OT - D-Day

[HailToPitt1985]

Appreciation thread for the members of the Greatest Generation who fought and died on the beaches in France on this date in 1944 so we can be a free nation. Let's never forget the sacrifices those brave men made, knowing their chances of coming out of it alive were slim.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

My uncles served in the Pacific, one in the Army and other Marines, during WW2, one at Iwo Jima (fortunately not having to go in until mop up which was still hazardous and then missed Okinawa). The other wasn’t older and was more administrative, certainly not to his dismay. My dad was too young for WW2 (and Korea). Also not to his dismay (though he did serve).

So they missed D Day. They certainly didn’t have it easy, but felt relieved, because the legend of Omaha Beach(and then the Bulge, etc) spread through the services very quickly. Meanwhile those in Europe often felt relieved they missed the Pacific!

 

[Las Panteras]

Every American should stop what they are doing for 30 seconds and just ponder the sacrifice made on this date.

 

[crharris8892]

This is the time I crack open Blu-Ray disks of "Band of Brothers" and salute those brave men who survived through hell of the D-Day Landing on Omaha, Juno, Sword, Gold, Utah beaches...

 

[Las Panteras]

This is the time I crack open Blu-Ray disks of "Band of Brothers" and salute those brave men who survived through hell of the D-Day Landing on Omaha, Juno, Sword, Gold, Utah beaches...

While Easy Company is the Band of Brothers story, the unsung heroes of D day was Company D (Dog Company)

These guys were rangers. Mostly made up of guys from PA, NJ and NY.

Too much to describe here. But the heroism of Dog Company on DDay likely gave the Allies victory.

Unimaginable courage.

 

[maxwell#1]

My uncle was an engineer in the 82nd airborne Force A to have a drop time of 0214 it was well documented what a cluster. That night he was shot on the way down and captured taken to Stalag A then work camp 3368 til the end of the war. A lot of the info we got was from the 82nd Airborne war museum at Fort Bragg. If you have any family members who were involved highly recommend reaching out to them. The Army kept impeccable records. Aircraft info crew jump position intended landing spot, really worthwhile. On side note in addition to my uncle in Europe my dad was airborne in the Philippines. I can’t imagine what mothers went through not knowing for months if your son was still alive, unreal

 

[Pantherguy4]

So many American, British and Canadian men died that Day to keep the world free. I honor and salute them.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Imagine approaching the shore in one of those boats knowing what you were soon in for.

 

[Conemaugh]

My uncle was an engineer in the 82nd airborne Force A to have a drop time of 0214 it was well documented what a cluster. That night he was shot on the way down and captured taken to Stalag A then work camp 3368 til the end of the war. A lot of the info we got was from the 82nd Airborne war museum at Fort Bragg. If you have any family members who were involved highly recommend reaching out to them. The Army kept impeccable records. Aircraft info crew jump position intended landing spot, really worthwhile. On side note in addition to my uncle in Europe my dad was airborne in the Philippines. I can’t imagine what mothers went through not knowing for months if your son was still alive, unreal

Awesome post man. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[USN_Panther]

My uncle was shot down as a tail gunner in a B17. He was a POW and liberated by the Red Army towards the end of the war.

 

[pittbb80]

So glad I got to go there and see for myself what these brave young men were up against. It’s truly amazing and inspiring and makes you proud to be an American When you look down those cliffs at Point de Hoc or look down at the beach at Normandy and look back at the endless field of crosses all perfectly arranged it gives you goose bumps. I passed a cross with a note on it saying Dad I never got to meet you but and looking forward to seeing you some day. I was fortunate enough to be at Normandy at the end of the day when they play taps. OMG. Words cannot describe how emotional that is

 

[Pittguy93]

My uncle fought in Battle of Normandy. He never talked about it. The only things he said was how red the water was. For some odd reason, he had a picture taken with 4 other men in his outfit and 6 German prisoners with their hands up in the air and had white tags around their necks. The writing on the back of picture was Beach of Normandy with German prisoners. The greatest generation.

 

[Jeffburgh]

While Easy Company is the Band of Brothers story, the unsung heroes of D day was Company D (Dog Company)

These guys were rangers. Mostly made up of guys from PA, NJ and NY.

Too much to describe here. But the heroism of Dog Company on DDay likely gave the Allies victory.

Unimaginable courage.

There is a bridge heading into Hershey named after Dick Winters. Easily one of the most iconic portrayals done by Damion Lewis.

 

[pitt82]

I spent Memorial Day in Normandy and visited Omaha Beach and the American cemetery. Very moving experience. Bucket list item for me. I highly recomemd it.

Pitt82

 

[Las Panteras]

While this is a thread about D Day, its a good place to mention Mike Strank.

For those of you from Cambria County you already know the name. Strank grew up outside johnstown

Mike Strank was a marine on Iwo Jima. He was considered a badass who nobody messed with

He also is in the famous photo of raising the flag (the staged photo).

 

[FreeportPanther]

While this is a thread about D Day, its a good place to mention Mike Strank.

For those of you from Cambria County you already know the name. Strank grew up outside johnstown

Mike Strank was a marine on Iwo Jima. He was considered a badass who nobody messed with

He also is in the famous photo of raising the flag (the staged photo).

There was NO STAGED FLAG RAISING on Iwo Jima.
Originally, a small flag was put up, but it couldn't be seen because of its size. A second larger flag was sent up, and the raising of that flag was the one that created the iconic image that is memorialized in the statue in Arlington.

After the flag was up, the photographer who snapped the historic image asked those Marines who participated in the raising to pose in front of the flag. When later asked about whether the photo was staged, he said yes, thinking they were asking about the posed group picture.

3 of the Marines who are shonw raising the second flag later died on Iwo Jima.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

If anyone ever has a chance to just sit down with any survivors of D-Day or WWII (I know there aren't many now), it is an enlightening and educational experience. Just listen to them. These veterans don't make a spectacle of it and they know it wasn't about them. It was about a much larger cause. But if asked, they are always willing to tell us what happened and how it happened. It's better than any history book.

My Dad (who passed away 28 years ago way too early) fought in Europe on B-17's and was wounded during air skirmishes too many to recall. He always talked about what it was like to be there and how brave Americans are to fight for freedom. I have his flag and medals in a frame in my den to remember him. He was tormented by PTSD before they had a name for it and had chronic and severe depression, probably because of some of the effects of the war. I miss him and hope to see him once again someday.

 

[Las Panteras]

There was NO STAGED FLAG RAISING on Iwo Jima.
Originally, a small flag was put up, but it couldn't be seen because of its size. A second larger flag was sent up, and the raising of that flag was the one that created the iconic image that is memorialized in the statue in Arlington.

After the flag was up, the photographer who snapped the historic image asked those Marines who participated in the raising to pose in front of the flag. When later asked about whether the photo was staged, he said yes, thinking they were asking about the posed group picture.

3 of the Marines who are shonw raising the second flag later died on Iwo Jima.

Strank was one of those Marines.

 

[thom67]

My father in law was a marine in Okinawa. He had photos and 8mm movies of his time there. He had photos of the Japanese coming in for peace talks on the island. His bother was a bomber pilot having many missions dropping bombs on Germany.