When my coworker asked me this morning, " You know what today is don't you?" I replied, "Yes, it's D-Day!" She looked at me with a puzzled look. She was talking about the 6/6/06 thing.
we're lucky to have the Eisenhower Center here, which includes a wonderful museum, library,and the home he grew up here in Abilene great place to visit
Thanks for the reminder Chris. :TU: Local radio stations are full of this 06/06/06 crapola, makes me want to hurl. I'd completely forgotten about D-Day. ou: ou:
I allways rember D-Day, Wife's birthday is today and it's allways a mixed emotion celebration. This 06/06/06 is just trivial fun! BTW, I have a friend who landed with the first wave on Normandy.... He has some stories to tell. Very humbling listening to him
Thanks Chris for re-establishing the importance of this day,its close to my heart as my Dad flew in the 8th army air force,his B-17 was shot down shortly after D-day and was a POW for the remainder.This is one of the days I fly his Flag on the flag pole.It still brings tears to my eyes when I raise it and remember him. I wonder how much of Ikes letter would be edited today by all the politcal correctness zealots! Let Freedom Ring. gary
I guess I should be happy that in this country we can actually afford to let things like this slip our minds and become a footnote, and that silly things like a movie remake take our attention But I always remember this stuff. I'm going to be 35 in a couple months, my Dad was just a kid during WWII and my mom was born in '41. I suppose it seems fantastic now to some folks that the war actually happpened. It's odd to me to think that I could go into a school today and ask about D-Day on the sixth of June 1944 and get blank stares. I think knowing what your country's about and what it's done and how it's tried to improve is just as important as whatever it is they think should take precedence over out national heritage. I think it's why so many people in the US act as if they hate the country instead of loving it. they only know what's spoon-fed to them by propagandist "news" services Every year if I can help it I end up on a real B-17 and a real B-24 that fly in to a local airport, and make a donation. I get the warbird mags and so forth (Gary-ever been to www.armyairforces.com)? Instead of being surprised about what happened (I know a lot about WWII history) I'm surprised again and again by the sacrifice made by our young men (and women!) from that era, and how after the war they made this country into something better than it was before it happened It's kind of coincidental that my Dad took possesion of a new rifle yesterday. Well, new to him. It's an M-1 Garand, he already has a 1903 Springfield, and it turns out that just like his 1903, his M-1 was used during WWII. Except of course that the 1903 was not used overseas, and the M-1 almost certainly was. He's checking serial numbers today. All we know right now is that the rifle was made in 1940, and re-barreled by the US government in '47, which probably means active service in the war, and then use as a training weapon after the war So yesterday, I was holding in my hands a rifle that very possibly was carried onto French soil by a US soldier 61 years ago this day. It's very sobering
Chris,thanks for the link,I've been to the 8th airforce museum in Georgia several times when we take our trips to Hilton Head,and I've gone thru the pics and archives.Found the diaries of officers and men that served,its great reading.Also found the official records on the men shot down over Germany,found my dads name and listed as MIA. gary
I'm sorry to hear he was MIA Gary. But I am glad for his service and I hope he rests easy knowing he helped secure so much for so many people in his country and outside of it
MY Dad was at Omaha Beach that day and it haunted him for the rest of his life. We should thank the greatest generation of men and women that ever lived for our freedoms and our very lives! God bless them and God bless America! For all I have and all I see may Old Glory forever wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave :TU:
This day many years ago my cousin was fighting his way to the beach-Omaha. Some of the stories he has told me were stunning to say the least. Words will never express the gratitude I feel. Thanks to all the vets who served.
Chris Thanks,he was MIA in the records,but he turned out to be in a German hospital.He got hit coming down in his chute.Survived the war and thankfully had me and my sister,he passed in 1973 and there isn't a day I don't think of him.He and many of that generation gave so much for our freedoms today and it pains me to witness many of todays kids to sit ,talk,or not remove their hat during our Nationan Anthem,if it wasn't for their/our parents,uncles,brothers and grandparents,we might be speaking another language and be under a dictator type government.Many gave the ultimate sacrifice so we have what we have today.Its all about me anymore and what do I deserve and have coming to me.Very sad and disrespectful. gary
I know that many American soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice on D-Day, but remember that many Canadian soldiers also paid the very same price that day. Remember, D-Day was an Allied invasion.
The Brits were there as well, Gold and Sword beach I think. I believe the Canadians were on Juno. The Brits also dropped an airborne div. Pretty important day in history. Something forgotten is within a few days of D-Day the Marines landed on Saipan in the Marianas. This was where the Enola Gay flew from to drop the first A-bomb. The battle was overshadowed by the D-day invasion. D-Day was probably one of the biggest news stories of the 20th Century,and rightfully so. Saipan was very important to the war with Japan.
I definatley remembered! My Grandfather was part of the invasion Armory Division of D-Day. He hit those beaches in one of the VERY few "floating" tanks that the Brit's came up with....most sank taking the lives of those in them. I need to give him a call this evening!:TU: Another plus that helps me remember the importance of this day is that I bought my first Buick (41,000mi original '72 GS455 hardtop!) on June 06, 1985, one week after high school graduation!:3gears:
I would like to THANK them all for the heroic efforts put forth to make this country strong and free! GOD BLESS YOU ALL! My Dad was in WWII, and I can NEVER thank him enough! :TU:
Canadians and OMAHA Beach Tom Balaz makes a great point! Contrary to what Hollywood might have us believe, the invasion was an Allied Operation. Our Allies the French, British, Poles, etc. were all there. But Tom, we never do give the Canadians the credit they deserve! They have been with the US through the toughest of times. Their battle record is extraordinary, their sacrifices second to none. I had a friend who toured Europe, including the invasion beaches, re-tracing the footsteps of his late father. His Dad had been an Engineer in the US ARMY during WWII. Since we were both WWII history buffs (and model makers) we went to see "Saving Private Ryan" together with our spouses. During the opening of the film, there is a scene where the main characters look back down at the beach. It is strewn with bodies, the ocean tinted red with blood. I leaned over to my wife and told her that 3000 US soldiers had DIED at OMAHA beach. The carnage on the screen, I explained, "must have gone on for miles." My Friend corrected me, " I have been to OMAHA beach. The 3000 men died in a section of beach about the length of a Football field." (300 feet). "Saving Private Ryan" didn't begin to show the type of carnage that existed. His statement shook me and still does to this day. I am not sure they make men like that anymore. We are blessed! .... and we have to thank the WWII veterans for a great deal of our Blessings. Selflessness on a scale we cannot imagine today.
