Posted on 06/05/2009 6:44:25 PM PDT by doug from upland
D-DAY - June 6, 1944: the greatest generation saved the world from the Nazis
dday dot org ^ | 6-5-07
Posted on 06/05/2007 8:57:58 AM PDT by doug from upland
D-Day: It is hard to conceive the epic scope of this decisive battle that foreshadowed the end of Hitler's dream of Nazi domination. Overlord was the largest air, land, and sea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944. The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and over 150,000 service men.
After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, for the Allied Forces, it all came down to this: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run, and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men (most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carrying eighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yards of beach before reaching the first natural feature offering any protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and bracketed by artillery, they found themselves in hell.
When it was over, the Allied Forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 were dead. Yet somehow, due to planning and preparation, and due to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of the Allied Forces, Fortress Europe had been breached.
After you have finished reviewing this site, return to this page and click the links below to find out more about D-Day.
My great-uncle Art was a nurse at a field hospital in England that cared for many of the casualties from the Normandy invasion. The courage of those men who willingly charged the gates of he!! to free a continent and protect their homeland is truly amazing.
D Day was a very important battle in WW II and of course should be honored but to say the Nazis lost it all on that day is to forget the real decisive battles in Russia that truly destroyed the bulk of the Wehrmacht. The Kursk salient probably being the most decisive of all.
When you think about it, it is really a sobering thought that those men charged into battle knowing that they would be more than likely be killed.
It wasn’t much different than the old “kneel in front of the enemy, fire and let the next line do the same” until we beat the enemy.
I had uncles and a father that fought in WWII. Some came back, some did not. One at Omaha. One at Anzio. One at Iwo Jima.
Very, very brave men.
My head will always be bowed to them.
Thanks for sharing this great story.
They were the greatest generation, and we will not see their likes again.
Only 52 per cent in the election didn’t realize the gift.
It is a hell that is almost unimaginable.
Incredible. Please share photos and a lengthy story.
I understand, but imagine if all the sacrifice at Normandy would have resulted in being totally pushed back. The consequences would have been very, very dire.
.
I had a webpage full once
Remember?
More than one, but one particular one I loved with tiny gifs. - long ago.
Hey, you know what I think of pukes who go to foreign countries to apologize for the imagined sins of this one. . . .
. . . .I think they should go tell those who did more than read teleprompters.
What a speech!
Until the second Front was established, the victory of Soviet Arms was not assured.
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul built in 1994-1995 to commemorate the Battle of Prokhorovka
Do you not have it anymore? My father was in the medical detachment of the 32 Armored Regiment and was at Normandy. He died when I was very young, and I’ve always wanted to find out about him and his unit. I couldn’t talk to him, and the building containing his military records burned.
Historic D-Day bump! bump! bump!
Thanks for that info.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.