FReeper Canteen ~ D-Day, June 6, 1944 ~ 06 June 2016

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

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ 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.

Click for the rest of the story

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.

Click for the rest of the story

LINKS

Leaders and Generals

Veteran’s Oral Histories

Combat Video

Interactive Charts & Maps

War Documents

Learning Activities

CHANCE MEETING BRINGS CAVALRY SERGEANT FACE-TO-FACE WITH D-DAY VETERAN

Sgt. 1st Class Steve Selvage of the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment gets an autograph from 91-year-old D-Day survivor Ralph Manley in Sainte Mere Eglise, France, June 1. The two met while Selvage was in town to participate in events commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

Click for the rest of the story

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.

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.

The rest of the story

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. 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

Click for the rest of the story

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.

Click for the rest of the story

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

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Sounds like you’ve had a darn good weekend with both your daughter and son!

It looks like we’ll have decent weather tomorrow so I can get out to do a little weeding and such. Durn weeds have sprung up in the flower beds after the rain we’ve had.
But we’re happy we got it!

Hope your day’s a good one tomorrow.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good picture, smokingfrog...thanks.

[luvie]

We did too. It was a wonderful show and I also have all the long-play albums. Marvelous music!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting as we remember those who have given their all that we may gather safe and secure.

[luvie]

it’s funny how even tempered my two kitties seem to be. I’d never know that there WAS a moon! LOL!

No funnel cake! I was SO tempted, but I couldn’t even finish my grilled cheese sammich! I WILL have one though...even if I have to skip the meal and go right straight to dessert! LOL!

[MEG33]

Indeed.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Proud Marine Mom....happy 25th birthday to your “born on D-Day” twins.

Hope your Marine is doing well.

[radu]

Some of ours are nice and laid back. I wish they were all like Cooper, who’s one of the coolest of the bunch. Doesn’t cause any problems.

And then there are others, like Moogly, Miller, and brat Lily, who love to stir things up and they’re REAL good at it. LOL!

Yeah, skipping the meal seems to be the way to eat one of those funnel cakes! They look filling.

When I get one, I’ll have to eat it there rather than bring it home. Strawberries are a must and it would be cold-hearted to eat them in front of Hubby. They tear him up but he loves them and will eat them if they’re in front of him.

[Excellence]

Thanks, Kathy.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Janey...((HUGS)...did you have a good family weekend? BBQ? Hiking?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, henkster, for stopping in.

[Kathy in Alaska]

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

God Bless you good, Mac. *HUGS* Good night and rest well.
Thanks for helping honor our troops, past and present.
Thank you for your service to our country.

[luvie]

I feel for your hubby....they don’t like me either, but the caramel one sounds pretty yummy! :)

[radu]

Hubby would be happy enough with the hot fudge since he loves anything chocolate but it would still get to him seeing me shovel the strawberries down my gullet.

Why is it we reeeeeeeeeeeeally want the things we can’t eat? LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Mayor...thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Have a great Monday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

What Does The “D” in D-Day Mean?

This is the most frequently asked question by visitors to The National WWII Museum. Many people think they know the answer: designated day, decision day, doomsday, or even death day.

Our answer, like many answers in the field of history, is not so simple. Disagreements between military historians and etymologists about the meaning of D-Day abound. Here are just two explanations:

In Stephen Ambrose’s D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II, he writes,
Time magazine reported on June 12 [1944] that “as far as the U.S. Army can determine, the first use of D for Day, H for Hour was in Field Order No. 8, of the First Army, A.E.F., issued on Sept. 20, 1918, which read, ‘The First Army will attack at H-Hour on D-Day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St. Mihiel salient.’” (p. 491)

In other words, the D in D-Day merely stands for Day. This coded designation was used for the day of any important invasion or military operation. For military planners (and later historians), the days before and after a D-Day were indicated using plus and minus signs: D-4 meant four days before a D-Day, while D+7 meant seven days after a D-Day.

In Paul Dickson’s War Slang, he quotes Robert Hendrickson’s Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins,

Many explanations have been given for the meaning of D-Day, June 6, 1944, the day the Allies invaded Normandy from England during World War II. The Army has said that it is “simply an alliteration, as in H-Hour.” Others say the first D in the word also stands for “day,” the term a code designation. The French maintain the D means “disembarkation,” still others say “debarkation,” and the more poetic insist D-Day is short for “day of decision.” When someone wrote to General Eisenhower in 1964 asking for an explanation, his executive assistant Brigadier General Robert Schultz answered: “General Eisenhower asked me to respond to your letter. Be advised that any amphibious operation has a ‘departed date’; therefore the shortened term ‘D-Day’ is used.” (p.146)

Brigadier General Schultz reminds us that the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 was not the only D-Day of World War II. Every amphibious assault—including those in the Pacific, in North Africa, and in Sicily and Italy—had its own D-Day.

The National WWII Museum’s exhibitions explore the history of the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the D-Day invasions in the Pacific. Expansion plans are currently underway to triple the size of the Museum in the coming years.

The National WWII Museum
945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
www.nationalww2museum.org

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro...a day that needs to be remembered.

[luvie]

Ah...temptation! The devil’s ploy! LOL!

Gotta get some sleep...see ya next time! :)

[radu]

Indeed! And sooooo much temptation there. It’s all good!

Good night and sleep well. Have a good Monday!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Biggirl, for helping honor our troops.