No words can fully express the sacrifice given by the Greatest Generation on this day! All branches of the services worked together, along with our allies, to save the world. I have enjoyed great freedom and prosperity over the course of my life because of this. There are very few people who can say, that they made a real difference in the world, but collectively, those men and women who fought across Europe did just that.
Agree, there are no words to express what was done and sacrificed by all men and women involved D-Day was a military marvel!
ABC World News has been in France all week doing 5-10 minutes each night on D Day related stories. They have showcased a number of their stories and interviewed some of those who are still alive. They all proudly and humbly spoke of the invasion. One guy is 107
Remembering D-Day 80 years later - the Battleship Texas is the last battleship remaining that participated in the landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944 - below is the Battleship Texas entering the Port of Galveston in 2022 for renovations.
One of the many heroes on D-Day was Lt. Col. James E. Rudder, commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in the invasion. Said General Omar Bradley, “No soldier in my command has ever been wished a more difficult task than that which befell the 34-year-old commander of this Provisional Ranger Force. Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder, a rancher from Brady, Texas, was to take a force of 200 men, land on a shingled shelf under the face of a 100-foot cliff, scale the cliff, and there destroy an enemy battery of coastal guns.” Shown below: Ten Army Rangers received the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry during the seizure of Pointe du Hoc on D-Day. Eight of the recipients are pictured in this photo, including Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder, who is standing at far left. I have such incredible respect for these men. To do what they did takes more courage that, to me, seems humanly possible.
crazy! My grandpa was in the European theater. He received a Purple Heart after being blown out of a foxhole in France and spending many months in a French hospital. His legs were all scared up I remember as a kid. He also had a hand gun he got off a German soldier that he showed us once as kids. My cousin has it. He was in the Battle of the Bulge. My great uncle, my grandpa's brother, wasn't so lucky. He was killed in France. We found out more details about 15 years ago when someone he served with tracked down my uncle (who had the same name, as he was named after him). He wanted to share the details he knew about his death before he passed away. Turned out, he died a horrible death. Clifford W Coppens b. 03 Jul 1915 Green Bay, Brown, Wisconsin d. 05 Dec 1944 France
Thanks for sharing this letter; I'd never read that before. No doubt my grandfather read this before boarding a C-47 that day. Powerful stuff...
Text of Radio Address - Prayer on D-Day, June 6, 1944: "My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war. For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice. Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts. Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be. And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen."
Great stuff fellas!! When you micro it all and think about it, try and envision yourself in those situations I simply cannot fathom it and what was done, not only that day but all of WWII. Those soldiers, just kids & the crap they went through it truly makes the hairs on my neck stand up. I know to most of society it was 80yrs ago, WW2 is ancient news to them but it truly shaped the world we live in today. My fathers oldest brother was a paratrooper and jumped on D-Day, never to be seen again! We found his name down at the WWII memorial in DC years ago, it was as pretty cool moment for my father.
Sad.. That generation is slipping into the annals of history. It'll be on us to remember and celebrate them.
I wish more of this was taught in history classes in schools when kids are impressionable. They should be aware of the sacrifices and that freedom isn't free.
From what I hear, many schools teach a revised version of things in "history" class these days...the revised version is completely twisted around and plants the seeds of "USA is evil" in young minds....
Don’t know where you are getting this. The school I am in teaches US history I and II plus world history. The curriculum is set and nothing is twisted.
