Lest we forget. It is the 80th Anniversary of D Day. My dad towed gliders for the RAF on D Day. In October 15 years ago, we did a pilgrimage to some of the major WWI battle sites, the Somme, the Marne, the Chemin de Dame, Verdun. After almost two weeks paying homage across France, including over 2 dozen cemeteries from both sides, we were finishing our trip in familiar territory, the wine country of Alsace. Sitting at breakfast on a rainy morning in Colmar, it just didn't feel right to be transitioning to a familiar wine driven trip. I asked my wife if she would think I was crazy if I asked her to cancel our reservations and drive all the way back across France to visit Normandy. She said she was fine with it, so we checked out (it was harvest time. Our room was probably rebooked before we cleared the parking lot) and spent 8 hours driving in the rain to a tiny fishing village we stumbled upon that was in site of Pont du Hoc.
We spent the next 4 days visiting Pont du. Hoc, Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, the cemetery at Collier Sur Mer beside Omaha that was the site of the opening and closing scenes of "Saving Private Ryan", St. Lo, Bayeaux, and several museums. The highlight was a grey cold morning when I walked alone (wife had a foot operation right before the trip) for 2 hours along ~7 mile long Omaha Beach. I never saw another soul. It was one of the most moving , somber moments of my life.
I’ve been to Normandy too; one of the most emotional & memorable trips of my life. I cried like a baby at the endless rows of crosses & stars. I absolutely HATE that LGB-FJB was there today. What sacrilege.
Same. It was such an emotionally overwhelming and somber experience that it is hard to capture the experience in words. If people ever have a chance to go - GO. You will not regret it. And every French person I encountered said, "thank you." Makes me tear up remembering their gratitude. This was in 2014.
I am in San Francisco this morning, about to go visit the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, the Liberty Ship that is docked down here at Fisherman’s Wharf. My father in law served on that ship in WW II—he served in the Armed Guard (Navy personnel protecting Merchant Marine vessels) and saw action in both the Atlantic AND Pacific. I can’t help but shake my head in disbelief and sadness at what our military has become. Maranatha…🙏🏼😖🕊️
Yes I had a similar experience. It is such a moving and emotional place to be. It really hits home, all those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice 😞
It's interesting how the countries of France, Germany and the USA aligned themselves when they were attacked by other countries. Our Revolutionary War effort was assisted by both Germany (the Hessian soldiers who were sort of 'soldiers of fortune' and the French general Lafayette who lended his military mind to General Washington and also supplied troops).
However, the Hessians were mercenaries fighting for the Crown. Not the Americans, just to make that clear. The French AND Spanish lent aid to our budding nation.
Awful as D-Day was, let's not forget that Churchill got the US to put off the invasion of France until after the Soviet Union had defeated Germany on the eastern front with the loss of millions of lives. It was the Soviets who won the war.
You better believe it. 90 % of the German Order of Battle was aligned against the Eastern Front. We fought 10 %. Think about it. Makes me want to puke when our Russia hating government and press try to rewrite history and leave out the Soviet contribution. I've stood at the western high water mark of the German siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg ), where in the 852 day siege, over 1 1/2 million died, most from starvation and cold.
Read a book a few yers back detainling how we and the Brits collaborated in some srious mind games to convince Hiter's head war honcho that his pride needed blosering, and a great way to so bolser was to trick him into believing he'd become an hero of the First Order by deciding and convincing Hitler that attcing Russia on a new Eastern Front would make him an eternal champion and hero. So he was duly tricked into convincing Hitler to "go east young man" and co quer the Soviets there. The tricksey ones knew full well that the lng logistics line, brutal (even by German's sandards) cold winter, etc, would at least tie up the Nazi roops long enough we Allies could make some serious hay on the Western Front with most of Addie's troops mired in Russian mud and short supplies.
Can't just now recall the German leader chaps name, but he fell for the ruse and convinced glory-hogg Hitler to go for it. Saved countless Allied lives, that little but of mind-bending gamesmanship did. Probably shortened the war by two years, if not saved our collective bacon had Hitler decided NOPE, we're finishing here first".
If you want to read about the war from a Russian’s perspective here is one: Stalingrad by vassily Grossman. It’s 1000 pages of the horrors of communism and the attack and defeat of the Nazis by a man who lived through it.
I just looked and very coincidentally this book is available on audiobook—-released on audible (I know I know it’s Amazon but I was a member years before they bought them out and am addicted) —on May 28, 2024. going to buy this today. It’s been my experience that especially long and perhaps dry reads are much more palatable as audio where you can read while doing mundane tasks.
2 million died. I can’t picture it, and I grew up hearing about WW2. So I cannot imagine how we get young people, victims of today’s communist leaning teachers and the aforementioned sanitized and pro USA version of history.
I loved the part where the Russian guard wakes up with the tips of his fingers chewed off. The rats were so hungry they ate them and he was so frostbitten he didn't feel them getting eaten. Boook is full of things like this.
This is just my take but extremely long (especially
Victorian) novels are meant to be read a couple of chapters at a time over a long period. They're meant to be lived with so to speak. Sort of like how it wouldn't be optimal to watch 5 seasons of Breaking Bad in a week....
Stalingrad was the very definition of the word "grim" to me. Horrors unimaginable to the smart phone generation. For that matter, I doubt one in 10 even know about it. An entire German army captured, ~300 K men. ~10 K returned. Not sure how many Russians died, but it was a lot more.
Which one are you reading? I read Richard Evans' series, William Shirer's book about the Third Reich, and now I'm reading Victor Davis Hanson's book. It's fascinating to read about that war, since we're still living through its effects today.
add Prescott Bush to that list (man who spawned 2 presidents and 9/11). or the Arms of Krupp. or how standard oil supplied the nazis all throughout the war with needed oil. pretty safe to say that everything we are taught is a lie. to keep us fighting amongst each other for the amusement and enrichment of the parasite class.
I didn't find the IBM book at my library but this one came up: "The Mysterious Affair At Olivetti: IBM, The CIA, And The Cold War Conspiracy To Shut Down Production Of The World's First Desktop Computer" That should be enlightening.
David Irving ... the best writer on WWII. Does not propagandize. The Establishment hates him, has persecuted him, has imprisoned him for what? For telling the truth. That is, tell the truth and you can be sent to prison. Same as with Jerome Corsi, Donald Trump, J6 peaceful protesters and many more. And there are still videos of him speaking on YouTube.
Look at archive.org for some David Irving materials. I found an audiobook of "Hitler's War." There's also an ebook copy you can download in whatever format you like.
He spent 2 years in an Austrian prison for remarks TPTB did not like. He is pretty ill now, I've bought a half dozen of his books recently, and his family requested donations. I sent $, as he is about as out there for the real truth about WWII as it gets, and that puts him in the cross hairs of pretty much anyone in power.
