D-Day, I find it hare to imagine two things

[Peter Gunn]

1) The incredible bravery and commitment to free the world from tyranny, I cannot fathom what it took for kids that were soda jerks, mechanics, gas pump jockeys etc. to do this. For the American Australian, New Zealand, Canadian troops, all the allied nations to leave our comfortable shores for foreign battlefields to join their brothers in arms from the United Kingdom so that we may bask in the sunlight of freedom, even 75 years later. That's a debt that we still reap the benefits from to this day. I know many of us had relatives and even fathers there, so to the soldiers sailors and airmen of the Great Crusade -


2) As a kid I remember watching a special on TV with President Eisenhower on the 20th anniversary of the invasion. Man... not only feeling old today, but totally question some days how I measure up to my father and his generation. Really feel I come up short.

 

[vikingBerserker]

They really were the greatest generation.

 

[salutewwii]

VERY well said........

 

[Gregory Guiteras]

1) The incredible bravery and commitment to free the world from tyranny, I cannot fathom what it took for kids that were soda jerks, mechanics, gas pump jockeys etc. to do this. For the American Australian, New Zealand, Canadian troops, all the allied nations to leave our comfortable shores for foreign battlefields to join their brothers in arms from the United Kingdom so that we may bask in the sunlight of freedom, even 75 years later. That's a debt that we still reap the benefits from to this day. I know many of us had relatives and even fathers there, so to the soldiers sailors and airmen of the Great Crusade -


2) As a kid I remember watching a special on TV with President Eisenhower on the 20th anniversary of the invasion. Man... not only feeling old today, but totally question some days how I measure up to my father and his generation. Really feel I come up short.

 

[Gregory Guiteras]

As a seven year-old kid, I remember my mom's excitement on a phone call from my dad who was stationed at Camp Barkley, near Abilene, TX. He was telling her that the Allies had stormed the shores of Normandy, and that the war would soon be over. He was a little off on his prediction...

 

[buffnut453]

For me, this is one of the best photos of today's commemorations. A 94 year-old veteran who repeated his parachute drop from 75 years ago. The smiles say it all:

Some of that generation continue to put many of us to shame for their courage and get-up-and-go!!!

 

[special ed]

I had an instructor at USAFA in 1960 and when asked about his flying in WW2 told us at 18 in 1940 he left home for Canada to join the RCAF. He told us the bus stopped at the border and he and another had to walk across and reboard the bus. What Britain needed most then was bomber pilots so that was how he was trained. They went by troopship to Britain and at the dock a Sargent told them the paperwork missed the ship, so bomber pilots line up here and fighter pilots over here. He said only three of them lined up as fighter pilots. He flew eleven missions in Hurricanes and just transitioned to Spitfires and flew two missions when upon landing he was told to report to the CO. He flew 25 Wellington missions and had just begun the first two of a second 25 when the brass told him the AAF was making it difficult for them because he refused transfer back to US forces. His problem was, in Canada he signed away his US citizenship to Join The RCAF. It was explained that all that had been taken care of so he transferred to USAAF. Instead of combat, he was sent home to be an instructor.

 

[GreenKnight121]

For me, this is one of the best photos of today's commemorations. A 94 year-old veteran who repeated his parachute drop from 75 years ago. The smiles say it all:

View attachment 540741

Some of that generation continue to put many of us to shame for their courage and get-up-and-go!!!

Here's one 3 years older: 97-year-old former paratrooper makes another jump 75 years after D-Day

 

[bbear]

They really were the greatest generation.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

Next year these same guys will have to account for how they treated the German and Japanese people. That will be much harder for some of them and for all of us. I say this because I agree with you.. i sincerely hope some one is looking out for these guys in that way. German Government??

Huh??

 

[bbear]

Huh??

thanks, post deleted. off topic and some . . .

Put it this way. I can see the press and maybe politicians and even some brass hats going on to "Remembrance Commercialise" the liberation of Paris, Netherlands, Belgium. But I can't see the flags, speeches etc when it's the 75th Anniversary of Dreseden, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Berlin. I don't see a lot of offers for free parachute drops on Arnhem, around Wesel. (9th Airborne sitting ducks) or any brass hat making a good account of Monte Cassino or the sinking of the Cap Arcona. Nor for any of the last days of war. No, my worry is that on those days the boys they put on camera here and all their buddies and the surviving civilans are going have to cope alone, to get dropped off the guest lists, covered up - again.

