Three score and 7 years ago,

[Lionel Mandrake]

our fathers brought forth on the continent of Europe
a new invasion,
conceived in Casablanca, Quebec, and Tehran,
designated Operation Overlord,
staged in the UK,
delayed one day because of bad weather,
carried out exactly 67 years ago,
and known ever after as D-Day,
June 6, 1944.

[Swede]

1. My uncle Anton was with the Canadian Army.

As they crossed the channel,in the boat they were on,the English sailors brought out tubs full of rum and told the boys to have at it. And they did.

[Lionel Mandrake]

3. That's a great story!

I knew that English sailors got their allotment of rum in the days of tall ships, but I didn't know they still drank rum during WW2.

[Swede]

6. I was surprised to hear that the US Navy was "dry".

Canada still has a liquor ration.

[oneshooter]

10. The Brit Navy is still "wet".

The US navy has been dry since 1900 or so.

[kick-ass-bob]

2. And so little mention of it today in the news.

*salutes

[Lionel Mandrake]

9. There was nothing in the paper this morning.

Maybe there will be something on the PBS Newshour tonight.

The headlines were huge, of course, when it happened.

For a private celebration of D-Day, one could watch the movie "The Longest Day" (1962), Episode 15 of the TV series "Victory at Sea" (1953), or Episode 17 of the TV series "The World at War" (1974).

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. What a great map this is!

I had actually forgotten that today was D-Day.

Thank you for the great poem and map; they are terrific reminders.

[Lionel Mandrake]

8. Don't tell anyone, but i lifted the map from Wikipedia.

I can't really take much credit for that. :evilgrin:

And my prose gets less and less poetic as it goes along. Still, I'm glad you like it.

[Moondog]

5. My father parachuted in.

Early. Fortunately for me, he survived, or I would not be here.

Here's to you, Dad. :toast:


:patriot:

[Lionel Mandrake]

7. That was very dangerous work.

Ike said he found it hard to look the paratroopers in the eye as he sent them off. Casualty rates were expected to be very high.

[rurallib]

11. My FIL was on one of the early landing boats

And that is the only thing he ever, ever said about it.

[Lionel Mandrake]

12. It's sad that he wouldn't talk about it.

But at least he came back alive. A lot of them didn't, especially at Omaha Beach.



"The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American soldiers who died in Europe during World War II. ...

"Like all other overseas American cemeteries in France for World War I and II, France has granted the United States a special, perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery, free of any charge or any tax. This cemetery is managed by the American government, under Congressional acts that provide yearly financial support for maintaining them, with most military and civil personnel employed abroad. The U.S. flag flies over these granted soils ...

"The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach ... and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II."

Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial

[oneshooter]

13. We have here in Texas a 90+ year old veteran of both the Atlantic AND the Pacific war.

She is the USS Texas (BB 35). She was at Normandy along with the USS Arkansas (BB33). They were a large part of the "Inshore Gunnery Line" And supported the troops with large bore gunnery. Texas closed within 3000yds ( inside the destroyer line) of the beach, delivering gunfire support to the Raiders at Point Du Hoc. She fires 1500 14" shells and 900 5" rounds in 3 days.

She is now owned by the people of Texas and can be seen at her berth at the San Jacinto Battleground.

http://www.usstexasbb35.com/

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[Lionel Mandrake]

15. I've seen Point du Hoc.

It has so many craters, it looks like part of the moon. Maybe the USS Texas had something to do with that.

[oneshooter]

17. Possably, a 14" 1600lb main battery round does tend to make a crater!

[applegrove]

14. vibes to all those souls who didn't make it across the beaches alive. How brave were those kids eh?

[Lionel Mandrake]

16. +