That sounds like the kind of writer I really like. There's a series on Rumble that probably wouldn't be allowed anywhere else. It's under IPOT (stands for "In pursuit of truth") and the series is labeled POP Series I through V, or maybe VI, I don't remember how many there are. Each one is 2 hours or more. It is impressive how much he knows. He used to be on Youtube and they kicked him off. Highly recommended!
I see that Wikipedia, shake in your boots, has David Irving branded as a Holocaust Denier ... which is not actually right. It's more that certain people object to a certain amount of truthful reality being brought back into the historic equation and far more prefer human skin lampshades fairy tales than any accurate accounting. That particular tale was bandied about as absolute gospel during and after the war. Many people believed it. But like so many things, it was just a wild fabrication to keep people wild-eyed under the spell of control.
Correct. For what it's worth, the Red Cross, who had unbridled access to all of the German camps in WWII, put the total death toll in all of them at 276K.
I recall this, although not the exact figure. And I know that Irving accessed records in Russia seized from the Germans. With this plus a continual upping of the figures to the fabled Sacred Six Million, we were spoon feed a narrative which do not exist as advertised. Now they who stood to profit the most, and did with endless 'reparations' payments to 'survivors' exacted from the German government for decades, these tried to get the figure past the the Six Million but failed because no one would believe them. And so 'they' stopped at Six Million.
A similar scam was tried by the same suspects against Swiss banks but for some reason failed. And no payments were made.
You have no idea. If you want a full blown red pill of WWII, what led up to its, what happened, what we did afterward, by his Real History of WWII book But BE FOREWARNED. Your world will be rocked, and you can't unknown what you know. I have spent my whole life extensively reading about WWII, watching documentaries, movies, going to battle sites in all theaters. I'm telling you, what Mike King says is true, painful as it is.
On second thought, few people are ready for this (Mike King) yet, perhaps by year end. . So buy any of David Irving's WWII books. What makes him different, and a pariah, is he uses first person sources, instead of quoting back and forth other WWII history authors. That puts him at odds with the official narratives. The victors write history, Never forget that. John Keegan , author of the iconic "Face of Battle", calls Irving THE preeminent WWII historian. I read hundreds of WWII books, seen hundreds of documentaries, and hundreds of WWII movies. This is as good as it gets.
If you rather opt out on a red pharmaceutical and do an IV straight into the system about history, give this a shot. You may not want to believe it, but like the rest of the state sponsored history, you might see a pattern and notice monumental lies in your own hometown. It dwarfs everything. Amazon.
Check out Stalin's War by Sean McMeekin. It adds a whole new layer to understanding the German-Soviet dynamic and Stalin's intentions. Another great one is 1941: Fighting the Shadow War by Marc Wortman. It fills some gaps regarding Japan and U.S. activities behind the veil of neutrality.
Why did the Germans capture entire armies right after Operation Barbarossa began? Because Stalin was getting ready to invade while Germany was preoccupied with Britain, and Hitler did what Putin preaches. "If a fight is inevitable, strike first".
Read lots! Try to get authors from different countries. The Japanese look at Guadalcanal differently. Etc. But if & when you find them it can be real eye opening.
Been there 3 times, to many of the islands on 3 week live aboard scuba diving trips. Been to Beach Red (the invasion beach on Guadalcanal, plus Tanambogo and Gavuto Islands across the straight from Savo Island (the other two invasion beaches., the site of Col Ichiki's raid at Ilu River, , the Matikinau River , Henderson Field, where you fly into, Bloody Ridge, site of Col Merit Edson's epic battle, and several other memorial sites. The US sites were well maintained, the Japanese ones were trashed. the Solomon Islanders have not forgetten how the Japanese treated them.
I'll never forget my first crossing of Iron Bottom Sound, with Savo Island on the left. I was alone on deck, after midnight, and I kept wondering how many sunken ships lay beneath us. some incredible battles were fought in that very narrow straight , and Nov 7/8th 1942, 2 US battleships went to their graves there. 4 cruisers on the night of the early Battle of Savo Island, to none for the Japanese.
I found the Russians to be more like Americans than any of the people of the ~50 odd countries I have visited. I really liked them,, and certainly respect them. tough SoB's for sure.
Yes. But how? The pendulum swings ever wider oddly in generational terms and nationally. It follows times of societal morality, lawlessness, war, excesses, etc. Repeat. Always reminding us that we are dying, helpless, hopeless creatures without God's intervention. He allows us to see how awful we are left to ourselves and how Great His ways are when we know Him. Knowing ABOUT God is NOT the same as being intimately connected to Him and His family but you can't be family if you don't know where to find Him/them. He gave you His 'diary' and 'love letters'. Read them as though your Loving Father wrote them. Be sure they are actually from Him as there are fakes circulating.
I believe there was a purposeful effort to weaken, soften and feminize the populace through food supply and health care, fluoride, BPA, vaccinations, education, DEI, etc. Myriad ways to create puppets.
Started in the 1960’s via Cloward and Piven marxist doctrine. Fully spooled up now.
We were asleep at the wheel, too trusting and naive.
It’s wakey-wakey time!
Speak the Truth wherever you may be to whomever is there.
Dam on the beach, you are right. I remember seeing in LIFE magazine, the atrocities they did in Porta Rico, with pumping hormones into the live stock. Children, young children had breasts! I remember talking to my mom about that. Shame on all of them. ( Cira 1960s Life magazine)
AS Joe Rogan told Tucker in his interview, "the hardest thing you've ever done is the hardest thing you've ever done". These Did not Earn It snowflakes have probably done nothing more traumatic than going with our their cell phones for a few hours when they forgot to charge it. The D Day Memorial is in Bedford, VA, just of I-81. The front of the cemetery at Collier Sur Mer at Omaha pays tribute to "The Bedford Boys" with a permanent memorial. Great , moving book. Little Bedford VA lost more men on D Day per capita than any other town. The leader of the platoon was sick as a dog that morning, with every right to check himself into sick bay. He didn't , because he knew what awaited them as one of the first wave landing craft. Needless to say, he died there.
Dad passed away shortly before that election. I had assured him McCain would win against the fundamental transformation of America. Dad didn't think it would make a difference either way. For several years he'd been telling me, "This country's gone, Son. This country's gone." Pray we prove him wrong.
My father and his brother both served overseas (my Dad was a bomb loader over in northern Italy for the duration of the war--he wanted to be a pilot of a B-17, but his dislocated shoulder issue prevented that happening). Dad always referred to the "press" from about the 1960's onward as "the 'pinko press"--pretty apt, don't you think!!
