June 6th 1944 D-Day 80yrs later

[Remington]

Today marks the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy France 1944 to liberate the french from and advance the worlds fight against the Axis powers in WWII
Americans, British and Canadian forces stormed the beach. Many of our fathers, grandfathers and Uncles sacrificed their lives that fateful day The Greatest Generation. We must not forget there sacrifices to keep us and the rest of the world free from Natzi power of the Third Reich.
Please post anyone you knew or would
Like to remember from this day as we honor them.

Below is the letter/broadcast from supreme leader of the allied forces General Dwight D Eisenhower as he addressed the men before the invasion.

Lest we not forget…

Those of you not vast with history of the second World War. Please educate your self about the D-Day landings with this wiki below

Normandy landings - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Admin]

 

[Remington]

This is my uncle Ashland Salisbury from South East KY on my mothers side. He landed in Normandy Omaha Beach. From the time I knew him he was a very soft spoken kind man. Didn't talk about the war. He did a little to my father a few times.

I have a few other uncles on my Fathers side that landed there as well. 2 of whom made it home and made careers in law inforcment.
One as a Michigan State trooper and the other as a Detective for the Ann Arbor Mi police department.

 

[TxDoc]

Remington, thank you for posting this.

We not only live in the greatest country, but a blessed country.



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[Remington]

 

[Remington]

 

[Remington]

 

[Remington]

Remington, thank you for posting this.

We not only live in the greatest country, but a blessed country.

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You are welcome Doc!
Sadly, our Schools dont teach about this anymore. 9 of 10 kids grades 6-12 have no Idea what happened in WWII or even know what it is! Very Sad. Had a 19yr old apprentice with me a few weeks ago and he didnt know it existed. 😔

 

[TxDoc]

You are welcome Doc!
Sadly, our Schools dont teach about this anymore. 9 of 10 kids grades 6-12 have no Idea what happened in WWII or even know what it is! Very Sad. Had a 19yr old apprentice with me a few weeks ago and he didnt know it existed.

I had four uncles in the Air Force and another on Utah Beach. I grew up hearing many things.

A friend of my father was a bomber navigator. 18. Was shot down three times. The older experienced guys told him they always took a quick vote to bail or ride it down.

First time daylight landed in a field everyone walked away.

Second time daylight on fire and bailed. Everyone landed safely.

Third time night over water. They bailed. Said he'd NEVER do that last one again.

They said you had to consider the Wehrmacht , for the most part, didn't choose to be there, but they were an obstacle you had to go thru to get to your objective and you could not consider whether they had families and children, otherwise you'd die. But, the SS got special consideration to eliminate.

I think the German troops called the 101st Airborne the devils in baggy pants because they bloused their pants.

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[TxDoc]

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That's a tough one Remington

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[Rayger143]

Had 2 great uncles on the beach that day. Uncle Ted never made it home. Uncle Tom wouldn't talk about it much but my brother has his journal that he wrote in when he could. Lest we forget. Real men they were.

 

[TxDoc]

Rather, thanks for sharing that.

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[906UP]

My Grandpa was there, D-day plus 1, lost his dogs tags on the beach. They were found about 5-6 years ago by a Frenchman, a Facebook post was made and within a week they were on the way back home and given to my Grandma. The local news station out of GRR did a story on it.

 

[CSmock]

Thanks for posting this @Remington Such a different world today.

 

[SILVER_ALERT]

My father-in-law was a company commander of the Combat Engineers on D-Day, and was one of the few survivors of his company, and most perished when their landing crafts were sunk before they ever made it to the beach. He never spoke of the war. My wife and her older brother said he came home after the war with mental problems and was diagnosed as "Bipolar disorder". I guess they did not have a PTSD diagnosis back then.
My father joined the Navy during his senior year of high school and served as a 20 mm gunner on a destroyer in the Pacific. His two brothers joined the Army.

 

[Vikes79]

Approximately 6 years ago I was in France and toured Omaha beach, the national cemetery and museum there as well as walked out on the beach itself. It was real sobering walking thru the cemetery.

Also visited Point Du Hoc as well.

 

[SuperATV]

My great grandfather was on the beaches that day. Private First Class John Bruner from Petersburg, Kentucky. He made it through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. He was killed April 4th 1945. Just a month before the Germans surrendered. He is buried at the Lorraine Cemetary in Lorraine France.
My maternal grandfather was on the Pacific front and saw some sh**, but would never speak of it. I just know from stories from his friends.

 

[BlacktopBurner]

 

[TxDoc]

Y'all had me remembering two things I wanted to share.

In a local retirement home, not a nursing home, they have a wall dedicated to veterans who live there

They are young and in uniform. All are dedicated. The men are strong, brave and proud. The ladies are beautiful, confident and strong.

It's just VERY inspiring to see them now and back then.

The other is I had a patient in his 90s. He's since passed.

He was spry and mentally sharp as a tack. His son took him back to the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Up on a hill looking down to a body of water. They had black and white photos from back when and took new photos from as close to the same spot, now.

When he was there, they were dug into foxholes. The trees were giant oak trees. The Germans used (if I can remember) artillery that was 240 mm and shells that were like 350 pounds. They would shoot the treetops out and they'd fall. Weighing 1000 pounds or more, they would fall on troops in the foxholes and impale or crush them. They called them widowmakers.

As they were gazing down the son said his father, suddenly, said... Listen... Do you hear that? He said listen... Tanks. Can't you hear the tracks squeaking and the motors?
He was remembering what he had experienced as a young man. It was completely real and occurring. His son took his time and convinced him that he was remembering. His son said that, as they left, his father would stop, hold his hand up, and turn and listen and look back.

