Author Topic: D-Day 6 June 1944  (Read 501 times)

Offline Hajo

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D-Day 6 June 1944
« on: June 06, 2020, 07:10:15 PM »
June 6 1944 a very important day not only to the Allies at that time, but to the entire world.  Most young men who served (at that time) were never more then 20 miles away from their homes (and Ladies who served also.)  each of them were thrust into a conflagration that the world had never seen before, and fortunately have not seen since in that large a scope.  Here they were, thousands of miles from their homes flying 30K over Europe and the Pacific, fighting up through North Africa and Italy and landing on beaches on some god forsaken Islands in the Pacific with dangerous Jungles and disease ever present, along with Japanese troops as the enemy.

The day before D-Day which got all the press, the US 5th Army marched through Rome after defeating, and chasing the German Army and Luftwaffe out.  Yes, the reason I say this is on 5 June of 1944 my Father was a member of the 5th Army that fought in North Africa and Sicily.  I and my Brother and Sister were very fortunate to have both a Father and Mother who served in this huge conflagration.

My Mother was a member of the Navy an S1, and who'd of thought that a beautiful woman who sang on the radio in NYC after the war taught Naval Gunnery in Norfolk Va.

I wish to salute all veterans of every war that this country was and is in, and serve at the ready in defense of this country.  Most young and far from home, many for the first time.

Being a Son of the Greatest Generation, I know what these people were made of.  I also have a deep appreciation for the Parents and Wives who watched their children and spouses go to war.  Many never to return.  This includes all wars that these young people were asked to serve and sacrifice.  Know this..........I love you all and thank you for your service whether in War or in service.  You will always have my undying love and appreciation for your service.

That is all.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2020, 07:18:14 PM by Hajo »
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Offline Arlo

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2020, 07:42:15 PM »
1944 – Operation Overlord begins. In Normandy, France, during the predawn hours, the US 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions are dropped inland from the right flank beach. The British 6th Airborne Division is landed inland from the left flank beach. These forces achieve their objectives and create confusion among the German defenders.

The Allied Expeditionary Force lands in Normandy at dawn. Forces of the 21st Army Group (Field Marshal Montgomery) commands the US 1st Army (General Bradley) on the right and the British 2nd Army (General Dempsey) on the left. There are five invasion beaches: Utah on the right flank, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, on the left flank. At Utah, the US 7th Corps (General Collins) lands with US 4th Division spearheading the assault. The troops advance inland against light resistance. Admiral Moon provides naval support. At Omaha, the US 5th Corps (General Gerow) lands. There is heavy resistance and by the end of the day the American forces have advance less than one mile inland. Admiral Hall provides naval support. At Gold, the British 30th Corps (General Bucknall) lands with 50th Infantry Division and 8th Armored Brigade leading the assault.

There is reasonable advance inland although the assigned objectives are not met. At Juno beach, the British 1st Corps (General Crocker) lands with the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and the Canadian 2nd Armored Brigade leading the assault. The tanks and infantry quickly push inland. Naval support is under the command of Commodore Oliver. At Sword beach, other elements of the British 1st Corps land. The British 3rd Infantry Division, 27th Armored Brigade and several Marine and Commando units lead the assault. The beach is quickly secured and bridges over the Orne River are captured but the first day objectives are not reached.

The German 21st Panzer Division counterattacks in the late afternoon but does not dislodge the British defenders. Overall, the Allies land almost 150,000 men. Naval support and massive aerial interdiction prevents the German defenders from concentrating forces for a decisive counterattack. Despite the German resistance, Allied casualties overall were relatively light. The United States and Britain each lost about 1,000 men, and Canada 355. Before the day was over, 155,000 Allied troops would be in Normandy. However, the United States managed to get only half of the 14,000 vehicles and a quarter of the 14,500 tons of supplies they intended on shore.

Three factors were decisive in the success of the Allied invasion. First, German counterattacks were firm but sparse, enabling the Allies to create a broad bridgehead, or advanced position, from which they were able to build up enormous troop strength. Second, Allied air cover, which destroyed bridges over the Seine, forced the Germans to suffer long detours, and naval gunfire proved decisive in protecting the invasion troops. And third, division and confusion within the German ranks as to where the invasion would start and how best to defend their position helped the Allies. (Hitler, convinced another invasion was coming the next day east of the Seine River, refused to allow reserves to be pulled from that area.) Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commander of Britain’s Twenty-first Army Group (but under the overall command of General Eisenhower, for whom Montgomery, and his ego, proved a perennial thorn in the side), often claimed later that the invasion had come off exactly as planned. That was a boast, as evidenced by the failure to take Caen on the first day, as scheduled. While the operation was a decided success, considering the number of troops put ashore and light casualties, improvisation by courageous and quick-witted commanders also played an enormous role.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2005/06/06/june-6/

Offline Ramesis

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2020, 02:45:12 PM »
It is a shame that the remembrance of  D-day and Pearl Harbor are fading with the years
 :salute
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Offline oboe

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2020, 03:22:34 PM »
Agreed.   I missed it by a day but found an old DVD of The Longest Day that I intend to watch this afternoon.   

 :salute

Offline Maverick

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2020, 10:18:15 AM »
Thank God men like that lived. Thank you for our and the free world's freedom.  :salute
DEFINITION OF A VETERAN
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life."
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Offline Bruv119

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2020, 09:22:07 AM »
 :salute
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Offline DmonSlyr

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2020, 09:48:14 AM »
Bravest men the world has seen.  :salute
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Offline Molsman

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2020, 11:52:48 PM »
I still Watch my Series of Band Of Brothers each time Faithfully this time of year
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Offline WpnX

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2020, 08:41:59 AM »
It is a shame that the remembrance of  D-day and Pearl Harbor are fading with the years
 :salute

Agreed. Although I went to Normandy last year for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the people there were incredible. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it during that week.
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Offline Gman

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Re: D-Day 6 June 1944
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2020, 06:55:49 PM »
I'd love to go in the next year or two WpnX - never get to jump it like you did, much less out of a C47 (Was Shrek McPhee with you on that jump, I couldn't tell from the video, I'd trained with him before on one of his courses). 

Dday is an important day in our family.  Both of my Grandfathers were involved in WW2, one flew Lancasters as a ferry pilot for those bombers built in Canada over to England.  The other was an electrical tech/radio tech, and was in the RAF during the BOB, and worked on the radios and electrics in all kinds of types, and was sent on temp duty to the Polish squadrons to work on their stuff as his base was closest to theirs.

My Grandfather's brother, and other close relatives,  were more in the thick of it.  One of them was killed shortly after DDay, in Nov 1944, he was an officer Navigator on a British Lancaster, (James) Burleigh Hill. 

James B Hill



My aunt's Father,  assaulted the beach defenses @Juno beach on Dday.  John Parr had sailed the Atlantic as a medic aboard ships doing convoy duty for much of the war.  After a short break from that, he was then reassigned, to what he was initially told was the "fake" invasion forces, and told not to expect much.  Then it turned out he had actually been reassigned to the Canadian forces assaulting the beach (he was with the Regina Rifles, his home Province's unit), and he participated in the landings along with all the others.  He survived the invasion, and subsequent push into Western France/Europe, and returned home, after 5 years of service.  Brief 9 minute video on the Regina Rifles on Dday, interviews with many of the vets, including several First Nations soldiers in the unit.  https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/d-day-the-regina-regiments-story



« Last Edit: June 16, 2020, 07:07:46 PM by Gman »