They were collectively suffering from PTSD, some more, some less, than others. They spoiled their children (my dad, mom and stepmom) with nice clothes, toys and later cars. Then some of their children were irresponsible teenagers (my mother) who got pregnant while still in high school. Yes, my dad too. Then some of us Gun Xers had parents who tried and did what they thought was best (my dad and stepmom), while some split when we were young (my mom). Some others had good parents and stepparents. Then for some of us, our grandparents either took over (my dad’s parents) or they lied for their child (my other grandparents). Leaving some of us a bit frustrated. So some of us were and are disillusioned, some spoiled their children. I never had any (yet, who knows what my future is). Pop culture and technology slowly took over for bad parents. Leading to all sorts of young people having problems whom I feel bad for. I don’t know how else to explain it to them. Other than, “sorry kids, we’ll be dead before you. You’ll just have to learn on the job, as you go, basically flying blind”.
That’s my children’s generation, Steve. I contributed to it, and it breaks my heart. Let’s change the model. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Jeremiah 6:16).
I want to help them, but I’m nothing to nobody. I can’t get the motivation to start writing a book. I have lots of good ideas for fiction, and lots of suggestions for young people, but I’m 56 and just a veteran collecting a small pension, in Pittsburgh.
The reason this all happened is because everyone thinks what can one person do, said 7 billion people. Listening to Jan Halpar yesterday and she said something that caught my attention. Most of us who are reasonably awake feel we are getting screwed because of the ongoing efforts to wake up normies and commies. She said "no, this was done for you too. All of us checked out, wanted to be left alone, just lead a decent honorable life. We left it to others to serve on the school boards, go to the town council meetings, volunteer at the library, etc. Our apathy to getting involved in running the community is why we are here too. That must stop"
Just yesterday I learned a loaded B-26 dubbed "See See Senor," on a bombing mission, crashed on take-off from an airfield in Cormeilles-en-vexin, France, January 1, 1945. USAAF firefighters rushed in, saved the crew, and were putting out the fire when an on-board bomb exploded and instantly killed three firemen. One of the “non-combat casualties” was Dad’s 29-year-old cousin, a 3rd generation German-American. Dad was 17 at the time. He and his cousin had the same first name. Dad joined the Army, served out the war, and spent the next 20 years in the San Antonio City Fire Department. I never knew the backstory. Now I can’t forget.
It’s so sad and strange to us today that they didn’t share their war stories with us. My old neighbor Ed and I talked about so many things when we went on our trail rides together. I loved those times but wanted to know how he developed his facial tic, what happened during the war. I know he visited the VA mental health dept. on a regular basis. He did tell me that much. He wouldn’t tell me anything else. My dad was visiting one time and we had Ed and his wife over and my dad asked him about the war but he wouldn’t talk about it.
At his funeral we hung around afterwards and his VA counselor told me that Ed got locked inside a ship’s closet in a bombing raid in the South Pacific. Probably locked in for three days. Can’t imagine what went through his head.
I miss him, those trail rides were so dear to me. Ed and King, Karen and Keiffer. My horse was always a little easily spooked, never with Ed and King though. Bravery wins.
The "suffering in silence" aspect is, in part, what made them the Greatest Generation. I know that approach to mental health is really frowned on now, but there really is something to the whole "stiff upper lip." Our kids today, encouraged to share their emotions all over social media, don't seem to be doing all that well. I suppose, as with everything, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Your neighbor sounds amazing. I am sorry he is no longer here to ride the trails with you.
Karen, PTSD, we suffer in silence. My ex-in laws, were German. He fought in the Germany Army. Technically he would have been a nazi. He wouldn't talk about it at all. The man I knew was kind and gentle. He was thrilled to have an American GI as a daughter in law. My own father wouldn't talk about his experiences either. I know that he was on the last truck out of Korea, but only because he had frost bite on his hands. I too, don't talk about the horrors of military service, instead remember and focus on comradery.
Here is a war story from a family I know. This story, about a B-17 bomber crew shot down over Holland in World War II, is still being told in Holland, and they even installed a monument for the American crew. https://tinyurl.com/bdzfsvbu
I just learned that many had to sign agreements that they would never discuss their experiences, even with spouses .. those expired in 1995 & those Vets became free to speak
Oh wow, I didn’t know that either. Our local news station does ‘War Stories’ monthly highlighting local veterans. It’s pretty cool. The producer just won an Emmy 👏🏻
What an excellent idea. The next generation needs to hear their stories! Our long-time county constable recently retired--said he was getting old and the crazy way things are going these days, "Somebody might try me, and I'll have to put him down." Tough old bird with a huge heart and no doubt an inspiring life story to tell. Maybe I'll track down an English teacher. Some kid should interview that old boy and write a profile for a class project.
RG the Covid psyops is horrible, the death and destruction horrific. The essential core of cowardice and apathy and lack of kindness and respect makes me the most upset . My parents and grandparents would be heartbroken if still alive .
My son, an avid history buff, chose Normandy for his Senior family trip. I never had it on my list of places I’d like to go, but it was one of my favorite most meaningful trips. Your words brought back tangible feelings this morning. How those men did what they did, I will never know. God bless them and their families. I tell everyone who has a loved one buried at one of the cemetery’s there that they are the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth.
I was in Normandy for the 60th and 65th anniversaries of D-Day as part of the US Army Europe Band. We traded off playing with a French military band for hours. Paying tribute to those men who died was one of the most significant memories of my military career. I also played at many of the other WWI and WWII American cemeteries in France and Belgium on Memorial Days, and ceremonies at many of the small towns who celebrated their liberation from the Nazis. Most of France is not very American-friendly, but the Normandy area is full of French, American and British flags.
You were fortunate to get that little nudge, perhaps from your Dad’s spirit. I love your story. The fact that you were able to act suddenly and purposefully toward an impulse that would later deliver you such a poignant memory. I’ve been to those beaches, also in quieter times. It is somberly intoxicating to imagine the terrified souls who bravely ran across those beaches and up those hills. One can sense the lingering patriotism of the allied troops who died or were wounded there. We must never forget their sacrifice.
The white crosses and stars of David honor the heroes. We took some time to visit a German cemetery as well. As I walked through and read the names and ages of these naive young German soldiers dead at 17, 18, 19 etc., commanded by evil leaders, my heart was heavy with pity for them. In contrast, there were no bright white monuments, only brown, gray and cold flat markers. There also lay someone’s son, husband or brother.
I’ve traveled to many places around the world. None so moving as Auschwitz or Normandy. They were like bookends to a horrible time in history.
We must never forget the potential for evil to spread.
GLAD SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERED AS THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY...:
MILITARYsteria: Best Woke Military Memes (Was it Worth It?)
