D Day

[41chevy]

D-Day – Normandy

by Michael DiRienzo, Brooklyn, NY,

Battery A

On the morn of June 6th, the year 1944,

Destination Normandy, D-Day of the war.

The waters were still, the clouds were high,

All was quiet, not a bomber in the sky.

We jumped off our LST into waters knee deep,

Worn out and tired, we had no sleep.

Then all of a sudden, before we knew,

All Hell broke loose with the morning dew.

Shells and bombs all around, the enemy fixed and ready,

All over, men moved forward, a little scared, but steady.

The battle was rugged and one bloody mess,

All the heroes that were made, I know you will never guess!

Some of us were lucky, others were not,

But those who have died will never be forgot.

Everything was quiet now and silently we dug in,

Darkness was upon us, another day will soon begin.

Off into sleep, our minds were miles away,

Thinking of home and what people will say.

We have accomplished our mission, although not yet done,

There's still a long way to go before the war is won.

To all back home doing their share,

Keep up the good work for the boys over here.

A job is a job and it has to be done,

We are doing ours, strikers do none!

We don't ask for much from our folks in the USA,

All our hearts desire is one letter a day.....

Written right after the battle

NEVER FORGET!!!

Five For Fighting~Freedom Never Cries

Nothing on the news or from our esteemed leader. . .Pity.

[rw613]

YES this something that should never never be forgotten . should be taught in every grade in schoolhow soon we forget but how soon we will be reminded me and my family will never forget

[41chevy]

YES this something that should never never be forgotten . should be taught in every grade in schoolhow soon we forget but how soon we will be reminded me and my family will never forget

Every President has went to Normandy since 1945 ,except for 5 times....2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 disgraceful sure a show of disrespect.

[farmer52]

Every President has went to Normandy since 1945 ,except for 5 times....2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 disgraceful sure a show of disrespect.

I bet we can guess who that President is...

[rsb502]

Every President has went to Normandy since 1945 ,except for 5 times....2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 disgraceful sure a show of disrespect.

I am going to make this one post then I will have to ignore this thread or I will get a kind of mad few have seen in me. My grandfather was a gunner on a troop ship at Normandy and saw many going and coming both vertical and horizontal, he never spoke about what happened there rill his last few years as Im sure it made an indelible impression on him. I saw the same in Iraq and after I came home from members of all branches of the military, all the members of our armed forces deserve our gratitude no matter where or when they served and all great battle fields where men died to protect and defend those that could not should be places held in the highest regard. I have no words to descibe my utter discontent for someone that holds the office of commander in chief that thinks otherwise, or feels that they are too good or too busy to take the time to show their respect. To all those here on BMT that have served thank you and to your family members you can thank them for me, its not just the service member that sacrifices but their friends and family as well.

[mack mhe9]

Amen.

[Gmerrill0516]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Freedom is not free. Every American owes a debt of gratitude to every man who left his home and dedicated his existence to the creation and protection of this country. The very freedom to write these types of statements is a direct result of what those men have done. We honor them by remembering and by fighting for each and every individual freedom we enjoy. Every ounce of freedom we give up puts us one step closer to socialism, communism, and a dictatorial government worse than the one that we tossed out of here starting in the 1770's with muskets, bravery and shear determination. I fear that we do not live up to the gift we have been given and will toss it away like it is some meaningless concept that has gotten old and out of touch.

We must rally behind leaders who value the constitution, uphold the law, and enforce it equally, always, and as it is written. Selective enforcement, and treatment must be treated as a high crime and even treason. We are throwing away the right to vote and all that it once meant to be a citizen and are becoming the united caretakers of the third world at the expense of our children and all future generations...We need to think about the sustainability of our country at this point and wake up to the fact that we will not exist as the country we now know if we do not return to the rule of law and the will to enforce those laws that we have walked away from. It is a sad time and it makes me mad as hell. This is the only place I have seen any reference to D-day in any source of media. I'm proud to be associated with a group of guys who actually get it and care enough to say so.

God bless America!

[kscarbel]

D-Day, certainly history of bravery and sacrifice that must never be forgotten.

The D-Day casualty figures have been estimated at 10,000. A horrible loss of life in any regard. However, all considering, the event went largely in our favor, saving countless lives. Our ruses to deceive the enemy worked better than anyone could have hoped, helped by Hitler’s feeling of insecurity, erratic behavior and incompetence with battlefield tactics. Eisenhower successfully chanced sending the invasion fleet across in horrible weather, and the Germans made many mistakes. We indeed had a great deal of good fortune on that momentous day.

