June 6, 1944
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I have toured the beaches. I spend several days there just for that as well as the cemeteries. There are still bunkers there where the big guns were. You can put your hand on the rusted mountings. It can be a little chilling to imagine the ghosts around you and what happened where you are standing. This is no Disney exhibit. It takes some work to get to them but they are still there.
Further proof that freedom isn't free. the price is eternal vigilance!!!
It is not free and always has to be defended. Just when you think it doesn't, there will be someone right there to show you differently.
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Very very cool. Thank you for the link.
Copying my thread from NPR section:
"Seems like here in Europe things have gone too much to the "left", long enough to bring a "far right" reaction spreading again all over the continent.
In times like these, when people feel even more worried about the future of our children, remembering this day obtains a special importance.
As a simple Greek citizen, to all az fellow members who might be relatives/friends (or not) to the US citizens that fell for our freedom, I simply want to say:
thank you...
Petros"
"Seems like here in Europe things have gone too much to the "left", long enough to bring a "far right" reaction spreading again all over the continent.
In times like these, when people feel even more worried about the future of our children, remembering this day obtains a special importance.
As a simple Greek citizen, to all az fellow members who might be relatives/friends (or not) to the US citizens that fell for our freedom, I simply want to say:
thank you...
Petros"
Wow.
I must have gotten something in my eyes. Dust, pollen ...something.
Thanks for the link.
Very cool . thanks for posting this.
This brought a tear to my eye.
Also another GREAT story!!!!
http://www.today.com/news/wwii-vet-missing-nursing-home-turns-france-d-day-anniversary-2D79768139
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I have several friend who were either hit the beach in Normandy, or came out of the air (Airborne 551st Parachute Infantry) behind the German lines. They made it home to share their stories of that long day.
We are loosing history when the last of these brave people passes. If you know any World War II Veterans do talk to them about their personal experiences.
As if the stories are not passed from generation to generation this living history that is not in books, as only they who survived it will die.
We are loosing history when the last of these brave people passes. If you know any World War II Veterans do talk to them about their personal experiences.
As if the stories are not passed from generation to generation this living history that is not in books, as only they who survived it will die.
I was lucky to randomly go into a barbershop last time I was in Vegas and have Gaetano “Guy” Benza call me over to the chair. He is now 91, and as it turns out a WWII veteran and was serving at Omaha beach. The stories he told me during my shave went from bone chilling to emotional and everything in between. When I was able to speak, I asked if it was anything like the movie saving private ryan, his response: "worse".
He told me about how happy he was to be able to speak to kids about what happened over there, and I really got the sense that he lived to make sure people never forgot.
Well, I didn't. My chance meeting with him stays with me, and today when I went to look him up on the interwebs I was so pleased to read that he will be receiving the French Legion of Honor medal. (full story here)
I called the barbershop today and he was off, but the manager said they will relay my best wishes and thanks again. It may sound cliche, but the entire world really does owe them a debt of gratitude.
He told me about how happy he was to be able to speak to kids about what happened over there, and I really got the sense that he lived to make sure people never forgot.
Well, I didn't. My chance meeting with him stays with me, and today when I went to look him up on the interwebs I was so pleased to read that he will be receiving the French Legion of Honor medal. (full story here)
I called the barbershop today and he was off, but the manager said they will relay my best wishes and thanks again. It may sound cliche, but the entire world really does owe them a debt of gratitude.
Opened this thread to post the same. Ditto amen.
Eternal thanks to the fallen brave
Numbers or statistics cannot begin to reflect the horror and hell of the troop landings in Normandy; especially at Omaha beach, where it was mainly the US Army's assignment....I have seen documentaries and read stories of how bad things were for our boys who landed and fought there.......wearing all that equipment on their backs and weighed down, slipping on vomit inside the LST's because of all the seasickness, listening to the machine gun bullets hitting the front of the LST's just before the front landing planks went down, allowing them to hit the beaches, only to find that they were at least 200 yards from the beach, wading neck deep in ocean waters with the heavy packs, some drowning, some getting to the beach which was basically a killing zone with enemy cannons and machine guns doing a crossfire pattern from each end of the beach, land mines, and that's probably only the half of it.......how can we begin to understand the sacrifice so many made that day on June 6, 1944?
