Danno Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Take a little time today to honor and thank the Greatest Generation, our troops, and the allied troops for their extreme sacrifices 70 years ago, and for all the freedoms we've enjoyed the past 7 decades as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) On this anniversary of the beginning of the invasion of Europe by Allied forces on D-Day, it's important to remember that the Americans who died in Europe during World War 2 were there for a far more compelling reason than just "defending America", which seems to be what so many attribute as justification for America's military involvements over the years. (I don't mean you, Danno.) The Americans who served and died in World War 2 gave their lives defending the IDEALS that America was founded on, and preserving those ideals and freedoms FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD. IDEALS and IDEAS like freedom of speech and freedom of religion, which we all pretty much seem to take for granted, are far more important than national boundaries. Edited June 6, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Jules Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 yup, followed it this evening on tv and throughout the day. This is a good story. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27735086 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I hope the French, the English, the Dutch, the Austrians, the Poles, etc. realize how significant D-Day was in their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Jules Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Austrians?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Yes, Austrians. The first country Hitler annexed. On March 12, 1938, the independent country of Austria ceased to exist and became part of the Reich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bunyan Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Germans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Yes Germans too. My relatives, Jews by the way, had quite a hard time during those years. Several got out in the early to mid 30's, the rest, well some hid, some died. It was called World War II for a reason. God Bless the greatest generation. BTW we just lost the last of the original Navajo Code Talkers too. Semper Fi G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 BTW we just lost the last of the original Navajo Code Talkers too. Yes, I heard that the other day. 93 years old, I believe. Talk about "unsung heroes"... I'd bet 9 out of 10 people would have no idea who they were or what role they played in WWII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Beimg I have a couple great uncles buried in bastogne this day along with dec 7 and V.E. day, and finally V.J. day mean quite I bit in my family. Not that it pertains to this thread but I have an uncles who died in the Bataan death march and two in vietnam so anyone who has served this country I have two words to say. "THANK YOU" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 My great uncle was one who stormed the beach, wounded and went on, the scar from the German bullet just above his left a shoulder was the only thing that said he was there. He sure didn't, he never talked about it even on the day he died. He talked about his job at the Federal Prison in Cannon City Colorado and some of the though customers he dealt with there over the years. Never about "D Day" or About his experiences during WW II beyond boot camp or how sea sick he was on the troop transport being shipped to Europe. He wasn't the only WW II Vet I've known who left the war behind them when it was over. Another uncle was at the "Battle of. The Bulge", still refuses to speak of it. Earlier in my working career I worked with a soft spoken Engineer who was on the brink of retirement who had worked for Boeing during the design and testing phase of the Boeing B-17 as soon as it was accepted by the Air Corps, he volunteered as a flight engineer flying B-17's over Europe. I was always told that he felt bad about some of the things he had done, he knew he had to do it and why he had to do it just hurt him deeply. To those who served our Country during World War II for the hope of a better World, Thank You, the World was made better by your selflessness. True Hero's don't need to brag about their deeds. It's enough for them to know they did what they had to because it needed to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I absolutely loved the story about the 89 year old veteran of Her Majesties Armed Forces who skipped out of the nursing home and went to the anniversary ceremony. It had been mentioned that if the entire German Army couldn't keep him from entering France, how would nurses be successful? How about the 93 year old who parachuted into France the night before, just like 70 years ago. The 92 year old who flew the C47 dropship? May God Bless them all. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 I absolutely loved the story about the 89 year old veteran of Her Majesties Armed Forces who skipped out of the nursing home and went to the anniversary ceremony. It had been mentioned that if the entire German Army couldn't keep him from entering France, how would nurses be successful? How about the 93 year old who parachuted into France the night before, just like 70 years ago. The 92 year old who flew the C47 dropship? May God Bless them all. G DITTOS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_G Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I hope the French, the English, the Dutch, the Austrians, the Poles, etc. realize how significant D-Day was in their lives. My family is from Normandy. My great uncle Alphonse will celebrate his 99th birthday on the 14th of this month- he was awarded the medaille de resistance by Charles De Gaulle for his role in the French resistance. My great uncle Horace (his brother) lost an arm and an eye fighting the nazis, so your sentiment is not well taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I absolutely loved the story about the 89 year old veteran of Her Majesties Armed Forces who skipped out of the nursing home and went to the anniversary ceremony. It had been mentioned that if the entire German Army couldn't keep him from entering France, how would nurses be successful? How about the 93 year old who parachuted into France the night before, just like 70 years ago. The 92 year old who flew the C47 dropship? May God Bless them all. G Saw all those stories...and I thought it characterized that whole generation to a "T." NBC had a nice D-Day special Friday night I enjoyed watching, and I thought hearing those stories was interesting. I also ended up in the car at 6:30 every night this week, and WBZ radio carries the CBS TV news, and I listed to their coverage of that all week. All it did was make me miss my grandfather and great-uncles, all of whom were WW2 veterans, and I believe Pop was one of the D-Day paratroopers, not 100% sure, though, I'll have to ask my dad. We must never forget. And if I have anything to say about it, and as long as I continue to have any kind of involvement in education in any capacity or level, I'll do my part to make sure nobody does, contrary to a disturbingly large number of "teachers" now who deem such actions irrelevant. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Even in my school days Charlie we learned "history" which always stopped just shy of World War I. WTF? My father, my uncles, older cousins all served in some capacity, I wanted to hear about it. I read and read and read, and I built models. I learned more of the history of the PTO as a raw recruit at MCRD San Diego than I ever learned in school. WE must NEVER forget, any of it, the good or the bad, least we be doomed to repeat it. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 WE must NEVER forget, any of it, the good or the bad, least we be doomed to repeat it. G Amen to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 My family is from Normandy. My great uncle Alphonse will celebrate his 99th birthday on the 14th of this month- he was awarded the medaille de resistance by Charles De Gaulle for his role in the French resistance. My great uncle Horace (his brother) lost an arm and an eye fighting the nazis, so your sentiment is not well taken. I'm sure Harry meant no disrespect to your brave family members. All he meant, I'm certain, is that France and all the rest of Europe might very well have lost the war had it not been for America's help. There could have been no D-Day without the USA, and the gallant actions of the resistance members of many countries would have been for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I'm sure Harry meant no disrespect to your brave family members. All he meant, I'm certain, is that France and all the rest of Europe might very well have lost the war had it not been for America's help. There could have been no D-Day without the USA, and the gallant actions of the resistance members of many countries would have been for nothing. Thanks, Bill. That was exactly my point. Both of my parents were born in Europe, and actually lived through WWII as young children. My dad's older brother (he would have been my uncle had he lived) was a member of the resistance. He died at 18 fighting the Nazis. He died many years before I was born. Believe me, I know about the resistance movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 (edited) WE must NEVER forget, any of it, the good or the bad, least we be doomed to repeat it. G I think that's one of the reasons I build models. Modeling conveys a sense of history and modelers themselves actually become pretty good historians a lot of the time. I always felt as though I fit in well with that general mindset and deportment. I sometimes wonder if that's one of the reasons modeling has fell out of favor- we, as a society, are losing sight of our history, our heritage, and the things that remind us of it, and with those reminders being hidden from the view of the general populace and especially children for a variety of (usually twisted, illogical and intellectually weak) reasons, I do worry sometimes. I think it's incumbent upon all of us to preserve those things of the past in some manner, and make sure they aren't forgotten. Charlie Larkin Edited June 10, 2014 by charlie8575 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.