A Thank You to the Great Generation

[smiling gecko]

On this 65th year anniversary of D-Day the invasion at Normandy, I 'd like to say Thank You to men and women of that generation.

The ones I know have told me what I have heard often in the television and print media - they were doing what needed to be done. They were serving their country first and foremost. Thank You.

I think the Thank You should be also be extended to the same generation of our allies: the British, Soviets, and Chinese. The French and Polish should also be included. There's more to be said - and said with more knowledge and abiliity - by others with a better grasp and understanding and ability to expand on this than myself.

Thank You again.

[Sparrow]

And, don't forget my uncle Kenny (7th Parra) he had to go a day early, yesterday the 5th, a nice bloke, I still find it odd that he defended Pegasus Bridge, he was always pissed the Ox and Bucks got there first.

With Great respect chaps, salute Ken

[aad]

+1 to this. My dad was very proud of his service-and like so many of his generation, he is no longer with us.

Thanks to them all.

[DerekF]

Um, yeah, don't forget your Canadian neighbours to the north:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/02/f-dday-history.html

[Trius]

My Dad was in artillery (radioman) and ended up behind enemy lines at the Bulge.

Salute.

[Trius]

Derek: I purposely didn't watch Newsworld today because I knew I would end up bawling. Thank you, Canadians and Newfoundlanders.

[kbg32]

My father was a machine gunner, Naval Air Force, 83 and still going strong.

[Darkhorse]

My grandfather was a reconnaissance photographer with the RCAF

[35mmdelux]

My neighbor hit the beach at Normady on Day 1. I'm taking my son to see him tomorrow and getting a picture with us three.

[KoNickon]

Stewart, your uncle literally died yesterday? My condolences. He was one of the very first in action on D-Day.

The news tonight mentioned another paratrooper vet, 101st Airborne, who was in Normandy for the observance; died overnight Friday in his sleep.

[bmattock]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wigwam/sets/72157619338654894/

[Melvin]

My Grand-dad landed with the Marines on D-Day, Iwo Jima. He was a surgeon in the Navy Reserve. He got a bronze star for keeping his guys alive under heavy fire. He could see the artillery and mortars "walking" closer and I guess he was good at dodging them. After the war he became an obstetrician, drank heavily, and hunted deer. He lived into his 90s. His best friend from the war married a Japanese woman, I was friends with their daughter. I inherited my Leica from him.

[Sparrow]

Stewart, your uncle literally died yesterday? My condolences. He was one of the very first in action on D-Day.

The news tonight mentioned another paratrooper vet, 101st Airborne, who was in Normandy for the observance; died overnight Friday in his sleep.

No, sadly, he died in 97, he invaded Europe a day early, his D-day was on the 5th June.

Part of an airborne unit that landed by glider on the evening of the 5th to secure some canal bridges at Caen, to interdict the German reserve

I only found out from other Vets at his funeral, he had a dreadful war apparently, 5 drops in total seeing action Africa Europe and the Far East

[punkromance]

Saw this stunning photo on Digg earlier today:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/1944_NormandyLST.jpg
I think it's a Capa.

But yeah, thank you to everyone who served. Past and present.
Let us hope we'll never see anything like it again.

[Lilserenity]

My granddad was involved in the D-Day landings, he was shot in the arm (how lucky!) -- he was withdrawn from duty but did see further service after he recovered.

God rest his soul, he passed away at the age of 71 in 1993.

My other granddad saw service in North Africa but I don't know a huge amount about him as he died from heart disease when I was only 1 years old in 1984.

A debt of gratitude is owed to all who gave so much for our freedom.

[mfogiel]

My father in law fought in the Warsaw uprising, while the Soviets stopped their offensive to let Hitler annihilate it, then he fought in Italy with the Anders army helping to liberate the west, then he came back to Warsaw to suffer the humiliation and suffering of life under a foreign domination and communism. This happened because the US and UK have traded their serious land war effort with the the Soviets in exchange for the domination over Eastern Europe. The US and British part in the war was important, but far less than people think. What is worst, the Soviets, who have actually won the World War II, did it because the Stalinist terror gave them no other choice, and as the reward, most of the victorious Soviet army officials have either been shot or deported to gulags right after the victory parade in the red square. If you want to understand something about this war, read this book:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Europe-War-1939-1945-Simple-Victory/dp/0333692853

[Brian Sweeney]

Right. As I recall, the Germans invaded Poland in 1939, before the US entered the War. They went into Russia in 1941, also before the US had entered the war. During the war, the US also had Japan to deal with. The Russians did not do much in the Pacific theater to win WW-II. An invasion before D-Day would not have been possible. I just love revisionist history (Not to be confused with utter b u l l s h i t).

My Father was in B-29's in the Pacific Theater; originally trained as a Glider Pilot. The larger program was canceled as the loss rate was Over 50%. He went into B-29's when it was. His room-mate was killed in action in Europe.

No one book can give the depth of World War II. I've read several books. But most of the understanding of it came from my Father, who became a PhD psychologist specializing in Suicide prevention. My only regret is that he never wrote a book on WW-II. He had insights into the personal nature and the overall view. I miss him quite a bit, passed away at 71 over 17 years ago.

[gdi]

My Dad was in artillery (radioman) and ended up behind enemy lines at the Bulge.

Salute.

Trius,

My Dad was Spearhead ( 3rd Armored) in the Field Artillery, I have to look up battalion but I am pretty sure it was the 54th. He had a lot of stories - from Normandy, to the Bulge, to liberating Nordhausen.

Which division was your Dad in?

