June 6, 1944

[macguy]

I went there in 1990. Images alone don't do it justice. Fields and fields of grave markers.

I have only been there once. We used to go to Germany during Christmas for about a month. I like the Kris Kringle markets and goings on. I never liked France and rarely went there. I decided I wanted to see Normandy though. We were coming back from England on the Dover to Calais ferry headed to Normandy.

It was cold and rainy. I was completely by myself walking the beaches and climbing on the bunkers. My wife did not want to come. Like a lot of people you find yourself taking some sand away with you not even knowing why. It is a life changing experience that as you say, can't really be realized from pictures. The cemeteries just overwhelm you as you walk through them.

I have also toured the death camps in Germany, that is really something.

 

[macguy]

This is my friend Sal in 1944. He is 89 now. I spent most of the day with him today as we watched the TV coverage of the ceremonies.
He was there at the landing. He was in the Navy and on D-Day he ran a smoke generator creating a smoke screen. He said as they ran around with this thing shots were landing all around them. He said it is not anything like bravery so much as you just do your job and at a point you don't give a F&&k. You just accept you may get killed.

All these years later he still cries. He didn't even want to go to the Memorial Day thing last week even though he is always one of the ones they honor and single out as a WWII veteran. He used to like the attention but he doesn't seem to anymore.

 

[pwd72s]

A wall at The Cue Ball, Salem Oregon, is decorated with "Band of Brothers" posters and prints. Until he became too frail to make the scene, you would find the real life Sgt. Don Malarky there on most Thursdays, playing in the ongoing golf game on the snooker table.

When Don is in the hall, everybody knows who the toughest guy there is. He proved that 70 years ago.

Here he is on his 90th birthday...flirting with my wife...always a 101st airborne guy, going for the younger women...

 

[pocket]

A wall at The Cue Ball, Salem Oregon, is decorated with "Band of Brothers" posters and prints. Until he became too frail to make the scene, you would find the real life Sgt. Don Malarky there on most Thursdays, playing in the ongoing golf game on the snooker table.

When Don is in the hall, everybody knows who the toughest guy there is. He proved that 70 years ago.

Here he is on his 90th birthday...flirting with my wife...always a 101st airborne guy, going for the younger women...

That is absolutely amazing.

 

[Petros Andrikop]

Received a pm from a good friend and fellow az member,
just wanted to make clear no disrespect intented by not mentioning the troops from other countries that took part in battle for Normandy, some Greeks were there too.
az has mainly US members, just thought to thank mainly those, it's indeed necessary to remember everyone that took part in WWII and fought/fell for freedom and it's good this was brought up.
Thanks,
Petros

 

[pwd72s]

Received a pm from a good friend and fellow az member,
just wanted to make clear no disrespect intented by not mentioning the troops from other countries that took part in battle for Normandy, some Greeks were there too.
az has mainly US members, just thought to thank mainly those, it's indeed necessary to remember everyone that took part in WWII and fought/fell for freedom and it's good this was brought up.
Thanks,
Petros

Very good point. This was indeed a "world war", with people from many nations making sacrifices. My Dad was a Turkey Rancher in California, He and his 2 brothers went to sign up after Pearl. One of his brothers was a B-17 Captain out of England, the other an Army Air Corps communications officer in the Pacific. Dad was told to keep raising Turkey for the military. A fortunate family...both brothers made it home.

Don Malarkey told of seeing many B-17's fly overhead when he was at Bastogne, the battle of the bulge. The guys of Easy Company cheering the B-17's on. I like to think my uncle Gordon was piloting one of those B-17's...

I consider it an honor to have met and had conversations with Sgt. Don Malarkey. During Don's 90th birthday party at the Cue Ball, an Iraq vet just happened to be there. Despite the generations of separation, they were instant brothers.