They were a little busy at a place called Saipan.
Posted on 06/06/2017 8:21:17 AM PDT by fugazi
1862: A Union flotilla decisively defeats the steams the Confederate fleet at Memphis, Tenn. and captures the city.
1918: Two battalions of Marines, led by Brig. Gen. James Harbord, advance against four German divisions in Belleau Wood, the site of an old French hunting preserve near Chateau-Thierry. The Marines face withering fire, with over 1,000 casualties in the first day of battle alone. In three weeks, the Marines drive out the Germans, but at a high cost; Enemy machine guns, artillery, and gas attacks inflict 10,000 American casualties. But the tenacity of the "Devil Dogs" at Belleau Wood becomes legend.
1942: Commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku orders his fleet to withdraw from the Battle of Midway. Although the Americans have lost the carrier Yorktown and a destroyer, Japanese losses are staggering: all four of the fleet's aircraft carriers (whose aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor six months ago) and a heavy cruiser are sent to the bottom. After a long string of defeats, the United States Navy has dealt Japan "the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare."
1944: Just after 2 a.m., some 13,000 American and British paratroopers and glider troops begin landing behind enemy lines in France. 2,000 Allied aircraft bombard German positions in preparation of the invasion. And five hours later, nearly 150,000 American, British, and Canadian troops hit the beaches at Normandy. 1,200 warships and over 4,000 landing ships from eight different navies support the invasion. Losses are heavy for both sides and 4,414 American and Allied soldiers die on "D-Day" - the first day of the largest amphibious operation in history.
1957: Two Navy F-8U "Crusaders" and two A-3D "Skywarriors" launch
(Excerpt) Read more at victoryinstitute.net ...
Interesting discussion about that here...
https://www.quora.com/Why-werent-U-S-Marines-deployed-to-the-Normandy-beaches-on-D-Day
They were a little busy at a place called Saipan.
I will never forget the first time I saw this scene. We were at a theater in Memphis and there were a group of Veterans sitting in the audience. I sit in awe and fear, yes fear it was one of the scariest movie scene I had ever watched mainly because it was so real, I remember the sounds of the bullets and felt like I should be on the floor. And later I was in awe because I had watch it with men who had lived through it in real life. Men who afterward were able to come home and live normal lives of work and raising families making this country better and stronger all while living with memories of something I could barely watch in a movie. How blessed this country is to have had men such as these live among us.
I think they were a little busy in the South Pacific.
The Marines were up to their necks in Japs in the Pacific theater.
I understand that the Army had a pretty substantial amphibious resume at this point, and the Marines certainly had no one to spare. I just wonder what difference - if any - there would have been with Marine advisors during the planning phase or execution.
Great minds think alike
Here is an article about Midway from U.S. Defense Watch
On the 75th Anniversary of Midway: The Leadership and Sacrifice that Secured Victory
http://usdefensewatch.com/2017/06/on-the-75th-anniversary-of-midway-the-leadership-and-sacrifice-that-secured-victory/
My bet would be that the Marines were at the table when Normandy was planned. If you look at what our guys were up against, it is a stroke of luck that we got anyone ashore at all and the invasion succeeded.
I have said many times...we could not pull of the Normandy invasion today. The news media and public would be berserk over the losses - 4400 men in one day. red
What I find most interesting is the battle of Midway in 1942 happened on the same day as D day in 1944. The two most significant operations of WWII as far as turning points.
Eisenhower did not want any Marines anywhere near Europe, even though some were on standby.
Oddly, for me, I freaked out at a completely different part of the movie.
I think I could have stormed Normandy, and lived or died with my comrades. I think I could have.
What got me, and I had to fight the urge to flee the theater and stay in my seat, was the scene of them cutting up at the little French village, waiting for their ambush, and then hearing the screech of metal on metal as the first rumblings of those German tanks approached.
Hearing the turrets screech over and over, hearing the engines get louder and louder, starting to hear German voices bark commands...
Meanwhile, you are just sitting waiting. Knowing what is coming but not being able to do much about it.
That part got me bad.
I was thinking the same thing.
FTA: “1918: Two battalions of Marines, led by Brig. Gen. James Harbord, advance against four German divisions in Belleau Wood, the site of an old French hunting preserve near Chateau-Thierry. The Marines face withering fire, with over 1,000 casualties in the first day of battle alone. In three weeks, the Marines drive out the Germans, but at a high cost; Enemy machine guns, artillery, and gas attacks inflict 10,000 American casualties. But the tenacity of the “Devil Dogs” at Belleau Wood becomes legend.”
This snippet raises lots of questions. Wikipedia has a pretty good account with details and key names.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood
Maybe it was God.
“I just wonder what difference - if any - there would have been with Marine advisors during the planning phase or execution.”
They were involved. Plus the Army had already invaded Africa, Sicily and Italy. Also the British had a good bit of amphibious experience as well.
The Holy Spirit.
I’m with you on that.
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