Yes, no one can tell me that wasn't the greatest American generation...
Numbers or statistics cannot begin to reflect the horror and hell of the troop landings in Normandy; especially at Omaha beach, where it was mainly the US Army's assignment....I have seen documentaries and read stories of how bad things were for our boys who landed and fought there.......wearing all that equipment on their backs and weighed down, slipping on vomit inside the LST's because of all the seasickness, listening to the machine gun bullets hitting the front of the LST's just before the front landing planks went down, allowing them to hit the beaches, only to find that they were at least 200 yards from the beach, wading neck deep in ocean waters with the heavy packs, some drowning, some getting to the beach which was basically a killing zone with enemy cannons and machine guns doing a crossfire pattern from each end of the beach, land mines, and that's probably only the half of it.......how can we begin to understand the sacrifice so many made that day on June 6, 1944?
Yes, no one can tell me that wasn't the greatest American generation...
Banks
Banned
I went there in 1990. Images alone don't do it justice. Fields and fields of grave markers.
For those of you that would like to watch a great movie on Fri night.
Storming Juno.
This movie was shot in a couple of locations in Ontario Canada. Altho it centers around the Canadian landing spot, Juno Beach, I believe that you will get the idea of what all the troops went thru that fateful day in June.
A very well made movie. After the movie, there are some interviews with soldiers. Very powerful statements. It will leave with with the exact feelings that these young boys had.
I met one of the soldiers that was in the interview. He was a good friend of my Fathers and all the men.
Hes gone now.
My Father was shot in the hip upon landing. He and another soldier were carrying a Bangalore Torpedo to blast thru the looped razor wire on the beach. He said that almost in slow motion, he heard the bullet ricocheting off the metal pipe.
The German shooter continued to target my Father. he got up and ran, despite his injury, until he found a large crater left from the artillery prep before the landing.
After the Germans were pushed back, my Father started crawling until he saw a truck with a Red Cross on the side. He was able to get himself to a ditch and wave to one of the men and was rescued. He met his brother in the hospital who was also wounded and had lost touch with each other.
After his release from the hospital, my Dad later rejoined his comrades in their push further into Europe.
http://www.filenuke.net/f7798c7ef92afb316b29d966ee611cb8
BTW, just click, Play Now. My Malware and Anti Virus didn't pick anything up so should be good.
I have 4 pebbles from Juno Beach left that were sent to my Father from the Mayor of Caen France. I had a bag but gave each of the Regina Rifle Regiment one for helping out with my Fathers Funeral acting as Pall Bearers and Guards.
Storming Juno.
This movie was shot in a couple of locations in Ontario Canada. Altho it centers around the Canadian landing spot, Juno Beach, I believe that you will get the idea of what all the troops went thru that fateful day in June.
A very well made movie. After the movie, there are some interviews with soldiers. Very powerful statements. It will leave with with the exact feelings that these young boys had.
I met one of the soldiers that was in the interview. He was a good friend of my Fathers and all the men.
Hes gone now.
My Father was shot in the hip upon landing. He and another soldier were carrying a Bangalore Torpedo to blast thru the looped razor wire on the beach. He said that almost in slow motion, he heard the bullet ricocheting off the metal pipe.
The German shooter continued to target my Father. he got up and ran, despite his injury, until he found a large crater left from the artillery prep before the landing.
After the Germans were pushed back, my Father started crawling until he saw a truck with a Red Cross on the side. He was able to get himself to a ditch and wave to one of the men and was rescued. He met his brother in the hospital who was also wounded and had lost touch with each other.
After his release from the hospital, my Dad later rejoined his comrades in their push further into Europe.
http://www.filenuke.net/f7798c7ef92afb316b29d966ee611cb8
BTW, just click, Play Now. My Malware and Anti Virus didn't pick anything up so should be good.
I have 4 pebbles from Juno Beach left that were sent to my Father from the Mayor of Caen France. I had a bag but gave each of the Regina Rifle Regiment one for helping out with my Fathers Funeral acting as Pall Bearers and Guards.
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Thanks, Blue hog.