OMAHA BEACH – The June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France was unprecedented in scale and audacity, using the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to punch a hole in Adolf Hitler's defenses in western Europe and change the course of World War II.
With veterans and world dignitaries gathering in Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landings, here's a look at some details about how the operation unfolded.
Heres my D-Day story. My father landed on the beach on 9 June. He was riding with his headquarters company in the 5th Armored Division. I have his DD214 so a bit of his history while serving. Like most if you were not killed or wounded you stayed the entire time, as he did. I have a few of his snap shots and a box of all kinds of letters, newspapers, booklets of his time during the war. He was killed in 1969, I was 11, so we did not have the time for me to ask deep questions about his time in the war.
ReplyDeleteSaber 7
Thanks for sharing...
DeleteNope. More at Okinawa. But I’m glad I didn’t have to go to either one.
DeleteRagnar
American soldiers took Normandy. Took em about eighty couple days. Monty the twerp was stopped at Caen just a few miles from the beach. America took Cherbourg, the port, and most of Normandy while Monty sat on his ass. Hell, the allies had to stop moving east and headed North just to take what was in front of Monty. Ike knew Monty was a piece of shit and before the Germans kicked his ass and flanked us Ike destroyed Caen with American bombers. Monty didn't take Caen, it was destroyed by America. He simply marched in pretty much unopposed.
ReplyDeleteI know some things about D-Day but not as much as I would like to know
ReplyDeleteA plethora of outstanding books are at your fingertips, me dear. It's a marvelous tale, and true.
DeleteSixth day of the sixth year of the sixth month of the war.
ReplyDeleteFun Fact: James Arness, Gunsmoke's Matt Dillion landed at Anzio Beach in January 1944. At 6'7", he was the first man ordered off the landing craft to make sure it was shallow enough for the rest of the men.
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