I thank God for the men who took part in the fight against the Axis.
D Day
- Thread starter arfmel
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Ah yes.
55 years ago my fiancé and my best friend's dad - a retired colonel - pinned the bars on my shoulders.
Presidio of San Francisco Officer's Club, 1970.
All of us there were well aware of the significance of the day.
55 years ago my fiancé and my best friend's dad - a retired colonel - pinned the bars on my shoulders.
Presidio of San Francisco Officer's Club, 1970.
All of us there were well aware of the significance of the day.
I was watching a show War Wrecks on Roku. They had a long segment on the duplex drive tanks. It was hard to watch in some places.
2nd Lieutenant John Butts was killed in Normandy. He was in the 9th Infantry Division and landed on D+4 June 10th 1944. His was 1 of 12 Congressional Medals of Honor given for the Normandy Campaign. He was 21 years old at the time of his death. Lt. Butts was wounded on 3 separate occasions, any of the 3 he could have been evacuated from the area and sent back to England for treatment. He refused and kept on fighting.
How many 21 year olds today are made of what John Butts was made from?
How many 21 year olds today are made of what John Butts was made from?
To answer the question of "how many", the answer has always been enough. It still is. Most actions go unseen or unremarked yet contribute to the overall victory. I'm pretty proud knowing my eldest stayed in the fight at Nasiriyah after he was wounded. Then again, that's pretty much standard operations for Marines. Still, I wish he had gone off to the hospital.
In Memory of the Bedford Boys
My home town of Bedford Va. had a population of about 3200 people in 1944.
As money was tight after the depression many men at the time would join the National Guard to earn some extra money, and when the war broke out their unit was activated, they were part of Co A, 116 Inf. Regiment, 29 Div. They were part of the first wave to hit Omaha Beach, out of the 34 men from Bedford 19 were lost on D-Day, . they became known as the "Bedford Boys". Our town suffered the highest per capita loss of any community in the country. Everyone knew one or more of the families that lost their loved ones that day. Their sacrifice is why I have the their insignia as my avatar, as tribute to their courage and sacrifice that day. I hope to visit Normandy and Omaha Beach at some point in my lifetime to pay tribute to those men but for now I bow my head in prayer.
I highly recommend that if you ever have a chance to visit the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford Va. that you do so, it is a very humbling and memorable experience.
My home town of Bedford Va. had a population of about 3200 people in 1944.
As money was tight after the depression many men at the time would join the National Guard to earn some extra money, and when the war broke out their unit was activated, they were part of Co A, 116 Inf. Regiment, 29 Div. They were part of the first wave to hit Omaha Beach, out of the 34 men from Bedford 19 were lost on D-Day, . they became known as the "Bedford Boys". Our town suffered the highest per capita loss of any community in the country. Everyone knew one or more of the families that lost their loved ones that day. Their sacrifice is why I have the their insignia as my avatar, as tribute to their courage and sacrifice that day. I hope to visit Normandy and Omaha Beach at some point in my lifetime to pay tribute to those men but for now I bow my head in prayer.
I highly recommend that if you ever have a chance to visit the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford Va. that you do so, it is a very humbling and memorable experience.
The Museaum that Son got the Beechcraft Staggerwing from also had a very nice C-47.
The C-47 flew from WA to England/Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D Day.
Son brought me a T Shirt with this on it which is very nice.
The C-47 flew from WA to England/Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D Day.
Son brought me a T Shirt with this on it which is very nice.
Last edited:
ProfessorWes
Hawkeye
Heh. This is almost as good as the "Temper, temper" Korean War story of USS Wisconsin when she was briefly - very briefly - challenged by a battery of North Korean 155s and gave them a full broadside salute in reply.
My first real boss was a paratrooper on D Day. After the was and Korea broke out, he said he and a buddy decided to go. Told his wife he was drafted. Really nice mellow guy.
ProfessorWes
Hawkeye
contender
Ruger Guru
And I too never forget the day.
I lost an uncle I never knew on D-Day in Normandy.
I lost an uncle I never knew on D-Day in Normandy.
Bully Bully dad would be proud!
All my father would say when I asked him about his jump on D-day were these few things: his rank was corporal, he carried the radio for his squad, and he had a 1911 .45 that he took from a dead officer.
And he shared this with me when I asked him if he killed any Germans - he quietly replied "I fired my weapon". That was the only conversation that he and I ever had about the war.
Peace and God bless.
And he shared this with me when I asked him if he killed any Germans - he quietly replied "I fired my weapon". That was the only conversation that he and I ever had about the war.
Peace and God bless.