The gentleman told me he was just sure of what he was hearing, but understood it was just a memory coming back. And, that he wasn't crazy. Just an experience that was deeply embedded in his life.

He had so much wisdom and understanding and could express to to what was truly important in your life and what was insignificant. And... That people are so fortunate nowadays and can't comprehend what it's like to be almost 5,000 miles from home and family and not really know how the war would turn out, or if they'd be alive in 24 hours.

I miss him very much.

And.. Let me tell you... He was quite the ladies man. Dressed sharp, clean shaven, hair combed neatly. No cane and only reading glasses. The lady employees were drawn to him and he was a gentleman. Younger ladies would come and take him to lunch and shopping several days a week. They were not gold-diggers, they just admired him and looked to his stories for wisdom and understanding of what wasn truly important in life. At his funeral, it was packed with so many young people who knew him. Most people at that age, may not have many at their funeral, except for family as there friends have all passed away

When I think of him and my parents and aunts and uncles and their friends... And, I get older and see young people.. There are still good young people, but too many are self serving and don't understand what others suffered thru and died for to have what we are BLESSED with... FREEDOM.

When I was in highschool, my first presidential election to vote in was for Ronald Reagan. He and Jimmy Stewart came thru campaigning. My mother went underneath the ropes to get close for a hug, no simple handshake. The secret service was caught off guard. But, President Reagan said... No No... She's my kind of voter! She was 5'2" no possible threat.

I will always remember him saying...

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

Thank you for indulging me in sharing these things.

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[TxDoc]

My great grandfather was on the beaches that day. Private First Class John Bruner from Petersburg, Kentucky. He made it through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. He was killed April 4th 1945. Just a month before the Germans surrendered. He is buried at the Lorraine Cemetary in Lorraine France.
My maternal grandfather was on the Pacific front and saw some sh**, but would never speak of it. I just know from stories from his friends.

I'm sorry he came so close to coming home and didn't get to
Bless him

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[Remington]

When I was still playing in simi A baseball we had a sponsors and one was VFW. I was the Capitan of the team. It Just so happen our head coach was in Vietnam and a commander of the local VFW at the time. He asked me and a few other players to come down and help with that years WWII commencement and pig roast for some vets. I was humbly obliged. We were asked to bring pics of our relatives that where in the war if we had them for display. I got a few from my aunt (grandmothers sister) and one in particular she said might be a long shot. I asked for what reason? She said this young man was an only child and use to play with them and hang around with them as kids in there neighborhood. He left to join the army at 18 and we never hard from him or his family again. Would be nice to know. The pic of the man was warring the Army’s 27th division patch on his left arm. She said he sent it to her after basic training.

Now back to the commencement.
There was alot of cool things going on that day, alot of WWII memorabilia, metals, uniforms you name it was on display Jenison to the main hall where 30-40 men were seated. Outside the honor guard was getting ready to have a salute with M1 Garands. (A soldiers main rifle in during the war)
As my Coach did his speech. I looked on as these men now in there 80’s from all the different branches of the armed services of the period with there WWII veteran hats still cocked to the left or right like they did back then. Those that could stand did as taps was played and the M1’s went off. What a moving site it was to see.

As this part ended, my Coach Sargent radio man First Calvary Tet offensive 68’ as I can still hear his voice today…..

“Now there is some food to be ate in the adjoining room and some refreshments in the fridge with some adult beverages as well if you care to indulge. We have some members of our Baseball team with us today. Im asking our Capitan of the team to gather and construct his teammates to help these men get there meals and something to drink.”

Oh boy what an honor it was!
It was so fun watching these men cut up on each other like they were still 18yr old
Boys. The marines had the best lines.
They told stories to one another, about battles fought won and lost, wounds and the friends that didn't make it. “These men that lost there lives are the real hero's” one said as they all agreed. A few landed on D-Day some were the second wave and others were in the Pacific Iwo Jima and Okinawa. As I asked a Marine (forgive me I cant remember his name) what can I get you to drink sir? He said “what Kind of beer do they have?” The table got quiet! I told him the many there was and he says…
“I take a Bud from the can no glass, real men drink from a can! That other branch drinks from the glass!” Referring to the Navy. And then all hell broke loose with cut ups all over the tale and a “you cant have a beer with your medication!” The marine then said…”who tells me I cant you? The hell I can!” It got quiet again and then all at once they all said “Ill take a beer also” 🤣 they had a great time.

They shared pictures and talked. I pulled out the pic my Aunt gave me, I had asked
“Does any of you gentlemen know this man or what happened to him?” Immediately one of them said…Thats Tom, yeah I know him from School and I served with him. I asked “Do you know what happened to him or where he might be?” He said…..Yes of corse I do! Hes buried on Sipan! Died 3 days after we landed. Thus brings closure to that picture and I later told my Aunt the news.
Sipan was part of the Mariana islands in the Pacific fought June 15th to July 9th 1944 our capture of it made it possible for our B29 bombers to make the Empire of Japan’s major city's in range. It came with a cost. The US lost some 3,200 men and 13,000 wounded in just 24 days.

We shall never forget those brave men and women of what they called “The War” and there Great sacrifices when they were called to arms. They where once like you and me.
They fought for the flag and against Teareny for the greater good without a second thought. They would tell you they were not hero's. Those who died where the real hero's.
May God Bless them all.