The 75th Anniversary of D-Day

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  • INPatriot

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    Aug 21, 2013
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    God's Country
    [video=youtube_share;eEIqdcHbc8I]https://youtu.be/eEIqdcHbc8I[/video]

    I believe June 6, 1944 to be the most significant day of the 20th Century. Sadly the champions that freed the continent and heroes that ended the war are nearly all gone. We must all shoulder the burden to pass on to the next generation the significance of the sacrifices on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword and Juno Beaches that day and ensure no American or Allied loss that day was in vain.

    Some of my favorite excerpts:
    "All of these men were part of a rollcall of honor with names that spoke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore: the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Poland's 24th Lancers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of England's armored divisions, the forces of Free France, the Coast Guard's ``Matchbox Fleet'' and you, the American Rangers."

    "...It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest."

    "The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought -- or felt in their hearts, though they couldn't know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4 a.m., in Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell."
     

    04FXSTS

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    Several years ago I had the great privelage of hearing Vincent Sporanza (hope I got the spelling correct because he deserves all respect possible) speak about his experience in the war. He was a paratrooper so was not at Normandy but was at the Battle of Bastone. He was in his 90's but you could still hear the fierce pride in his voice as he told of his experience. The town was of utmost importance to the germans but once our troops dug in he was so proud to say "no German set foot in that city again." He was also one of the first to liberate Dachau on of the german death camps.
    I will never forget him saying "Battles are not won because you are well supplied or have plenty of ammunition. Battles are won by that soldier in his foxhole that fixes his bayonet and says 'You shall not pass." Jim.
     

    daddyusmaximus

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    Remington
    VFW Post 1279 on East Maple St in Rensselaer, IN...

    61185967_1399612530178801_6586291048010481664_n.jpg




    Even have a new game for the event...

    61551651_1407751766031544_7588567953394630656_n.jpg
     
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    CallSign Snafu

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    I like to believe and sometimes have to believe that the grit possessed by those bold men in 1944 still exists today, in at least some of the young men of today. I see hints of it here and there. I hope it doesn't go away.
     

    Hop

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    Indy
    I always try to get at least the Garand our of the safe that weekend. This year, a bunch of wood & steel will get out of the safe for the Revere's Riders mil-surp rifle shoot.


    :patriot:
     

    indykid

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    Westfield
    75 years ago this day my father, who had completed 8 weeks of Army infantry basic, was learning how to be a bombardier in a B24 via the Army Air Corps. After 8 weeks of B24 training, with the need for ground troops after D-Day, he was recalled to the infantry, who then started a second 8 week basic until they learned he had already done that.

    He then was sent to the 78th Lighning Division which landed in Le Havre France, walked and as he said sometimes crawled through Belgium, and crossed the Rhine River on that famous bridge at Remagen.

    One of the few things he talked about, other than that bridge crossing was that some nights they celebrated moving forward one foot. No such thing as returning to barracks after a sortee, and they had to pray that the Red Cross would be nice enough to bring food to those at the front. To his final day he hated the Red Cross for their failure to bring his men food.

    What a great generation, and how sad so many today don't really understand why they have it as "bad" as they call it, even though we are the greatest country for freedom.
     

    55fairlane

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    Many years ago,I had the great pleasure of hearing a D-Day vet (and medal of Honor winner) tell his story.
    he spoke of the 21 other men (in his attachment) who died on that beach that day, so he could "do my job".
    very sobering to hear him tell that he wasn't a hero, but the hero's were "the boys" who died there that day.

    Because of there sacrifice, our republic stands today! To all those who set foot on that ground that day, thank you and God bless!
     

    DRob

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    There are 2 WWII vets who occasionally eat breakfast at the place I frequent. One was a medic who went ashore on D-Day. He always wears a WWII ETO Veteran hat but never talks about the war. The other was in the Air Force. I don't know whether he was a pilot or crew member but he talks about "we" flew P47s on D-Day and during the Battle of The Bulge. Both of them are in their mid 90s and are a treat to spend time with. It won't be long before they are all gone.
     

    bgcatty

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    The men who fought on D-Day represented the true soul of their respective countries. They truly were the “Greatest Generation”! God Bless Them All
     
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