Hitler, Rommel, Rundstedt and members of the High Command thought the Allies would land at Calais, the narrowest distance between England and France. Their assumption was based on phony buildups of Allied troops in the English seaports opposite Calais. As a result, Rommel and Rundstedt positioned the bulk of their troops (15 infantry divisions) around Calais, while a smaller number was stationed 200 miles away near the Normandy beaches (deemed the unlikely landing location). The bulk of the panzer divisions were located north and east of the Seine River, where they were unavailable for counterattack in Normandy.

The Germans also incorrectly guessed that the invasion would come during May’s more favorable spring tides. But the landing never came. With the arrival of bad weather in the beginning of June, the Germans assumed the Allies would not cross the English Channel due to the high winds, rain and heavy seas.

In another stoke of luck, the man most crucial to the Germans on D-Day, Erwin Rommel, spent the driving to La Roche-Guyonan (the result of the Germans having lost air supremacy). Adding to our luck, the front-line German troops were leaderless as most of Rommel's army, corps, division, and some regimental commanders had traveled to a war game in Rennes.

For German field commanders at Normandy, the first minutes of the invasion brought alarm and confusion. The bad weather had interrupted German aerial and seaborne reconnaissance while the French resistance was actively cutting phone lines. Field commanders made urgent phone calls to their generals, who in turn phoned the German High Command. However their ranking officers were away, staying with Hitler at his Berchtesgaden retreat.

The Germans were never able to coordinate a counterattack and, most importantly, Rommel's plans for fighting the D-Day battle were never put into motion.

Another immense benefit to the Allies was Hitler's mistrust of his generals (and the generals’ mistrust of Hitler), which was incredibly damaging to the German command structure.

The only high level German military commander who responded correctly to D-Day was Field Marshal Rundstedt (a veteran officer ironically scorned by Hitler). Two hours before the seaborne landings began, he ordered the two reserve panzer divisions available for counterattack in Normandy (12th SS Panzer and Panzer Lehr) to head toward Caen. His intuitive judgment was that the airborne landings were on such a large scale that they could not be a mere deception and would have to be reinforced be a seaborne landing. And the only beach locations in Normandy suitable were on the Calvados and Cotentin coasts.

But the panzer divisions were under the control of the Supreme Command (OKW), so Rundstedt had to get approval. At 7:30am on D-Day, Rundstedt was informed the two divisions could not be committed until Hitler gave the order, and Hitler was still sleeping. Hitler slept until noon. This event alone saved thousands of lives.

Hitler didn’t give the order for the two panzer divisions to engage until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. And by then, the weather had improved allowing Allied fighters and bombers to provide air support over Normandy, forcing the panzers into hiding.

[Lmackattack]

My grandfather was to jump behind enemy lines near Normandy and cut of the Germans from reinforcing the beach. He cought the flu a week before d day. Unknown to him att he time that that may have been his true destiny. Instead he was sick in England and ended up helping out as a medic. I have all his old photos of gliders and other war birds that we're getting ready for the invasion.

I have so much respect for his generation...

[41chevy]

84superdog, my only reason for the mention of the C in C' s actions was it shows the disdain and and hatred of veterans and the freedoms, laws and values that we fought for. I did what I was asked when I was called up. I took my physical wounds and mental baggage and never complained. Now this administration "thanks" me by classifying me and other vets as "prohibited people" and "home grown terrorists"...can't "legally" own a weapon, singled out at airports because we did what was asked of us and that puts us on a "watch list"? This entire administration from the top to the local dogcatcher and the schools, have taken all that Americans have fought, sacrificed and died for over the last 237 years and made it all meaningless and sin full and not worthy of mention. I will let people know every chance I have. I do not meant to up set you, but We All fought for this right to state our opinions. Paul

[grayhair]

We owe a great deal to those who sacrificed so much. My father and all 3 uncles in WW2. Army, Navy, Air Force, one under Patton. Here is some patriot footage, a reminder that damn near bring tears to your eyes. Turn sound up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR7HPQM0Jgg

[Mike]

My dad landed today 69 years ago under easier conditions. He said the beach was cleaned up to help the moral of the countless GI's landing.

My Respect Goes Out to All that Served and Serves.

mike

[Lmackattack]

My dad landed today 69 years ago under easier conditions. He said the beach was cleaned up to help the moral of the countless GI's landing.

My Respect Goes Out to All that Served and Serves.

mike

Makes you wonder .....what if he had jumped on d day

? Would you be here today?

[mowerman]

Every President has went to Normandy since 1945 ,except for 5 times....2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 disgraceful sure a show of disrespect.

[2stacksuperdog]

Every President has went to Normandy since 1945 ,except for 5 times....2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 disgraceful sure a show of disrespect.

but hes the best person in the world , just ask these people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I79wUEqBdQc

[Vladislav]

I was in Normandy and saw that place. Going to be again. We Russians too thankful for opening the second front. It saved millions of soliders' lives and shortened the war in Europe.