[LeicaTom]

My Father who will be 87 years young this month, was in the US Navy in the Pacific Theater, at the time of the D-Day landings he was still in school, but shortly thereafter he was called up, he was active in Anti-Submarine warfare and also on PT boats.

He knew alot of older friends who were part of the Omaha and Utah landing parties who never returned, and also fighter pilot`s who also saw action and died in the European Theater, every year it`s a bittersweet feeling for him, he`s sad and misses his friend`s but he`s also thankful that his family could grow up in a world free from the German and Japanese tyranny.

I hugged a WW2 Vet yesterday!!!!!

God Bless Him and All Of The Men and Women of his Generation, we all could`nt be here enjoying life in a modern world if it was`nt for their sacrifices.

Tom

[JohnTF]

One of my first photos posted here was a cemetery between Caen and Arromanches, Brits, Canadians, and Germans there. Some of the headstones had photos and other remembrances added from visiting families after the war.

As I recalled, the Canadians landed at Arromanches.

The friend in the photo was educated in Czech with the Soviet/Czech Communists emphasizing in her school's curriculum that they did all the work in WWII, guess they forgot about changing sides at least once. They also took Wilson's name off the main train station in Prague, Czechs still called it Wilson.

The Cemeteries are well kept.

National news last night mentioned the beaches, confusing Bold for Gold, and leaving out Juno entirely, so it goes.

Nice to see some people remember.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/gallery/25450/U25450I1217758264.SEQ.0.jpg


Regards, John

[zuikologist]

It was quite moving. Amazingly, the UK government managed to screw this up as well.

[johnbay]

My father in law was a career naval aviator who was hunting German subs in the Atlantic on D-Day. He ultimately sank five, and was awarded the Navy Cross. He is still going strong at 91. He is very humble regarding his accomplishments, like most of his contemporaries.

[Brian Sweeney]

We have an older Engineer at work, his first job was coming up with ways to hunt U-Boats. He works 5 days a week, started in 1943.

[nasmformyzombie]

My father was a WWII vet who served on the US west coast, in Oregon and Washington. He said after Pearl Harbor, the US military had these soldiers primed for a land invasion by the Japanese that thankfully never came. There were some German prisoners held in camps in Oregon and Washington, but my father never had much to say about them. Other than talking about being homesick (he was engaged to my mom when he was drafted) he mainly talked about the camaraderie and the lifetime friendships he made with several of his army buddies. Although he had to put his life on hold for over three years, he understood he was one of the lucky ones.

My father passed away in March of this year and I miss him terribly.

[planetjoe]

Thanks to all for your stories, and to the OP for the thread.

My grandfather was in the US Signal Corps in WWII, and so crossed the beaches a bit later than most of the lads. He was a Master Sergeant in General Bradley's supply chain, and his stories of wheeling, dealing, procuring odd goods and traveling across the Continent were the first evidence I had of a larger world outside my own.

He didn't share many of what might have been darker stories; like so many others, he was cheerful and modest about having done his service for the duration.

Among the more lighthearted yarns was his account of coming home from the European Theater after V-J Day in 1945, aboard the troopship "Marine Angel". Apparently he won the chance to hot-bunk in an actual stateroom, and one night tried to cobble together a ham sandwich in the galley, probably after sneaking around to find food. During the escapade, while trying to free a piece of bread jammed in a toaster, he apparently shorted out half the superstructure.

Such were the kind of stories that he held on to - at least the ones he liked best. He passed three years ago, and somehow I miss him more each day. I'm terribly glad, at least, that he got to meet his first great-grandson, my little boy.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/3605584007_c364fe07d5.jpg

Hug a WWII veteran!


Cheers,
--joe.

[dan denmark]

my father joined the army air corps, became a fighter pilot instructor. on the same day his four best mates joined the navy and were subsequently killed at Pearl Harbour.

[chris00nj]

My father in law fought in the Warsaw uprising, while the Soviets stopped their offensive to let Hitler annihilate it, then he fought in Italy with the Anders army helping to liberate the west, then he came back to Warsaw to suffer the humiliation and suffering of life under a foreign domination and communism. This happened because the US and UK have traded their serious land war effort with the the Soviets in exchange for the domination over Eastern Europe. The US and British part in the war was important, but far less than people think. What is worst, the Soviets, who have actually won the World War II, did it because the Stalinist terror gave them no other choice, and as the reward, most of the victorious Soviet army officials have either been shot or deported to gulags right after the victory parade in the red square. If you want to understand something about this war, read this book:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Europe-War-1939-1945-Simple-Victory/dp/0333692853


I read that book... it added a whole new perspective. Overall, in the West, the Eastern front is largely ignored. The Poles got the worst of everything. The Warsaw uprising is hardly even talked about in the West and is largely confused with the Warsaw ghetto uprising which was much smaller. The Soviets refused to allow the British to land planes to aid the uprising. Some allies.

[charjohncarter]

My Uncle didn't come back from that war, but here are a couple that made it safely home. They never really said much about it though.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3562806527_61d4904171.jpg?v=0

[JohnTF]

My Uncle and Aunt were "guests" of the Germans, but got out, found each other at a train station in France, emigrated to Mexico, the destination of the boat they could catch.

My cousin was one of the guys who never spoke of it all, fought all the way across France, his brother is still there, no one knows where.

One of my students had an SS lightning bolts inked on his hand, he did not come in my class until he had washed it off.

I suppose I broke some rules.

A colleague also never talked about it, and just before he retired he told me he liberated death camps, and there were just certain things that could not be tolerated since.

Regards, John