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D-Day anniversary


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Operation Overlord was the operational name of the planning and execution of the Allied attack that landed ashore along the Normandy coast in France. Thus began the downfall of Hitler and the Nazis. Here in the U.S. about 650 veterans who served (and survived) WWII are dieing every month.

 

Today is the anniversary of D-Day. On this day in 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower issued this charge: "You are about to embark upon a great crusade. ... The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of Liberty loving people everywhere march with you. .. You will bring about ... the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe. ... Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely. ... And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

More than 160,000 troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified beaches along the Normandy coast of France in what was the largest invasion force in history, involving more than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft. Some 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded that day.

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V.T. Eric Layton

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My Godfather (life-long next door neighbor) was in the 10th Rangers (same outfit as in Saving Private Ryan) on 6 June 1944. He was a very young sergeant who had already experienced the war in North Africa before hitting the beach at Omaha that morning.

 

Young kids. That's mostly what they were. All heroes. Every one!

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I purchased a DVD set of the 10 part series "Band Of Brothers", which ran on HBO in 2001. Excellent series! This was the true story of E (Easy) Company a part of the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) 101st Airborne Division. These men were all volunteers. The 1992 book it was based on was written by Stephen E. Ambrose who interviewed the surviving members of E Company, and was able to get Army documents about E Company.

 

There is a 6th DVD in the set that features videoed interviews with a number of those survivors. Almost to a one they each said that the true heroes in WWII were those that sacrificed their lives in battle. But I agree with Eric that all of those who served were heroes.

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V.T. Eric Layton

I read Ambrose' book long before that series was made. I still haven't seen the series. Would like to, though. :)

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abarbarian

Three million men were involved in Overlord and it took untill August 25th to reach Paris.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk..._campaign.shtml

 

All the folk who died fighting for freedom in WW2 were heros, every last one of them. Would todays generation have what it takes to do the same if needed ?

 

:breakfast:

 

Band of Brothers was a great series. The beeb's World at War from 1973 was a documentry series and well worth a watch too.

 

:breakfast:

Edited by abarbarian
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