Ready to die for the empire of wokeness? Why are white recruiting numbers falling? Be all that you can be (all pronouns welcome), US troops are BIG targets for snippers & more woke military memes!
If I had stayed in, I would have been able to retire in 2007. At 20 years in. Ugh. Every day I kick myself even more than the day before, for not doing a few specific things before I even got to the Fleet.
Just shared this with my Vietnam Veteran husband and we both are just shaking our heads in disgust. Thank you for posting. Gonna share with all my Veteran FB friends. This oughta REALLY piss ‘em off…if they weren’t pissed off enough already. 💔🫡🇺🇸
My father flew in the 8th Army Air Force. I remember as a child walking into St Paul's Cathedral in London. There was a glass display case housing a book of people who had died in the war. My father looked at it and turned away. That particular page included someone he had flown with. I don't think I can even begin to imagine what that experience of going up day after day, watching people die, struggling home in a shot up plane had to be like.
Such a moving, memorable experience for you. My dad and his 2 brothers were WWII veterans and also my father-in-law. FIL fought in Europe. One uncle was on an Admiral’s flagship. Other uncle and my dad fought in the Pacific. Truly, the Greatest Generation. We attended a special 75th D-Day celebration in Louisville about a month before my dad passed.
I just checked to see if "The Longest Day" was on. It used to be a tradition. The "American Heroes Channel", formerly the Military Channel, is honoring this day by playing 3 sets of shows. "Codes and Conspiracies" , "How the World Ends", and "UFO's: The Lost Evidence". DEI. Did Not Earn It.
TCM is playing it. At 11 pm. At least there are other D Day movies on it earlier.
I watched them all when I was younger. No disrespect to the brave fighting men. But what I’m learning now is that those movies are not historically accurate in any way
I have had the memorable honor of seeing the white crosses row on row in Normandy. When I was 16, I went to Europe for the first time, with my older siblings, and then met up with a school group to tour southern France. It was an incredible experience. We spent time in Normandy on an overcast April day. We stood on pockmarked grassy fields, beside the German bunkers and overlooking the beaches. The scene there, and even in the cemetery later, was idyllic and hard to reconcile mentally with the carnage that had occurred years before. It was the only place in France that our American student tour group was welcomed with open arms.
We all commented at how much the people there kept the memory of the Allied sacrifices alive and honored.
My Mom's older brother was IN one of those gliders on D Day. Got hung up in a tree in his oh dark thirty landing. Nazis found him in the morning, delivered a couple of rounds to him and left him for dead. He almost was. Our guys found him later after the sun came up, and managed to get him some help. He survived. I have he Medal he was given, came to me by way of his older sister, an Army Nurse during the war and for decades after, then through Mom. He was somewhat stove up, but could get around and was very active. We worked together a lot as I was growing up. I asked him one time many years later if he had any stories from the war. He quietly declared "there are some things a man just cant talk about". End of that discussion.
I learned from Mom he had also jumped in North Africa against Rommel, . and later at Anzio. As much as he travelled around the country I never once knew of him flying commercially, He always took either the train or Greyhound.
I toured the American cemetery as part of a youth orchestra trip and watching a bunch of carefree teenagers go silent and still while staring at the endless rows of monuments is something that leaves an impression.
Lest we forget. It is the 80th Anniversary of D Day. My dad towed gliders for the RAF on D Day. In October 15 years ago, we did a pilgrimage to some of the major WWI battle sites, the Somme, the Marne, the Chemin de Dame, Verdun. After almost two weeks paying homage across France, including over 2 dozen cemeteries from both sides, we were finishing our trip in familiar territory, the wine country of Alsace. Sitting at breakfast on a rainy morning in Colmar, it just didn't feel right to be transitioning to a familiar wine driven trip. I asked my wife if she would think I was crazy if I asked her to cancel our reservations and drive all the way back across France to visit Normandy. She said she was fine with it, so we checked out (it was harvest time. Our room was probably rebooked before we cleared the parking lot) and spent 8 hours driving in the rain to a tiny fishing village we stumbled upon that was in site of Pont du Hoc.
We spent the next 4 days visiting Pont du. Hoc, Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, the cemetery at Collier Sur Mer beside Omaha that was the site of the opening and closing scenes of "Saving Private Ryan", St. Lo, Bayeaux, and several museums. The highlight was a grey cold morning when I walked alone (wife had a foot operation right before the trip) for 2 hours along ~7 mile long Omaha Beach. I never saw another soul. It was one of the most moving , somber moments of my life.
https://nypost.com/2024/06/06/opinion/the-boys-of-pointe-du-hoc-ronald-reagans-timeless-tribute-to-americas-d-day-heroes/
I’ve been to Normandy too; one of the most emotional & memorable trips of my life. I cried like a baby at the endless rows of crosses & stars. I absolutely HATE that LGB-FJB was there today. What sacrilege.
Same. It was such an emotionally overwhelming and somber experience that it is hard to capture the experience in words. If people ever have a chance to go - GO. You will not regret it. And every French person I encountered said, "thank you." Makes me tear up remembering their gratitude. This was in 2014.
I am in San Francisco this morning, about to go visit the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, the Liberty Ship that is docked down here at Fisherman’s Wharf. My father in law served on that ship in WW II—he served in the Armed Guard (Navy personnel protecting Merchant Marine vessels) and saw action in both the Atlantic AND Pacific. I can’t help but shake my head in disbelief and sadness at what our military has become. Maranatha…🙏🏼😖🕊️
What our COUNTRY has become…& it didn’t take all that long 😓
Yes I had a similar experience. It is such a moving and emotional place to be. It really hits home, all those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice 😞
It's interesting how the countries of France, Germany and the USA aligned themselves when they were attacked by other countries. Our Revolutionary War effort was assisted by both Germany (the Hessian soldiers who were sort of 'soldiers of fortune' and the French general Lafayette who lended his military mind to General Washington and also supplied troops).
However, the Hessians were mercenaries fighting for the Crown. Not the Americans, just to make that clear. The French AND Spanish lent aid to our budding nation.
Yes, that's why I called them "soldiers of fortune", Susan.
Me too. While at the cemetery there you could hear the ocean waves below. Made it even more significant for me.
And she had to lead him away before he shook any hands.
I’ve also been to Normandy. It was incredibly moving.
Ft
Awful as D-Day was, let's not forget that Churchill got the US to put off the invasion of France until after the Soviet Union had defeated Germany on the eastern front with the loss of millions of lives. It was the Soviets who won the war.
