FReeper Canteen ~ D-Day, June 6, 1944 ~ 06 June 2012

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ FReeper Canteen Presents ~

~ D-DAY, June 6, 1944 ~

NORMANDY INVASION

May 1944 had been chosen at the conference in Washington in May 1943 as the time for the invasion. Difficulties in assembling landing craft forced a postponement until June, but June 5 was fixed as the unalterable date by Eisenhower on May 17. As the day approached and troops began to embark for the crossing, bad weather set in, threatening dangerous landing conditions. After tense debate, Eisenhower and his subordinates decided on a 24-hour delay, requiring the recall of some ships already at sea. Eventually, on the morning of June 5, Eisenhower, assured by chief meteorologist James Martin Stagg of a break in the weather, announced, “O.K. We'll go.” Within hours an armada of 3,000 landing craft, 2,500 other ships, and 500 naval vessels—escorts and bombardment ships—began to leave English ports. That night 822 aircraft, carrying parachutists or towing gliders, roared overhead to the Normandy landing zones. They were a fraction of the air armada of 13,000 aircraft that would support D-Day.

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Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies' military
and family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

January 1944 meeting of Operation Overlord Commanders, General Eisenhower, Walter B. Smith, Omar Bradley, Arthur Tedder, Bernard Montgomery, Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Bertram Ramsay. The Eisenhower Presidential Library

GENERAL EISENHOWER’S MESSAGE SENT JUST PRIOR TO THE INVASION

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

D-DAY AIRBORNE AND BEACH ASSAULT

The Normandy beaches were chosen by planners because they lay within range of air cover, and were less heavily defended than the obvious objective of the Pas de Calais, the shortest distance between Great Britain and the Continent. Airborne drops at both ends of the beachheads were to protect the flanks, as well as open up roadways to the interior. Six divisions were to land on the first day; three U.S., two British and one Canadian. Two more British and one U.S. division were to follow up after the assault division had cleared the way through the beach defenses.

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LINKS

Leaders and Generals

Veteran’s Oral Histories

Combat Video

Interactive Charts & Maps

War Documents

Learning Activities

American Patrol

The Army Air Corps

G I Jive

A Fellow On A Furlough

A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

AIRBORNE MUSEUM HOUSES ONE-OF-A-KIND ARTIFACTS
THAT HONOR HISTORIC JUMP DURING D-DAY INVASION

SAINTE MERE EGLISE, France - This town loves paratroopers - in particular, American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne Divisions.

Phillip Myers of Saratoga Springs, a D-Day paratrooper with the 101st Airbourne Division, salutes during a D-Day survivors reunion June 4, 2011, in Colonie. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

It was those two divisions that liberated Sainte Mere Eglise June 7, 1944, making it the first town in France to be liberated during World War II.

To show their appreciation for the veterans, an Airborne Museum opened here in 1964. A non-profit organization, all proceeds go back into the museum to pay for upkeep, new exhibits or extensions. The money is also used to provide decorations and celebrations for the anniversary of D-Day, travel for veterans, and exhibitions outside France. A large donation was also made to The National World War II museum in New Orleans, La.

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Bugle Call Rag

Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree

Jeep Jockey Jump

Moonlight Serenade

Enlisted Men’s Mess

SOLDIERS PREP TO SUPPORT D-DAY CEREMONIES FOR
65TH ANNIVERSARY OF INVASION

Senior staff members of Task Force Normandy 65 pose in front of a German gun post at Pointe du Hoc, France. Task Force Normandy 65 is in France providing support and ceremonial command and control for the 65th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2009. Pointe du Hoc is the site of the 2nd Ranger Battalion's assault on a German stronghold during D-Day. Photo credit Sgt. Fay Conroy, 21st Theater Sustainment Command Public Affairs

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NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 and the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its ½ mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. On the Walls of the Missing in a semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial are inscribed 1,557 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.

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Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

[tomkow6]

HAPPY HUMP DAY, Edward!

[PROCON]

Morning Beachie!!

The school year is winding down and the seniors graduate on Saturday, good for them!! It's an outside ceremony, hope the weather cooperates.

Son-boy will be back in town in a few weeks, so it's baseball games and the beach!

Better fill up the coffee cup and hit it!

Have a grandocious day!

[PROCON]

Hiya Ma!

Excellent D-Day presentation, thanks so much!

[luvie]

Howwwwdy on this bright and shining hump day!
We have 20% rain promised...what are the odds! :)
Hope all of you Early Birds are having a nice calm day!
....and the day goes by quickly!
I'm off, so am just cruising through the morning!
Care to join me for tea/coffee?
((((hugs))))
Remember the many who died on D-Day
and how important that day was!
Prayers for the people in the embassy in Libya
who are under siege!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

On one morning in June...

[ConorMacNessa]

Good morning, Luv!

*HUGS*

How are you doing today?



Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. Getting some rain with some thunder here in Comanche OK. How’s it going for you this morning?

[luvie]

Howdy, Conor! (((hugs)))

I’m doing good, thanks! Just sitting here with a semi-cool breeze blowing...since I can have the doors open till it gets too hot. Just finished my tea...am going to have company (my MIL is on her way!) so need to get crackin’ soon! :)

[luvie]

Howdy, EGC! (((hugs)))

Good for you all getting some rain! We aren’t of course! My MIL is on her way from OKC and I hope she doesn’t run into any bad storms. There are some east of us where she needs to drive, but maybe not too bad....I hope.....

[mountainlion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVC4XdJ0r0

Higgins Boat.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, twelve...thanks for sharing your experiences, and that's really cool that you got to meet and talk with a WWII vet.

“I drove a Higgin’s boat”

We thank you, Sir, for your service to our country. And we thank your Dad, too, twelve.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, moonshot, and thanks for the great map of the landing forces.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, ML...((HUGS))....hope your rain has stopped.

Be careful as you drive from lesson to lesson. Have a good Wednesday!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Pro...((HUGS))

D-Day...a day we all need to remember.

Have a good Wednesday, maybe without rain.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...you and Bo have a great Wednesday.

How’s your weather looking?

[E.G.C.]

Well, we’ve just had a t-storm with heavy rain pass through. Was going to go to Sonic for supper but I think I’m going to wait and let the road dry up first.

[luvie]

Good idea, and the road should be dry by supper-time! :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, yarddog, for sharing your story...we thank your Dad for his service to our country.

[Perseverando]

the National D-Day Memorial

Welcome to the official site of the National D-Day Memorial. Located in Bedford, Virginia— the town suffering the highest per capita D-Day losses in the nation. The National D-Day Memorial honors the Allied forces that participated in the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 during World War II. With its stylized English Garden, haunting invasion tableau, and striking Victory Plaza, the Memorial stands as a powerful permanent tribute to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of D-Day participants. Surrounded by the beautiful majestic Blue Ridge mountains, this makes for a solemn and respectful tribute for our fallen heroes.

Visitors can expect both an educational experience as well as an emotional one, as they walk the grounds at the Memorial and leave with a clear understanding of the scale and sacrifices made during the largest amphibious landing the world has ever seen. On June 6, 1944, 150,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 ships and 11,000 aircraft supported the invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in France. The D-Day cost was high with more than 9,000 Allied soldiers killed or wounded as the march across Europe to defeat Hitler began.

The Memorial is supported by contributions to the National D-Day Memorial Foundation a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Rushing in....good afternoon, beachy...((HUGS))

Rushing back to work....check corrections being made for check printing this afternoon.