June 6, 1944 D-Day

[TiredIronGRB]

On Tuesday, June 6 1944 the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord began...thousands died for the freedom of billions.

[Prowler901]

God rest their souls...

[TiredIronGRB]

One post...:Broken-Heart:

[Grossman56]

I'm still amazed by the sacrifice of that generation, Stephen Ambrose in his book, D Day, quoted General Eisenhower as he stood on Omaha beach twenty years later, and I think it's worth reflecting on,"I think it's just overwhelming. To think of the lives that were given for that principle, paying a terrible price on this beach alone, on that day, 2,000 casualties. But they did it so that the world could be free. It just shows what free men will do rather than be slaves."

Can you imagine the reaction if, in this day and age, we were to announce a casualty rate such as that? One beach (Their were five. Gold Sword Juno Utah and Omaha), in one operation, one one day, in one theater of war. And there were three theaters of war at that time.

Something very heavy to ponder on this, the 73rd anniversary of D Day.

Grossman56

[F106DeltaDart]

The scales of D-Day are almost incomprensible to what we could understand today. 160,000 men, 13,000 airplanes, 10,000 causalities on day one. The numbers are staggering no matter how you look at it. For a modern reference, the total aircraft in the USAF is around 5,000 today, and that is everything from UAVs to transports. These men paid an incredible sacrifice for the promise of a free Europe, and their legacy will never be forgotten.

[bradl4648]

All that I can say is I thank them for allowing me to be alive and still be free. Just think How much more would have been lost if they had their full platoon. Their planes were sent up north we told them that Patton (I think) was going there as a diversion that worked. But again thanks to all of our fallen troops over this one day!!!!

[Aros]

The heroism is sobering and I never take one moment of my life for granted because of their sacrifice.

[Grossman56]

I never could understand why D Day isn't an Official day of remembrance. Flags should be flown at half mast in every Allied nation that fought there. We will never see the likes of that day again. I recall President Reagan at Point Du Hoc on the, I believe, 40th anniversary. One of the men who was there asked another, "How did we ever climb this ?"
The bigger question is, how did we ever pull this off?? the logistics, especially in the WWII era are staggering, the losses as a percentage of the overall population of the U.S. at the time is unbelievable. Most people nowadays don't even know what 'D Day' refers to. So sad....

Grossman56