You better believe it. 90 % of the German Order of Battle was aligned against the Eastern Front. We fought 10 %. Think about it. Makes me want to puke when our Russia hating government and press try to rewrite history and leave out the Soviet contribution. I've stood at the western high water mark of the German siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg ), where in the 852 day siege, over 1 1/2 million died, most from starvation and cold.
That's powerful, thanks for that important reminder.
Read a book a few yers back detainling how we and the Brits collaborated in some srious mind games to convince Hiter's head war honcho that his pride needed blosering, and a great way to so bolser was to trick him into believing he'd become an hero of the First Order by deciding and convincing Hitler that attcing Russia on a new Eastern Front would make him an eternal champion and hero. So he was duly tricked into convincing Hitler to "go east young man" and co quer the Soviets there. The tricksey ones knew full well that the lng logistics line, brutal (even by German's sandards) cold winter, etc, would at least tie up the Nazi roops long enough we Allies could make some serious hay on the Western Front with most of Addie's troops mired in Russian mud and short supplies.
Can't just now recall the German leader chaps name, but he fell for the ruse and convinced glory-hogg Hitler to go for it. Saved countless Allied lives, that little but of mind-bending gamesmanship did. Probably shortened the war by two years, if not saved our collective bacon had Hitler decided NOPE, we're finishing here first".
Also fiction writers, non fiction amateur historians, tv and movie studios, and eventually video games.
I am just starting to read WW2 history. Not at all what we’ve been led to believe here in America.. no disrespect to the fighting men ..
The people in charge, just like now, did not make good choices & we were taught many lies ..
If you want to read about the war from a Russian’s perspective here is one: Stalingrad by vassily Grossman. It’s 1000 pages of the horrors of communism and the attack and defeat of the Nazis by a man who lived through it.
I wish this was included on them list of MUST READS for American high school students.
I just looked and very coincidentally this book is available on audiobook—-released on audible (I know I know it’s Amazon but I was a member years before they bought them out and am addicted) —on May 28, 2024. going to buy this today. It’s been my experience that especially long and perhaps dry reads are much more palatable as audio where you can read while doing mundane tasks.
When I had to drive for an hour or more to work and back, I got through it with audiobooks. They are handy for mindless tasks.
best AudioBook: Hitlers Holy Relics by (?it's been awhile.) Hollywood tried and failed to tell the story very well in Monuments Men...
Sounds interesting. Monuments Men put me to sleep.
Thanks for the information.
And there's a history of the battle called "Stalingrad" by Anthony Beevor. Reads almost like a novel.
2 million died. I can’t picture it, and I grew up hearing about WW2. So I cannot imagine how we get young people, victims of today’s communist leaning teachers and the aforementioned sanitized and pro USA version of history.
I surreptitiously pulled strings to prevent my son enlisting in Marines, 2008. The Athrax shot & all. He hasn't yet thanked me...
Don’t run for public office. That might be used against you 🤣
My husband has a well-worn copy. I should read it one of these days.
I loved the part where the Russian guard wakes up with the tips of his fingers chewed off. The rats were so hungry they ate them and he was so frostbitten he didn't feel them getting eaten. Boook is full of things like this.
My husband has mentioned several things from the book but I don't remember that one. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been.
War & Peace is pretty raw too.
I have never been able to get interested in Tolstoy's novels for some reason.
This is just my take but extremely long (especially
Victorian) novels are meant to be read a couple of chapters at a time over a long period. They're meant to be lived with so to speak. Sort of like how it wouldn't be optimal to watch 5 seasons of Breaking Bad in a week....
My library doesn't have it, so I chose "The Second World War" by him. Should cover Stalingrad to some degree. Looking forward to his writings.
Stalingrad was the very definition of the word "grim" to me. Horrors unimaginable to the smart phone generation. For that matter, I doubt one in 10 even know about it. An entire German army captured, ~300 K men. ~10 K returned. Not sure how many Russians died, but it was a lot more.
I've heard this book mentioned many times recently. Time to get it out of the library.
Thank you. It's going on my list.
Thanks for this recommendation, just ordered it on ebay
My library has it - volume 1 anyway. Looking forward to the Russian perspective.
Thank you .. I will
Which one are you reading? I read Richard Evans' series, William Shirer's book about the Third Reich, and now I'm reading Victor Davis Hanson's book. It's fascinating to read about that war, since we're still living through its effects today.
I just read Phoney Victory .. not exactly what I was taught about Churchill in school … next up is IBM & the Holocaust. My library has to back order
add Prescott Bush to that list (man who spawned 2 presidents and 9/11). or the Arms of Krupp. or how standard oil supplied the nazis all throughout the war with needed oil. pretty safe to say that everything we are taught is a lie. to keep us fighting amongst each other for the amusement and enrichment of the parasite class.
Did you see the book by Erik Orion, "The Bush Connection"? I bought a pdf and that's all I could find.
I didn't find the IBM book at my library but this one came up: "The Mysterious Affair At Olivetti: IBM, The CIA, And The Cold War Conspiracy To Shut Down Production Of The World's First Desktop Computer" That should be enlightening.
Those sound interesting. Thanks. I'm placing them on the reading list.
David Irving ... the best writer on WWII. Does not propagandize. The Establishment hates him, has persecuted him, has imprisoned him for what? For telling the truth. That is, tell the truth and you can be sent to prison. Same as with Jerome Corsi, Donald Trump, J6 peaceful protesters and many more. And there are still videos of him speaking on YouTube.
https://www.dogpile.com/serp?q=David+Irving&sc=R5qd9bgsYK7X10
Look at archive.org for some David Irving materials. I found an audiobook of "Hitler's War." There's also an ebook copy you can download in whatever format you like.
He spent 2 years in an Austrian prison for remarks TPTB did not like. He is pretty ill now, I've bought a half dozen of his books recently, and his family requested donations. I sent $, as he is about as out there for the real truth about WWII as it gets, and that puts him in the cross hairs of pretty much anyone in power.
That sounds like the kind of writer I really like. There's a series on Rumble that probably wouldn't be allowed anywhere else. It's under IPOT (stands for "In pursuit of truth") and the series is labeled POP Series I through V, or maybe VI, I don't remember how many there are. Each one is 2 hours or more. It is impressive how much he knows. He used to be on Youtube and they kicked him off. Highly recommended!
I see that Wikipedia, shake in your boots, has David Irving branded as a Holocaust Denier ... which is not actually right. It's more that certain people object to a certain amount of truthful reality being brought back into the historic equation and far more prefer human skin lampshades fairy tales than any accurate accounting. That particular tale was bandied about as absolute gospel during and after the war. Many people believed it. But like so many things, it was just a wild fabrication to keep people wild-eyed under the spell of control.
I will look into this series. Thank you.
P.S. Found it a Rumble ! Thanks again!
