74 years ago today on June 6th 1944, Real heroes landed on Omaha beach among the first boats to land was one carrying a young private named Horace Franks. He was wounded when a Nazi shell hit his landing craft head on and caused it to founder. Despite losing a leg in the shell hit, he managed to get out of his overlord pack and make it to the beach, and laid at the tide line, exhausted, and burned. 1974 a much older Horace told the story of the heroes that day, and his young grandson said "Grandpa you are a hero to." to which Horace replied "No son I was a casualty the heroes were men like Thomas Breedin that were pulling us out of the water and getting shot to pieces more often than not." Grandpa might not have been a hero in his mind, but he sure was in mine and a major influence throughout my life. From my time in the service and most of the steps into the present. I Salute all of those brave heroes that landed on D day, no matter which beach they landed on. I Salute and mourn those who gave all in defeating one of the greatest evils that this world has ever known. Every single person that landed in Normandy on this day 74 years ago is a hero the way I see it.
I've been to Omaha, spent a few days there, and a good long week in the area, and if you could see it then the first words out of your mouth would be, "How in the Hell did they do this?" 4000 men in just a couple of hours, a human slaughter house... Luck, training, guts or just 'do or die', we'll never know but planning wise, it was a complete failure which was stamped paid in full. God Bless'em!
Definetly our greatest generation. Was at my monthly meeting at my Legion Post last night , and we've got 1 WW11 veteran that still comes out , when he can. We gave him a standing ovation last night , humble fellow , said he was 97 years old. It makes me so sad to know these worthless ass kids today don't have a bit of respect for that generation. All that knowledge and history will probably be lost forever soon after my generation is gone. Maybe another 15 years,,,,,,
I wish that these folks that throw the Nazi label around had the first clue what a real Nazi was. Damn shame where this Country is heading and it looks like a pretty long drop off the cliff the younger generations are seemingly so easily herded to. But hey we are just a bunch of old Fs trying to hold them back and keep them down
That's what happens when you take away their candy or pacifier and make them responsible for their own comfort and security. That personal responsibility thing is a real PITA, but also a great motivator one way or another. My Grandfather served in the Navy WWI, My Father (Army Air Corps) and Uncle (Navy) in WWII, the family missed Korea, but I got to serve in the Navy during the Viet Nam era, My Son went in country in the first wave with the 3rd Marine Air Wing Communications Squadron during Operation Iraqi Freedom. What I did pales in comparison to that which the Greatest Generation overcame to fight an enemy and later build a country that would be better than the one they grew up in. A country free from war with opportunity for everyone, a country where you could own a home, afford a car, and raise a family without starving in the process, a country where the government provided 12 years of free quality education for those who want to learn. They suffered through the Great Depression, WWI, and WWII. Many sacrificed through those times on and off the battlefields. Today some feel they are owed something. They don't realize they live in a country with the greatest possibility for individual opportunity on the planet, and if they don't think that is true; they are free to leave any time.
I recently told a Millennial the same thing, who called me a Nazi after reading some of my "conservative political views". Young punk, wet behind the ears kid. Has no clue. I wonder if they will become more conservative in their views, as they age? Or, will they simply stay ignorant and want the government to continue to support their lazy a55es?
hmmm... not to take anything away from anyone but sometimes we need to look further back... helps us understand who we were at one time and points out just how much we have changed... I guess? 100 Years Ago, US Marines Helped Turn the Tide of World War I
Although Australians' contributions to the D-Day landings were numerically small (most were involved in operations in the South Pacific theatres at that stage of the war), their involvement was none the less substantial. There are also Australian war graves in the Normandy battlefields. Australian contribution to the Battle of Normandy - Wikipedia
You can go even farther back to the Revolution where a small number pledged everything they had with no guarantee of success, to fight the best army/navy in the world and if they lost they'd be hanged as traitors - to found the greatest nation ever. I agree that the little snots of today haven't a clue as to ALL of the greatest generations that have come before their selfish lazy ignorant selves.
