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Thanks for posting Jim. They are planning a big ceremony for next year. The CAF will be there big time. They have restored the lead C47 of the invasion. It is called That's All Brother. I am coming off the cuff here which is dangerous but I believe it was something like 800 C47's and 13.000 troops dropped into France. Those were some really brave souls.
Eric, I've told this story 100 x on CO but I'm gonna tell it again. I had an uncle who as and engineer landed with the 1st wave on Omaha Beach. he survived, married raised a family had a successful career BUT He never went back to any beach. No Daytona, No Panama City No place that had sand and surf IMHO that says alot about what happened that day
If you have never visited there in person, it is worth the trip. Some of the Mulberries have lasted all these years and are still visible. Some German 155 mm cannon are still in the bunkers. But, the fields of grave markers are the most moving….
if you have never visited there in person, it is worth the trip. Some of the mulberries have lasted all these years and are still visible. Some german 155 mm cannon are still in the bunkers. But, the fields of grave markers are the most moving….
x 2 Point du Hoc is unbelievable what those men did
Eric, I've told this story 100 x on CO but I'm gonna tell it again. I had an uncle who as and engineer landed with the 1st wave on Omaha Beach. he survived, married raised a family had a successful career BUT He never went back to any beach. No Daytona, No Panama City No place that had sand and surf IMHO that says alot about what happened that day
This quote by George Santayana has always stuck with me:
"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
I had an uncle who as and engineer landed with the 1st wave on Omaha Beach.
Jim - The first wave @ Omaha Beach was Operation Neptune (Northern France, Normandy Beach) - entirely possible your Uncle may have been in my Dad's boat. My Dad served as B1c on USS Anne Arundel (AP-76). He drove one of those LC (don't think it was a Higgins but similar). His 1st landing on D-Day was 0640 [1st wave] - he transported troops seven times that morning from AP-76 (I'm looking at the letter he wrote to his Mom [my grandmother] the following day). On one trip he ran into a mine and it blew his *** 15' out of the water - none of the men in his craft were injured. Here's what Dad told me as I was growing up "Norm, it was like nothing I had ever seen before. With each run into the beach the shoreline turned more & more red until the end of my last run when the beach was completely red." The very next day they headed back to England (7 June) to take on more cargo & troops. They then set sail for Southern France via Algeria, Oran & Naples, Italy. On 15 August, they arrived at Baie de Pampelonneon (Southern France) where he performed the same thing on the beach in Southern France. He landed troops & supplies at two different beaches in France along Normandy (D-Day Operation Neptune) & Operation Dragoon. He received medals for three different WWII Naval campaigns - (European, Mediterranean, and Philippines). I always asked him how he held up he always replied "It was my job". He survived to marry and raise three sons. RIP Dad.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Jun 6, 2023 at 03:44 PM.
Reason: sp
I bought this car from a Navy vet that signed up in 64. Did his time then signed up for more because he cared. Had a layover in Grand Junction Colorado. This car was on the showroom floor. Alfons Welz peace to you . Everyone that made us US
Jim - The first wave @ Omaha Beach was Operation Neptune (Northern France, Normandy Beach) - entirely possible your Uncle may have been in my Dad's boat. My Dad served as B1c on USS Anne Arundel (AP-76). He drove one of those LC (don't think it was a Higgins but similar). His 1st landing on D-Day was 0640 [1st wave] - he transported troops seven times that morning from AP-76 (I'm looking at the letter he wrote to his Mom [my grandmother] the following day). On one trip he ran into a mine and it blew his *** 15' out of the water - none of the men in his craft were injured. Here's what Dad told me as I was growing up "Norm, it was like nothing I had ever seen before. With each run into the beach the shoreline turned more & more red until the end of my last run when the beach was completely red." The very next day they headed back to England (7 June) to take on more cargo & troops. They then set sail for Southern France via Algeria, Oran & Naples, Italy. On 15 August, they arrived at Baie de Pampelonneon (Southern France) where he performed the same thing on the beach in Southern France. He landed troops & supplies at two different beaches in France along Normandy (D-Day Operation Neptune) & Operation Dragoon. He received medals for three different WWII Naval campaigns - (European, Mediterranean, and Philippines). I always asked him how he held up he always replied "It was my job". He survived to marry and raise three sons. RIP Dad.
What a story of those brave brave men..Thank you for sharing.. to many don’t recall or dont give this act its rightful place. Thank you for sharing…
My dad is a WW2 vet (didn't go overseas). Lost an uncle in Guaglene (SP) in the pacific. All wars are terrific, WW2, that was among the worst ever...Tedd
If you interested in reading an eye opener about D Day experiences try Belton Cooper’s book “Death Traps”. It is about the Sherman M4 called Ronsons by German tank crews. Cooper was a head person in the group that recovered the shot up tanks, repaired them and cleaned out the remains of the crews. So many dedicated tank crews were lost that infantry troops were selected on the spot, given a few driving lessons right behind the lines and sent into battle. They never told next crews that their newly refurbished and painted tanks were ones from which the guts of the prior crew were just shoveled out. They called those tanks ones that were “brewed up.” This is against the back drop of the troops being told that the Sherman was the best tank in the world. German tank shells would go in one side and exist the other. The Brits finally added the 17 pounder gun sideways in some to make the Firefly. After that, they finally got some offense but still lacked adequate defensive armor.