Correct. For what it's worth, the Red Cross, who had unbridled access to all of the German camps in WWII, put the total death toll in all of them at 276K.
I recall this, although not the exact figure. And I know that Irving accessed records in Russia seized from the Germans. With this plus a continual upping of the figures to the fabled Sacred Six Million, we were spoon feed a narrative which do not exist as advertised. Now they who stood to profit the most, and did with endless 'reparations' payments to 'survivors' exacted from the German government for decades, these tried to get the figure past the the Six Million but failed because no one would believe them. And so 'they' stopped at Six Million.
A similar scam was tried by the same suspects against Swiss banks but for some reason failed. And no payments were made.
thanks. so happy to find a thoughtful conversation here. looking at ipot. meanwhile
this is the best video I've found for overall truth. https://stopworldcontrol.com/monopoly/
Yes! There are some great videos on that site.
You have no idea. If you want a full blown red pill of WWII, what led up to its, what happened, what we did afterward, by his Real History of WWII book But BE FOREWARNED. Your world will be rocked, and you can't unknown what you know. I have spent my whole life extensively reading about WWII, watching documentaries, movies, going to battle sites in all theaters. I'm telling you, what Mike King says is true, painful as it is.
On second thought, few people are ready for this (Mike King) yet, perhaps by year end. . So buy any of David Irving's WWII books. What makes him different, and a pariah, is he uses first person sources, instead of quoting back and forth other WWII history authors. That puts him at odds with the official narratives. The victors write history, Never forget that. John Keegan , author of the iconic "Face of Battle", calls Irving THE preeminent WWII historian. I read hundreds of WWII books, seen hundreds of documentaries, and hundreds of WWII movies. This is as good as it gets.
my instagram repost today included photo of 1920's man in timewarp, caption: THE MORE YOU KNOW THE HARDER IT IS TO SOCIALIZE.
If you rather opt out on a red pharmaceutical and do an IV straight into the system about history, give this a shot. You may not want to believe it, but like the rest of the state sponsored history, you might see a pattern and notice monumental lies in your own hometown. It dwarfs everything. Amazon.
Evidence of the Old World (September 16, 2023)
by David Edward (Author), Jon Levi (Author)
Check out Stalin's War by Sean McMeekin. It adds a whole new layer to understanding the German-Soviet dynamic and Stalin's intentions. Another great one is 1941: Fighting the Shadow War by Marc Wortman. It fills some gaps regarding Japan and U.S. activities behind the veil of neutrality.
Why did the Germans capture entire armies right after Operation Barbarossa began? Because Stalin was getting ready to invade while Germany was preoccupied with Britain, and Hitler did what Putin preaches. "If a fight is inevitable, strike first".
As Churchill said - you can count on Americans to make the right decision, after exhausting all other options.
Read lots! Try to get authors from different countries. The Japanese look at Guadalcanal differently. Etc. But if & when you find them it can be real eye opening.
Been there 3 times, to many of the islands on 3 week live aboard scuba diving trips. Been to Beach Red (the invasion beach on Guadalcanal, plus Tanambogo and Gavuto Islands across the straight from Savo Island (the other two invasion beaches., the site of Col Ichiki's raid at Ilu River, , the Matikinau River , Henderson Field, where you fly into, Bloody Ridge, site of Col Merit Edson's epic battle, and several other memorial sites. The US sites were well maintained, the Japanese ones were trashed. the Solomon Islanders have not forgetten how the Japanese treated them.
I'll never forget my first crossing of Iron Bottom Sound, with Savo Island on the left. I was alone on deck, after midnight, and I kept wondering how many sunken ships lay beneath us. some incredible battles were fought in that very narrow straight , and Nov 7/8th 1942, 2 US battleships went to their graves there. 4 cruisers on the night of the early Battle of Savo Island, to none for the Japanese.
Wow, awesome, for me tis only a place I've read about.
Soviets lost something like 25 million lives.
They celebrate their WW2 victory every year. They saw the worst of it.
And Machron stated no Russian official could attend the commemoration. Absurd.
The Russians are a tough people. They were our allies in WW2. Wish we could be allies again.
I found the Russians to be more like Americans than any of the people of the ~50 odd countries I have visited. I really liked them,, and certainly respect them. tough SoB's for sure.
amen. that generation would donkey punch us for our cowardness
the Greatest Generation gave rise to The Greatest Degeneration
Yes. But how? The pendulum swings ever wider oddly in generational terms and nationally. It follows times of societal morality, lawlessness, war, excesses, etc. Repeat. Always reminding us that we are dying, helpless, hopeless creatures without God's intervention. He allows us to see how awful we are left to ourselves and how Great His ways are when we know Him. Knowing ABOUT God is NOT the same as being intimately connected to Him and His family but you can't be family if you don't know where to find Him/them. He gave you His 'diary' and 'love letters'. Read them as though your Loving Father wrote them. Be sure they are actually from Him as there are fakes circulating.
I believe there was a purposeful effort to weaken, soften and feminize the populace through food supply and health care, fluoride, BPA, vaccinations, education, DEI, etc. Myriad ways to create puppets.
Started in the 1960’s via Cloward and Piven marxist doctrine. Fully spooled up now.
We were asleep at the wheel, too trusting and naive.
It’s wakey-wakey time!
Speak the Truth wherever you may be to whomever is there.
Dam on the beach, you are right. I remember seeing in LIFE magazine, the atrocities they did in Porta Rico, with pumping hormones into the live stock. Children, young children had breasts! I remember talking to my mom about that. Shame on all of them. ( Cira 1960s Life magazine)
Like, like, like.
AS Joe Rogan told Tucker in his interview, "the hardest thing you've ever done is the hardest thing you've ever done". These Did not Earn It snowflakes have probably done nothing more traumatic than going with our their cell phones for a few hours when they forgot to charge it. The D Day Memorial is in Bedford, VA, just of I-81. The front of the cemetery at Collier Sur Mer at Omaha pays tribute to "The Bedford Boys" with a permanent memorial. Great , moving book. Little Bedford VA lost more men on D Day per capita than any other town. The leader of the platoon was sick as a dog that morning, with every right to check himself into sick bay. He didn't , because he knew what awaited them as one of the first wave landing craft. Needless to say, he died there.
Their sacrifices and hard work made us soft and ungrateful.
No, I believe WE THE PEOPLE being "coddled into complacency" did that, R.H.
Wasn't blaming the Greatest Generation. They blessed us. We failed to understand what it takes to be a blessing.
I understand, R.H.--truly!
Luv ya, SBE. We're on the same page : )
ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVLE, R.H. - (smile)
My father was in the Army in WWII. But he would not have wanted to think he had any part of what's going on now.