NEVER FORGET! There were a huge number of American and allied personal directly involved in the D-Day landings and all the others who never get the credit they deserve! A huge shout out to the U.S.C.G. who were right in the thick of every operation, from American very first engagements to present day operations! It was the Coasties who did the loading and unloading of ships and supplies men and materials in every port and every operation, even under fire! It was the Coasties who handled the vast amount of transport logistics for every naval movement and landing operation, and the Coasties who handled the marshalling of troups on D-Day! The Coasties are often disrespected when folks are talking war stories, never credited with their time and sacrifices, and major contributions to any efforts, SAD! Let us remember those of the U.S.C.G! land of the free because of the brave!
@Ura-Ki "...and all the others who never get the credit they deserve! A huge shout out to the U.S.C.G." Hell Ura-ki, there are lots that never get mention, like the Merchant Marine/Navy. I did 6 years in the Netherlands and met an old geezer there that got caught at sea when the Germans invades so his vessel and him were confiscated by the Brits and according to him he spent the entire war at sea going here and there. I didn't believe him until I got talking to some American WW2 Merchant sailors and they also did the same, a couple days ashore as they took on provisions and fuel and back at it. And, the women ferry pilots that ferried the aircraft to deployment locations. Or the Seabees building airstrips and etc. while under fire...on and on and on. The entire country was involved and they all did their part. And, THAT is what should happen each and every time we deploy troops to some damn-if-I-know location, the entire nation should feel it, be put on a war footing, or suffer a war tax or something instead of just turning off the 6 o'clock news.
Most don't even know, but the Coasties were actively engaged in ship to ship fighting in all sorts of water craft, including all four polar class icebreaker destroyers, 3 of which were transfered to the Russians to keep the ArkAngle area open, as well as the eastern Baltic! They also actively tracked and engaged German "E-Boats" and spy craft in and around the north sea shipping routes! They manned search aircraft along side both British and American Naval personal to deal out and destroy German U-Boats! They also modified old tramp steamers and coastal tramps into formidable gun boats in disguise and accompanied the merchant ships across the Atlantic, and they provided the man power for defensive systems aboard the transport ships! Over 3400 coast guardsmen lost their lives fighting in WW2! That's just the Atlantic operations! Most folks don' have any clue just how big a contribution the Coasties made to the war efforts! Bandit99, your absolutely correct, the entire nation was involved, here at home and over seas, and even fighting along side regular troups at times of need! He'll, the Queen of England was involved in several areas, even an anti aircraft gunner at one point! There were also many times American workers donated their time on the job, on the clock, but unpaid, to produce war materials as a effort to save some expenses, this includes entire aircraft, merchant ships, tanks, and various other weapons! Entire cities would get involved, and even have competitions to see who could do something faster, or cheaper! We were a completey different country during WW2, and we have never been even close to that since then! Look at what happens during Vietnam! Totally screwed up and twisted, and an embarrassment to those who were a part of the Greatest Generation that came before!
"Look at what happens during Vietnam!" Yes, but we're talking apples vs. oranges. In WW2 the nation was fighting for survival, especially in the beginning. In Vietnam, it was totally different. There was no declared war by either side. It was nothing more than the U.S. saying we will support this dictator because we like him and we got lots of troops and guns and money to keep him in power. And, year after year, we continued and instead of trying to end the war by offensive action, invasion on the North (which might have brought the Chinese into play, just like Korea) we continued a war of attrition which wasn't enough to win so 10 years later, with 58,000 dead and 500,000 casualties, we just left. This has to be one of the greatest political/diplomatic plunders in modern history. I mean, it makes no sense no matter how you try to explain it. I thought we had learned our lesson but here we are in the 21st century and we're still doing the same crap. And, we wonder why the world hates us? And, we wonder why Americans will not support their government and more and more despise their government? American Foreign Policy is nothing more than giving bags full of money to bribe countries to get our way and if that don't work then we send in G.I. Jane/Joe and fill the skies with F-35s, no matter the cost, while people back stateside can't even afford to see a doctor. I truly believe that Vietnam started us on the decline and nothing has change...not a damn thing.