Just 'huh' me again and I'll delete this too - it was a nice day and I'm glad these two had a chance to go again.

huh?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

What are you talking about? lol

 

[bbear]

I felt that this was a bit abusive of the vets. Because the fuss won't be made of their contemporaries who for example were on the Dresden rasid. It's always a tension but this year more than most. But that's just me. My Dad had bad memoreies and maybe that's why I react as I did.

Off topic, I think. Thus deletion.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Honoring them is abusing them?

All vets are honored, all operations are honored, but D-Day sort of stands out as the greatest sea-land invasion of all times. It's a really big deal.

I think you are overthinking it a bit. Just my humble opinion.

 

[bbear]

Honoring them is abusing them. I think it's possible . : In the day "success stories", for example, crews finishing their tour of duty were honored and used to one degfree or another to sell war bonds. That didn't always sit well with them. Didn't always do them good.

Anyone young or old can get taken in by a press circus.

Overlord D -Day was a massive deal. But the civilians were being liberated, not invaded. That makes a massive difference.

I may well be overthinking it. I just hope someone in authority is thinking one year ahead.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I'm honestly confused. Maybe I am misunderstanding you. How is honoring our brave soldiers abusing them?

 

[XBe02Drvr]

As a kid I remember watching a special on TV with President Eisenhower on the 20th anniversary of the invasion. Man... not only feeling old today, but totally question some days how I measure up to my father and his generation. Really feel I come up short.

I remember that TV special, too, and remember thinking how much greater a man Ike was than the then current occupant of 1600 Penn Ave.
And forget about "measuring up". It's no contest. The "ME!" generation and the "greatest" (and humblest) generation aren't even in the same league, never mind the same ballpark. They set the world to rights and we trashed it.
(no cheers),
Wes

 

[bbear]

If they didn't realise that soime of their contemporaries will not receive the same honors, the same attention,, the same unqualified approval they may well feel abused rather than honored. You say "All vets are honored, all operations are honored" by you perhaps, I certainly think so, that is myu experience of you. This site definitely does and consistently. (part of why I like it here)

But honestly - in the world outside - you will have come across press articles that do explain Dresden and all the context. Likewise you will see some who allegate "war criminal". How will these guys feel then, if the press decides to do the "war criminal" story not the hero thing. It's all copy to the press.

You really are sure I'm overthinking this? I may be, . . . wish I could be sure though.

 

[special ed]

I had a supervisor at Kodak who I never considered had been in combat because he was (I thought) too young for WW2. He was one of those who drank after work and often a bit much.
We had gone on a field installation and got back to the motel when he said he would stay in and for me to go eat. When I came back he was watching a western movie, had a few beers and said " Bullets don't zing when they go by, they pop". Although I was a sport shooter and reloader, I had never thought about the shock wave. So I said " Yes but you have to be pretty close" and he replied "Every German in Belgium was trying to kill me". Years later when PTSD became well known, it was obvious the effect it had on a 17 year old. A few more times when he had enough to drink and we were alone, he would say more. At 17 he went ashore at Normandy two weeks after D day and was in Europe till V-J day.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

If they didn't realise that soime of their contemporaries will not receive the same honors, the same attention,, the same unqualified approval they may well feel abused rather than honored. You say "All vets are honored, all operations are honored" by you perhaps, I certainly think so, that is myu experience of you. This site definitely does and consistently. (part of why I like it here)

But honestly - in the world outside - you will have come across press articles that do explain Dresden and all the context. Likewise you will see some who allegate "war criminal". How will these guys feel then, if the press decides to do the "war criminal" story not the hero thing. It's all copy to the press.

You really are sure I'm overthinking this? I may be, . . . wish I could be sure though.

Yes I do think you are overthinking this.

I'm a veteran myself, and a veteran of a very unpoppular war too. It does not bother me one bit. I can care less what the Press or others think. And I highly doubt some WW2 vet is sitting around pouting because his mission does not get the same coverage as the greatest invasion of all time. It was a monumental feat that had a high chance of failure.

I don't think any WW2 Vet is upset that D-Day is being commemorated.