept coming. They were Army strong.

Wave after wave of young Army heroes kept storming bloody Omaha beach to attack the most heavily fortified and entrenched Nazi strongholds. By day’s end Omaha beach would be secure at a cost of 2,400 brave Americans that kicked royally kicked butt.

Should these brave Americans have failed on the early morning of June 6, 1944 on Omaha beach, the war in Europe would have surely been lengthened with many more American causalities — and good over evil hanging in the balance.

But they did not fail. What they did on that day was to begin the liberation of Europe with a good old American butt whoopin. The war in the European theater would be over in less than a year.

Hitler’s war machine would be destroyed, and the evil Hitler himself would be dead.

If June 6th is a reminder of anything it’s that brave men and women of the U.S. military have liberated more people from tyranny than any other entity in the history of mankind. The world would be wise to never forget this.

June 6th is also a day of celebration. Today, as you read this, an American hero of the U.S. Army is retiring.

Major Gen. Grimsley has honorably and heroically served America for decades. He met the enemy of freedom and oppression on the battlefield and crushed them. General Patton would be proud.

It was my privilege and honor to have had the opportunity to meet Gen. Grimsley and other U.S. military warriors a year ago in Iowa, as I have met countless other warriors during more than 45 years of touring this great country.

It was my honor to sign a guitar and a guitar strap for Gen. Grimsley on the occasion of his retirement. I am confident that he will relentlessly thrash the guitar on a daily basis creating pure American rhythm and blues howitzer bombardment sounds of Army Strong defiance with a Chuck Berry throttle.

I do not humble easily, but I am deeply humbled to constantly meet our brave American warriors such as Gen. Grimsley and their families while on tour for these many inspiring years. These brave men and women have enabled me to pursue my own unique American musical dream and I will be forever indebted to their service and sacrifice.

Father time is doing to the brave warriors who survived Omaha beach what Hitler’s Atlantic Wall war machine could not. To those few brave D-Day men still with us and to the families of those heroes who have passed away, know that the Nugent family and millions and millions of other Americans will forever keep June 6th sacred in their honor.

We will never forget The Greatest Generation. We know freedom is not free. May God bless the U.S. military and their families.


:usa::woot:
 
#24 ·
I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like. I'm not certain today's soldiers can even fully imagine what it was like back then...

That was some grisly, real, shit.

I truly believe our WORLD peaked with that generation.
Fixed
 
#26 ·
#31 ·
If you're driving from CDG to Bayeux, it'll take about three hours and keep your Visa or Amex handy as you'll spend ~$70USD in toll fees.

The one site I'm a bit disappointed I missed is the German cemetery. We can compare trip notes after you return. Enjoy the trip.
 
#35 · (Edited)
His statement doesn't justify his wrongdoings, nor does his wrongdoings make the article less valid. Yes, a man who shower for a month to avoid the draft ***hole of the lowest sorts; but when a tribute is made to those overseas, regardless of why you are, I believe it's a tribute to share.

Support your troops,
and shower accordingly.
 
#38 ·
I talked today to a Navy veteran who served on a minesweeper in the South Pacific in WW2. His ship took out over 200 mines so we could storm the beaches of Burma and the Philippines. I think our vets (from WW2 anyways) are often glad to share their stories, and I feel it is our duty to learn what we can before they are all gone. No hippie teacher or textbook will allow future generations to truly understand what the world went through a short time ago. Hopefully some of them will care... I remember as a very young kid going to the VFW and hangin with the vets, and going to funerals with taps and M1 fire making me jump. That stuck with me. Merica!!!
 
#43 ·
response from my aunt about that time in her life:

================
I was almost 15 and school almost over with....Brothers Vic and Fred
were still
in Europe (Army) - and Ernie was in the Navy ---in the Pacific I
believe....Working in
brother Ed's grocery store on the weekend ---handling Red & Blue
tokens which
entitled customers to certain items allowed to puchase. We also had
stamp books
at one point for the same purpose.....Things like Butter and certain
meats required
the stamps --as things were rationed.....
I looked forward to "Vi-Mails

from my brothers ----they were one
page thing paper
folded in a manner to create its own envelope.........

[please note: V Mail as described in wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-mail


It was an amazing time --very patroitic ---proud -and at the same
humbling.....I
was so young and could only think we were going to "WIN"....My
mother and I
would go the movies --where we got to see live scenes on the News
segment along
with movie previews...........The visual was not like today what
with TV news and
constant update on radio -----------although the radio was our
greatest source.
Today the greatest reminder of that time is the computer
pictures of the graves
scattered throughout France and Europe.
Blessings,
Mary Ann
 
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