My Thoughts About Tomorrow

[Rick]

On this day sixty four years ago nearly 196,000 Allied troops sat armed and waiting for the green light to begin the invasion of Europe. Many were crammed inside or aboard nearly 7000 naval vessels or along side 2395 aircraft and 867 gliders. By the end of June 6, 4500 Allied and between 4000 and 9000 Germans would be dead. It marked a monumental moment in human history.

Many of us have relatives that participated in some capacity in the invasion of Europe. Take a moment tomorrow to remember them and if you are fortunate enough to still have them with you, thank them. Although it is not a national holiday, display your country's flag in celebration of them.

The thought of wading ashore against withering gun fire or dropping out of the skies alone, at night against an overwhelming force somehow puts my petty problems in perspective.

Tom Brokaw calls them The Greatest Generation. He might just be right.

[Teotwawki]

Yes!

Thanks for the reminder.

Coincidentally we are heading to D.C. in a week and Arlington is first on our list of places to visit - a WWII vet / relative is buried there.

[Rick]

An incredibly humbling place. Enjoy your trip and be safe.

[Ole WV Coot]

I drove past Arlington Cemetery for 15yrs and always thought of the men and women buried there. I never could make myself go to the Viet Nam Memorial but Arlington is a great place to walk, think and just say thanks.

[Teotwawki]

I've been to the Vietnam memorial - years ago.

It is gut wrenching.

[Ken]

I was at Ft. Myers and at Arlington National last Thursday. The grave sites seem to go on forever. We enjoy the freedoms we have because of the brave men and women who are buried there and in veteran's graves at home and abroad. God Bless them all.

[dragonjimm]

amen to that...

[Chicago Dan]

Your absolutely right Rick.
I have a great uncle(still alive!) that dropped with the 101 on June 6th.
I have also met and been in comfortable company of two other participants of that day. They were all willing to discuss it but what struck me about all three individuals was their sense of humbleness. I have thought many times about the source of it. I guess that is the part of their stories that they keep to themselves and I can't even imagine the horrors that prompt it. In the case of my great uncle he received a commendation for action on that day but refuses to show it even to family members. I have been told by my aunt that he does acknowledge June 6th, every year, by himself. He looks at his commendation and old photos but never says a word about it.

They went through it and those that survived went on to productive normal lives. That alone demands my utmost respect.

Thank you to all who do or have served.

[Ken]

FALLEN BUT NOT FORGOTTEN:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22802019/

[crashdive123]

To know what those men (or anybody that has fought in combat) went through is humbling. Thank you.

[nell67]

Absolutely,Thank you to everyone,everywhere,that has fought for the freedoms we enjoy.

[Rick]

I have spent a lot of years researching WWII and I am the webmaster and historian for an armored division that served in WWII. I think it is the last gentleman's war, at least on the European front. There was a lot of cruelty and barbarism to be sure but there are also many instances in which medics of both sides worked together in the same tent saving men of both sides. Stories of rival officers negotiating an orderly retreat from a town and allowing the enemy safe passage. Even instances where rival soldiers shared the same bunker and a smoke while shelling went on outside. Glimpses of humanity in an inhumane world. I doubt we shall ever see that in war again.

[Assassin Pilot]

It is indeed a great event in human history. Had it not been for the bravery of those troops, we might all be speaking German right now (actually, I take German in school so it wouldn't be too different for me )

However, none of my relatives fought in this battle, as during that part of WWII Finland was on the Axis (fighting against Russia - not the US). Funny thing is that around the end, Finland declared war on Germany because the German troops (who were previously helping them) would not leave after the Finns and Soviets made a peace treaty.

Just felt like putting Finland into consideration as barely anybody ever hears about what happened between Finland / USSR in WWII. The statistics are pretty amazing though. Casualties: 283,263 (Finland) vs 1,166,783 (Russia).

[crashdive123]

AP - not to diminish the sacrifices of Finland - where did you get your numbers from? I looked at several sources (they all varied) but the numbers on those were closer to 90,000 (still a very high number). Just curious.

[pgvoutdoors]

"The Greatest Generation" without a doubt! Everyone from the Armed Forces to the general population sacrificed in some way. It would do many of today's Americans some good to take a history lesson from those people. As some of you know I served in the Marines from '82-91, seen combat more than once, and I'm truly humbled by that great generation. God Bless them All...

[RBB]

Everyone in my family, and Wing's family, served in the pacific during WWII.

Father of a good friend served during WWII, but my friend had little knowledge concerning his father's service as his father had never spoken of it.

I finally got to meet this fine gentleman two years ago. I asked him a couple of questions about his service. Turns out he was in the 101st Airborne, dropped into Normandy, and was involved in Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded in the wrist and just above the knee during the Battle of the Bulge. I was dieing to ask more questions, having just watched the film Band of Brothers, but didn't feel it was appropriate, and ended by thanking him for his service.

My hat is off to him - and all who served - at any time - to keep our country free!

[Ridge Wolf]

My dad, D-day as a B-17 pilot. Thanks Dad.

[Rick]

Sixty four years ago today the battle raged. The freedom of many European countries hung in the balance as did the lives of millions of men, women and children.

Erwin Rommel predicted, "For the Allies, as well as Germany, it will be the longest day." Twenty four hours would tell the tale. A bloody struggle to gain a foothold on France's sandy beaches and the beginning of the end of German conquest.

To all those who served, Thank You! To all those who sacrificed at home, thank you. To all those that take the time to remember, thank you.

[Sam]

Sixty four years ago today the battle raged. The freedom of many European countries hung in the balance as did the lives of millions of men, women and children.

Erwin Rommel predicted, "For the Allies, as well as Germany, it will be the longest day." Twenty four hours would tell the tale. A bloody struggle to gain a foothold on France's sandy beaches and the beginning of the end of German conquest.

To all those who served, Thank You! To all those who sacrificed at home, thank you. To all those that take the time to remember, thank you.

Amen Rick, we are lucky.

[RBB]

In an odd twist, just after reading this thread, Wing and I went out to eat at one of our favorite watering holes. Our waitress was Nicole, the widow of Wing's cousin. Always referred to (inaccurately) by the family as "the war bride," Nicole was born in Normandy in 1939, one of eleven children. Her accent is still very thick, though when she returns to France to visit - she says she has trouble remembering the French for a few days.

If I hadn't read this thread, I probably wouldn't have asked her about Normandy.

Nicole has vivid memories of the time of the Normandy invasion; the sound of the guns (from the ships), a column of Nazi trucks and troops being strafed on the road near their farm, "So many dead," the Gestapo (or at least Germans in civilian clothes) slaughtering their animals. But the best thing she remembers is the GIs. "We learned to make the sign of victory." "We also learned to say cookie, and candy."

"They were very nice to us, not like the Germans." "I have very good memories of them." "My father cried to see them."

"It is probably why I married Lawrence (Wing's cousin, who was a US soldier stationed in France in the 1950s - when he and Nicole married)."