My dad was Navy. As much as I hated the Alzheimer's that took him away, I was very happy he was unaware of the Obama administration's antics.
Dad passed away shortly before that election. I had assured him McCain would win against the fundamental transformation of America. Dad didn't think it would make a difference either way. For several years he'd been telling me, "This country's gone, Son. This country's gone." Pray we prove him wrong.
That generation, could see the writings on the wall, my mom told me that 18 years ago. Sad that she was 100% correct.
Everytime I heard that “fundamental transformation” bs, I thought “Traitor.”😡
Two of my nephews were in the Navy.
My father and his brother both served overseas (my Dad was a bomb loader over in northern Italy for the duration of the war--he wanted to be a pilot of a B-17, but his dislocated shoulder issue prevented that happening). Dad always referred to the "press" from about the 1960's onward as "the 'pinko press"--pretty apt, don't you think!!
Love it..my (kind of) tv idol Archie Bunker loved to use the word 'pinko'.
Archie stole that adjective from my Dad - LOL! Dad used that term back in the early 1960's and from then onward.
😎👍
He sounds like a sharp guy that would have been an excellent pilot. I wish that generation were still with us.
They still are - through US!!
They were collectively suffering from PTSD, some more, some less, than others. They spoiled their children (my dad, mom and stepmom) with nice clothes, toys and later cars. Then some of their children were irresponsible teenagers (my mother) who got pregnant while still in high school. Yes, my dad too. Then some of us Gun Xers had parents who tried and did what they thought was best (my dad and stepmom), while some split when we were young (my mom). Some others had good parents and stepparents. Then for some of us, our grandparents either took over (my dad’s parents) or they lied for their child (my other grandparents). Leaving some of us a bit frustrated. So some of us were and are disillusioned, some spoiled their children. I never had any (yet, who knows what my future is). Pop culture and technology slowly took over for bad parents. Leading to all sorts of young people having problems whom I feel bad for. I don’t know how else to explain it to them. Other than, “sorry kids, we’ll be dead before you. You’ll just have to learn on the job, as you go, basically flying blind”.
That’s my children’s generation, Steve. I contributed to it, and it breaks my heart. Let’s change the model. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Jeremiah 6:16).
I am sure that the situation we are in is going to be corrected. We can't do it, but God will.
EXACTLY, R.H. - no 'excuses' - no excoriating our shortcomings either!! PRESS ON toward the HIGH MARK!!
I want to help them, but I’m nothing to nobody. I can’t get the motivation to start writing a book. I have lots of good ideas for fiction, and lots of suggestions for young people, but I’m 56 and just a veteran collecting a small pension, in Pittsburgh.
The reason this all happened is because everyone thinks what can one person do, said 7 billion people. Listening to Jan Halpar yesterday and she said something that caught my attention. Most of us who are reasonably awake feel we are getting screwed because of the ongoing efforts to wake up normies and commies. She said "no, this was done for you too. All of us checked out, wanted to be left alone, just lead a decent honorable life. We left it to others to serve on the school boards, go to the town council meetings, volunteer at the library, etc. Our apathy to getting involved in running the community is why we are here too. That must stop"
Steve, your young, you have much to give, and your smart. We can make a difference! Never Surrender !!!
Let your imagination run free - find a spot in your surroundings that inspires you, Steve--give it a go!!
Write your book, Steve. You can publish it as an e-book and list it on Amazon. You will have some buyers here. I'd love to read it.
A bunch of ideas, like an animated series, but not funny like South Park. Deep, well fleshed out characters (I kind of started), but not funny.
I hope you can get that going. Start small, like a minimum of one page a day.
Just yesterday I learned a loaded B-26 dubbed "See See Senor," on a bombing mission, crashed on take-off from an airfield in Cormeilles-en-vexin, France, January 1, 1945. USAAF firefighters rushed in, saved the crew, and were putting out the fire when an on-board bomb exploded and instantly killed three firemen. One of the “non-combat casualties” was Dad’s 29-year-old cousin, a 3rd generation German-American. Dad was 17 at the time. He and his cousin had the same first name. Dad joined the Army, served out the war, and spent the next 20 years in the San Antonio City Fire Department. I never knew the backstory. Now I can’t forget.
It’s so sad and strange to us today that they didn’t share their war stories with us. My old neighbor Ed and I talked about so many things when we went on our trail rides together. I loved those times but wanted to know how he developed his facial tic, what happened during the war. I know he visited the VA mental health dept. on a regular basis. He did tell me that much. He wouldn’t tell me anything else. My dad was visiting one time and we had Ed and his wife over and my dad asked him about the war but he wouldn’t talk about it.
At his funeral we hung around afterwards and his VA counselor told me that Ed got locked inside a ship’s closet in a bombing raid in the South Pacific. Probably locked in for three days. Can’t imagine what went through his head.
I miss him, those trail rides were so dear to me. Ed and King, Karen and Keiffer. My horse was always a little easily spooked, never with Ed and King though. Bravery wins.
The "suffering in silence" aspect is, in part, what made them the Greatest Generation. I know that approach to mental health is really frowned on now, but there really is something to the whole "stiff upper lip." Our kids today, encouraged to share their emotions all over social media, don't seem to be doing all that well. I suppose, as with everything, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Your neighbor sounds amazing. I am sorry he is no longer here to ride the trails with you.
Thank you NAB, I think you are so right, somewhere in the middle is good. Feelings are somewhat overrated 🤣
Karen, PTSD, we suffer in silence. My ex-in laws, were German. He fought in the Germany Army. Technically he would have been a nazi. He wouldn't talk about it at all. The man I knew was kind and gentle. He was thrilled to have an American GI as a daughter in law. My own father wouldn't talk about his experiences either. I know that he was on the last truck out of Korea, but only because he had frost bite on his hands. I too, don't talk about the horrors of military service, instead remember and focus on comradery.
I bet you made them proud ❤️
Here is a war story from a family I know. This story, about a B-17 bomber crew shot down over Holland in World War II, is still being told in Holland, and they even installed a monument for the American crew. https://tinyurl.com/bdzfsvbu
I just learned that many had to sign agreements that they would never discuss their experiences, even with spouses .. those expired in 1995 & those Vets became free to speak
Oh wow, I didn’t know that either. Our local news station does ‘War Stories’ monthly highlighting local veterans. It’s pretty cool. The producer just won an Emmy 👏🏻
What an excellent idea. The next generation needs to hear their stories! Our long-time county constable recently retired--said he was getting old and the crazy way things are going these days, "Somebody might try me, and I'll have to put him down." Tough old bird with a huge heart and no doubt an inspiring life story to tell. Maybe I'll track down an English teacher. Some kid should interview that old boy and write a profile for a class project.
