Aviators, Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers from these countries liberated Europe from the stench of National Socialism.

United Kingdom
United States
Canada
France
Australia
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Netherlands
Norway
New Zealand
Greece
South Africa
Southern Rhodesia

God bless them all.

They were all kids, mostly. I continue to be in awe, and ever grateful for all they did.

Also, 83 years ago this week was the Battle of Midway where another group of kids accomplished the incredible.

May God bless all of these men. Not many left. The very youngest are ~99ish Then you hear stories of guys that fudged their age to join at 15, 16?! Imagine that today ?

I Think about D-Day. Weather was bad. The Germans had the high ground. The diversion campaign had to work to fool them into thinking we were not hitting Normandy. Tides had to be correct. Our Tanks sank. Men sank or were shot before even touching the beach.

Just like all the things that had to go perfect for the revolutionary war. Divine intervention?

Eisenhower was the perfect man for the time.

God bless them all, especially those that gave the last full measure...

God Bless them all..!!
I was lucky to have a number of WWII vets in my family, every one was a stand up type of guy...

Thank You...

60

I read the book D Day from the German perspective. It was taken from interviews with German soldiers who were there.

A link to the History Channel on World War II:

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Aviators, Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers from these countries liberated Europe from the stench of National Socialism.

United Kingdom
United States
Canada
France
Australia
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Netherlands
Norway
New Zealand
Greece
South Africa
Southern Rhodesia

God bless them all.

You forgot Belgium and Denmark.

Danish sailors and Belgian pilots and sailors participated in the Normandy invasion as well. (And a Belgian infantry unit fought in the latter stages of the Normandy campaign starting in August.)

^^
Most of those countries were involved because they had been overrun or were directly threatened.

We were there by choice (sort of) and providing the largest contribution by far.

At the same time, D-day was happening, on the other side of the world another task force was leaving to invade the 14 mile long island of Saipan.
About 3,500 Americans died in the invasion.
Few Americans know about or remember this battle.

https://warfarehistorynetwork....laughter%20was%20not.

Unbelievable what those warrior did. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

The oldest man on Utah Beach
Writer: Matthew Kerns
Matthew Kerns
Jun 6, 2019

[81] years ago today, only one general landed by sea with the first wave of troops to brave the beaches of Normandy. The man who led the 8th Infantry Regiment and the 70th Tank Battalion at Utah Beach was not a young and exuberant West Point graduate–at fifty-six years old, this General was actually the oldest man in the invasion. He was also the only man to participate in the Normandy invasion whose son was also on the beaches that day, among the first soldiers to climb from the sea at Omaha Beach.

Slowed by a heart condition and forced to use a cane because of lingering arthritis, the general nonetheless took charge after discovering that the sea had forced landing craft approximately a mile off course, walking down the beach with his cane in one hand and his pistol in the other to reconnoiter the area and determine a plan of attack. Determining to advance from his current position rather than attempting to move further down the beachhead, the general told his men, “We’ll start the war from right here!”

As artillery fell around the troops, sending chunks of sand and earth flying, the general stood on the beach and greeted every regiment that landed after his own with a personal welcome, inspiring the scared soldiers with his confidence and making them laugh with stories of his famous father. One soldier who was there that day later recounted that seeing the general walking around, seemingly indifferent to the chaos and enemy fire wizzing through the air around him, inspired him with the courage to do his own duty. “If the general is like that,” the soldier reasoned, “it can’t be that bad.”

By adapting to his position, modifying his division’s original plan, and personally overseeing troop movements, the general enabled his men to achieve their mission objectives by coming ashore and attacking north behind the beach toward its original objective. Years after the war, when Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff General Omar Bradley was asked to name the single most heroic action he had ever seen in combat, he answered without hesitation, “Ted Roosevelt in Utah Beach.”

Theodore Roosevelt Junior, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was recommended for promotion to the two-star rank of Major General in command of the 90th Infantry Division just over a month after his heroic actions at Utah Beach. When Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower called the following day morning to approve the recommendation, he was informed that Roosevelt had passed away overnight. His pallbearers were Generals J. Lawton Collins, Courtney Nick Hodges, Clarence R. Huebner, Raymond O. Barton, Omar N. Bradley, and George S. Patton.

On 28 September 1944, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

"For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, in France. After two verbal requests to accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion had been denied, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt's written request for this mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. He repeatedly led groups from the beach, over the seawall and established them inland. His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Although the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful establishment of the beachhead in France.”



The grave of Theodore "Ted" Roosevelt Jr. at The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.

That was Teddy Roosevelt Junior's third amphibious assault of the war, landing previously as commander of the 26th Infantry Regiment at Algeria and assistant aommander of the 1st Infantry Division at Sicily.

And he used the cane due to arthritis from injuries suffered back in WW1 while also commanding the 26th Infantry Regiment, for which he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

A true badass, in two World Wars.

The women were a major force in manufacturing and the Army Nurse Corps during WW2. One of my neighbors was in the Army Nurse Corps.


https://e-anca.org/History/ANC-Eras/1940-1950

Truly the greatest generation. I believe I'll watch Band of Brothers again this weekend.

The neighborhood kids broke into the house and stole my fathers WW2 flight bag with several silk maps and his barber equipment. Here he is cutting Tony's hair.

quote:

Originally posted by ElToro:
May God bless all of these men. Not many left. The very youngest are ~99ish Then you hear stories of guys that fudged their age to join at 15, 16?! Imagine that today ?

I Think about D-Day. Weather was bad. The Germans had the high ground. The diversion campaign had to work to fool them into thinking we were not hitting Normandy. Tides had to be correct. Our Tanks sank. Men sank or were shot before even touching the beach.

Just like all the things that had to go perfect for the revolutionary war. Divine intervention?

Eisenhower was the perfect man for the time.

Could not agree more!
If you’re ever near Abilene Kansas do yourself a favor and spend half a day going through his museum there. It is humbling. We’ve actually been there twice.

I highly recommend visiting the National D Day Memorial at Bedford, Virginia.

https://www.dday.org/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ranger41,

My wife has been to some of the American cemeteries in Europe and was very moved. One of the guides asked her what state she was from. He then gave her a rose and took her to the grave of a soldier from Illinois.

My dad went ashore in Normandy, but several weeks later with the 3rd Armored Division and went on to the Battle of The Bulge and Germany.