June 6, 75th Anniversay of WWII D-Day Invasion

[DonLever]

It seems like only yesterday but it is June 6 is the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Europe.   It marked the beginning of the end of Hitler's Nazi regime.   Hitler did not know it yet, but he will be gone within the year.   While Germany expected an allied invasion, they were completely fooled as to where the actual landing will occur.   This was the days before satellites of course.   As a result the failure of Germany to concentrate their forces in one area allow the Allies to gain a foot hold in Europe.

 

Even so, the first wave of soldiers ashore on the beaches of Normandy face heavy casualties as many were cut down by German bullets.   Various Hollywood movies like The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan depict what happened but  make believe is never the same as the real thing.   It was horrific, the beaches of Normandy flowed with blood.   Soldiers during the assault saw their friends and comrades cut down beside them.  It was really a matter of luck not to get killed or wounded during the first few hours.

 

During the last few days, survivors of D-Day told their stories on TV.  Some recalled the events as though it happened yesterday.  All of them hope war never happens again.

They are all in their nineties now.  One person was 98.   In a few years most of the WWII veterans will pass on.   By the 80th anniversary of D-Day, only a handful of WWII veterans will be around.  

 

[-AJ-]

Lest we forget. So grateful for those who serve.

[JC2]

My grandfather was there and thankfully was not on the first wave but none the less was very fortunate to survive. I never met him as he died before I was born but according to my dad he was very hush about the war. He never saw glory in it, just something that had to be done. My dad was shown a picture of himself and his squad, he was the only one who survived.

[Guest]

We think of this day as one of the most, if not the most, important day of WWII. Yet, so many families were torn apart on this day. All the death, blood and gore, the knowledge of never being able to see your son/daughter/father/mother ever again. So many deaths. I find it ironic that the most important days in history are so horrible. 

 

I’m so grateful that we have these people to thank. 

[thedestroyerofworlds]

I had a great-uncle who was a tail-gunner and was shot down over Belgium.  He hid out in a barn, but eventually had to turn himself in as it was too dangerous for the family that was hiding him.  He spent the latter part of the war in a POW camp and came back skin and bones for a guy that was just over 6 feet tall.  Both of my grandfathers were not allowed to serve.  My late grandfather kept his refusal letter folded up in his wallet for the rest of his life.

[smithers joe]

my brother fought in sicily. never talked about the war but 12 years after coming back shell shocked said, the last thing he remembered was being in a foxhole with his best friend. he turned a way for a moment and when he looked back, his friends head had been blown off his shoulders. he ended up being evacuated from dunkirk. 

[Ghostsof1915]

8 minutes ago, smithers joe said:

my brother fought in sicily. never talked about the war but 12 years after coming back shell shocked said, the last thing he remembered was being in a foxhole with his best friend. he turned a way for a moment and when he looked back, his friends head had been blown off his shoulders. he ended up being evacuated from dunkirk. 

My Dad was in Korea with the Signal Corps. He never talked much out being over there. Just the funny stories. I think he saw and heard too much. 

Hats off to the ones to fought against tyranny and fascism. Sadly it seems our world today both of those and ignorance seems to be on the rise. 

Thanks boys.

 

 

[Gnarcore]

My grandpa was wounded at Vimy Ridge in WW1 and guarded Japanese at internment camps for WW2. I believe my great uncle (grandma's brother mom's side) was at Juno. Someone was was..foggy on details. I went there when in France twice. The Canadian war museum at St Malo is something to see if there. 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Gnarcore

[smithers joe]

i’ve never been to normandy, but all my french ancestors are from there. rouen.

[redhdlois]

Change the anthem back.   These young men fought for our freedom.....(some) people nowadays have no idea how fortunate they are. 

[King Heffy]

Grandfather fought in the war but didn't like to talk about it and passed before I was born.  We are all incredibly lucky that his generation was willing to do what needed to be done for far too little in return.  We can never repay the debt; the best we can do is ensure such a horrific event doesn't happen again.

[NewbieCanuckFan]

I want Ben Affleck to produce a film about the Juno beach portion of the D-Day battle.  It'll only involve the US armed forces with a little blurb about Canada's involvement in the ending credits.

Edited June 6, 2019 by NewbieCanuckFan

[BabychStache]

My grandfather served in the US Navy in WW2. He was a mechanic. He was part of DDay. His job was to remove the landing craft for more to land. 

 

“The sea was red, the air stale, but the determination was there.”

 

He then followed the front line all the way to Germany. 1 day behind to repair equipment. Incredible stories. 

[Gnarcore]

3 hours ago, smithers joe said:

i’ve never been to normandy, but all my french ancestors are from there. rouen.

Been twice...first time was 15 years old and was wearing a team canada jersey. I got a lot of thank yous and free lunch from old timers.  This was back in 1994. 

 

I went back in my early 20s to spend more time. It's an amazing area.  

[riffraff]

When I was 19 I visited Dieppe where my dads dad fought.  

Edited June 6, 2019 by riffraff

[falcon45ca]

T'was a good war, quite possibly the only war with any moral compass in the last few centuries.

 

I do wonder tho, how would the anniversary be celebrated if the parties were inverted?

[Violator]

On 6/5/2019 at 1:25 PM, smithers joe said:

my brother fought in sicily. never talked about the war but 12 years after coming back shell shocked said, the last thing he remembered was being in a foxhole with his best friend. he turned a way for a moment and when he looked back, his friends head had been blown off his shoulders. he ended up being evacuated from dunkirk. 

Your brother was a d-day dodger then?

[Tortorella's Rant]

Amazing to think how those guys found the courage to storm beaches with a heavily entrenched enemy and jump out of exploding planes with flak cannon fire all about. Davos Seaworth put it best: paraphrasing - I go for long walks the eve before battle so people I can't see that I'm $&!#ting my guts out. I would be too knowing what awaits. 

[Boudrias]

My dad was RCAF bomber mechanic. Spent about 16 months in England. Worst job was cleaning the body parts out of aircraft before they could start working on them. He never talked much about it. He had. 2/ 50 cal bullets I got to keep. 

 

We we were in a local restaurant when I was a kid. There was a fellow at a table talking to a bowl of soup, looked drunk to me. As we passed him on the way out my Dad clapped him on the back and said how’s it going Frankie. I asked my Dad who he was and Dad said one of the bravest men I know. That’s it. When I mentioned his name to Mom she told me Frankie was a bomber pilot from  the war.

 

I was at Juno Beach in October and at the Benny Sur Mere Cemetary. Truly humbling experience. It brought tears to my eyes.

[smithers joe]

4 hours ago, Boudrias said:

My dad was RCAF bomber mechanic. Spent about 16 months in England. Worst job was cleaning the body parts out of aircraft before they could start working on them. He never talked much about it. He had. 2/ 50 cal bullets I got to keep. 

 

We we were in a local restaurant when I was a kid. There was a fellow at a table talking to a bowl of soup, looked drunk to me. As we passed him on the way out my Dad clapped him on the back and said how’s it going Frankie. I asked my Dad who he was and Dad said one of the bravest men I know. That’s it. When I mentioned his name to Mom she told me Frankie was a bomber pilot from  the war.

 

I was at Juno Beach in October and at the Benny Sur Mere Cemetary. Truly humbling experience. It brought tears to my eyes.

what was it like there? did you take any pictures? most of my ancestors were from ruoen in normandy. my brother fought in sicily and was evacuated from dunkirk.