RG the Covid psyops is horrible, the death and destruction horrific. The essential core of cowardice and apathy and lack of kindness and respect makes me the most upset . My parents and grandparents would be heartbroken if still alive .
So well said
My son, an avid history buff, chose Normandy for his Senior family trip. I never had it on my list of places I’d like to go, but it was one of my favorite most meaningful trips. Your words brought back tangible feelings this morning. How those men did what they did, I will never know. God bless them and their families. I tell everyone who has a loved one buried at one of the cemetery’s there that they are the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth.
I was in Normandy for the 60th and 65th anniversaries of D-Day as part of the US Army Europe Band. We traded off playing with a French military band for hours. Paying tribute to those men who died was one of the most significant memories of my military career. I also played at many of the other WWI and WWII American cemeteries in France and Belgium on Memorial Days, and ceremonies at many of the small towns who celebrated their liberation from the Nazis. Most of France is not very American-friendly, but the Normandy area is full of French, American and British flags.
Jean, thank you for your service.
You were fortunate to get that little nudge, perhaps from your Dad’s spirit. I love your story. The fact that you were able to act suddenly and purposefully toward an impulse that would later deliver you such a poignant memory. I’ve been to those beaches, also in quieter times. It is somberly intoxicating to imagine the terrified souls who bravely ran across those beaches and up those hills. One can sense the lingering patriotism of the allied troops who died or were wounded there. We must never forget their sacrifice.
The white crosses and stars of David honor the heroes. We took some time to visit a German cemetery as well. As I walked through and read the names and ages of these naive young German soldiers dead at 17, 18, 19 etc., commanded by evil leaders, my heart was heavy with pity for them. In contrast, there were no bright white monuments, only brown, gray and cold flat markers. There also lay someone’s son, husband or brother.
I’ve traveled to many places around the world. None so moving as Auschwitz or Normandy. They were like bookends to a horrible time in history.
We must never forget the potential for evil to spread.
Thank you for sharing your experience & trusting your gut on what you needed to do while on your vacation. Wow sombering indeed.
GLAD SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERED AS THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY...:
MILITARYsteria: Best Woke Military Memes (Was it Worth It?)
Ready to die for the empire of wokeness? Why are white recruiting numbers falling? Be all that you can be (all pronouns welcome), US troops are BIG targets for snippers & more woke military memes!
https://covidsteria.substack.com/p/militarysteria-best-woke-military-memes
US Navy = The Village People
https://genius.com/Village-people-in-the-navy-lyrics
Lyrics do have some gay hintings but overall a pretty patriotic song.
Now they have trans and drag queens and pronouns.
How far the US Navy has fallen.
Not my Navy 🤣
Maybe today 🙄
I don't recognize this Navy any longer.
If I had stayed in, I would have been able to retire in 2007. At 20 years in. Ugh. Every day I kick myself even more than the day before, for not doing a few specific things before I even got to the Fleet.
Just shared this with my Vietnam Veteran husband and we both are just shaking our heads in disgust. Thank you for posting. Gonna share with all my Veteran FB friends. This oughta REALLY piss ‘em off…if they weren’t pissed off enough already. 💔🫡🇺🇸
It would be interesting to see their comments about their experiences as the military has had problems at least since Vietnam and those in it could clearly see them... the last meme is VERY ACCURATE: https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b6bf2ce-7303-4bfd-8d54-54be5ac749e8_447x604.png
My father flew in the 8th Army Air Force. I remember as a child walking into St Paul's Cathedral in London. There was a glass display case housing a book of people who had died in the war. My father looked at it and turned away. That particular page included someone he had flown with. I don't think I can even begin to imagine what that experience of going up day after day, watching people die, struggling home in a shot up plane had to be like.
Wow .. you just reminded me of my neighbor who published his Dads memoir of being “Shot Down Over Italy” by John W Lanza… I’m gonna go read it 🙏
And this entire thread reminds me that I need to write about my experience flying in a B17 (my father flew in a B17). I'll put it on my substack.
Such a moving, memorable experience for you. My dad and his 2 brothers were WWII veterans and also my father-in-law. FIL fought in Europe. One uncle was on an Admiral’s flagship. Other uncle and my dad fought in the Pacific. Truly, the Greatest Generation. We attended a special 75th D-Day celebration in Louisville about a month before my dad passed.
Thank you for sharing your personal story.
I just checked to see if "The Longest Day" was on. It used to be a tradition. The "American Heroes Channel", formerly the Military Channel, is honoring this day by playing 3 sets of shows. "Codes and Conspiracies" , "How the World Ends", and "UFO's: The Lost Evidence". DEI. Did Not Earn It.
TCM is playing it. At 11 pm. At least there are other D Day movies on it earlier.
I watched them all when I was younger. No disrespect to the brave fighting men. But what I’m learning now is that those movies are not historically accurate in any way
remember it was collaboration with the cia and hollywood that made those movies.
The free Movies! channel is showing it on Saturday.
I'll have to check that out. Thank you.
I have had the memorable honor of seeing the white crosses row on row in Normandy. When I was 16, I went to Europe for the first time, with my older siblings, and then met up with a school group to tour southern France. It was an incredible experience. We spent time in Normandy on an overcast April day. We stood on pockmarked grassy fields, beside the German bunkers and overlooking the beaches. The scene there, and even in the cemetery later, was idyllic and hard to reconcile mentally with the carnage that had occurred years before. It was the only place in France that our American student tour group was welcomed with open arms.
We all commented at how much the people there kept the memory of the Allied sacrifices alive and honored.
Please take this kindly: Charles Schultz had those signposts in many of his “Peanuts” (Charlie Brown & Snoopy) videos🇺🇸❤️🩹
Thank you.
My Mom's older brother was IN one of those gliders on D Day. Got hung up in a tree in his oh dark thirty landing. Nazis found him in the morning, delivered a couple of rounds to him and left him for dead. He almost was. Our guys found him later after the sun came up, and managed to get him some help. He survived. I have he Medal he was given, came to me by way of his older sister, an Army Nurse during the war and for decades after, then through Mom. He was somewhat stove up, but could get around and was very active. We worked together a lot as I was growing up. I asked him one time many years later if he had any stories from the war. He quietly declared "there are some things a man just cant talk about". End of that discussion.
I learned from Mom he had also jumped in North Africa against Rommel, . and later at Anzio. As much as he travelled around the country I never once knew of him flying commercially, He always took either the train or Greyhound.
I can’t wait to visit Normandy. I’ve watched Saving Private Ryan so many times that I’ve lost count but I cry every time.
I toured the American cemetery as part of a youth orchestra trip and watching a bunch of carefree teenagers go silent and still while staring at the endless rows of monuments is something that leaves an impression.