My Dad Asked Me This Afternoon

[Annie]

Know what I was doing right now, a long time ago? Links at site:

http://daisycutter.blogspot.com/2005/06/do-you-know-what-today-is.html

Monday, June 06, 2005
"Do you know what today is?"

My dad used to always ask me this familiar question on days like today. Thus, I didn't need a school teacher to remind me. I knew.

As the years have gone by, I have grown more and more in awe of the heroism of those who have gone before in the defense of freedom. On this day 61 years ago, young Americans and our allies stormed the beaches of Normandy to defeat the evil that was Hitler's Germany.

The most daring task in this most daring mission fell to the Army Rangers -- specifically Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder’s Second Ranger Battalion at a place called Pont-du-Hoc (pictured above.) See their story.

The task was straight-forward enough: Scale the 115'-125' cliffs under heavy German fire with approximately 300 men to take the position used for six huge 155mm guns, each with a range of fifteen miles. Thus, the success of the Rangers was vital to the overall success of the D-Day invasion.

Lt. Col. Rudder, a school teacher and football coach from Eden, Texas, personally led the assault. Nearly half of his Rangers were killed or wounded in ascending the cliffs.

But their courage -- both moral and physical -- was too much for the Nazi defenders. As fire rained down on the Americans, they looked evil and the eye and advanced. Evil blinked.

Hell has no fury like that of good men. The Rangers took the guns.

When their initial ascent had been successfully completed, Lt. Col. Rudder's communications officer sent the signal: "Praise the Lord."

posted by DC at 12:01 AM

My dad was quite busted up on D-day. He was part of the Big Red 1:

http://www.bigredone.org/

 

[Annie]

My dad was in the 2nd wave, a little before 7 am:

http://grumbles.mu.nu/archives/085817.php

June 06, 2005
61 Years Ago

61 years ago, today, Allied troops began landing on the shores of Normandy. The day has been known ever since, around the world, simply as .... D-Day. Men from the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, France, Poland and probably some I'm leaving out waded ashore from their landing craft. Many drowned under the weight of their field gear and weapons in water too deep to stand in. Others were killed by murderous machine gun and artillery fire before they ever touched the beach. The few in the first waves who survived the water, the machine guns and artillery, overcame the obstacles and made it off the beach faced days and weeks of hard fighting to keep those beaches. American, British and Canadian paratroopers came down behind the beaches and fought desperate battles in the darkness, often scattered and out of touch with their comrades. The greatest invasion fleet and landing force the world has ever seen brought about the beginning of the end that day, 61 years ago.

There's no political message here, just a moment taken out of our busy schedules to remember those men, those scared, lonely, determined, seasick, courageous men, as they fought a battle to end one of the worst tyrannies the world has ever seen. Those men are slowly fading out of our lives, one by one. Soon the Greatest Generation will no longer be with us. In my family they're all gone but one now. But their legacy will live on and they will be remembered as long as our history survives.

Thank you.

 

[ThomasPaine]

and died that June morning. I pray that we Americans of this generation may be equal to the task of conquering terrorism that your father and his generation were in conquering facism. Now I think I know you a little better than just as a person who posts here. I'm reminded of the day, Memorial Day 1992, that I watched the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Reverance, and respect.

 

[gaffer]

My Dad was also there. He was in an armored unit that went in the second day. He passed away in 86 and my memories of the things he told me have grown fuzzy over the years. I do know they saw a lot of action in the hedgerows and he was part of Pattons 3rd Army.

My mother, being in the Army Air Corps watched the planes taking off and gathering for the bombing runs and air drops.

My grandfather was a cavalryman in WW1.

I was an infantryman in Vietnam.

My nephew was a bradley driver with the 3rd infantry in the invasion of Iraq.

My family has just a bit of military history.

I have started writing down bits of memories from my experiences to help answer questions of the family members when I'm gone. That way they don't have to try and remember the verbal tales and chats and have a more accurate record of things.

 

[ThomasPaine]

My grandfather was a "Saving Private Ryan" called back after being shipped to England for D-Day as both his brothers and my maternal granduncle were killed in the Pacific, and he was the only surviving male for two families. My great grandfather charged up San Juan Hill with Teddy and the rough riders. Before that we were Scots. I honor you, sir, your service to this country, and those of your family. It's a small world isn't it. And smaller still when we, as Americans, remember, who we are, and where we came from.

 

[musicman]

My Dad was also there. He was in an armored unit that went in the second day. He passed away in 86 and my memories of the things he told me have grown fuzzy over the years. I do know they saw a lot of action in the hedgerows and he was part of Pattons 3rd Army.

My mother, being in the Army Air Corps watched the planes taking off and gathering for the bombing runs and air drops.

My grandfather was a cavalryman in WW1.

I was an infantryman in Vietnam.

My nephew was a bradley driver with the 3rd infantry in the invasion of Iraq.

My family has just a bit of military history.

I have started writing down bits of memories from my experiences to help answer questions of the family members when I'm gone. That way they don't have to try and remember the verbal tales and chats and have a more accurate record of things.

Your Dad and my half-brother may have served together, gaffer (my family tree is quite a sprawling mess, LOL). God bless all the brave members of our armed forces, past and present.

 

[USViking]

God bless and save all who served.

None of us would be alive now if not for what they did.

 

[5stringJeff]

Since we're talking about family...

My cousin is a LtCdr in the Navy, and has deployed at least once to combat zones since the GWOT started. I have another cousin in the USAF who has been in Japan for the last five years.

My father was a Navy pilot, flew in and out of Vietnam for four years delivering supplies.

My paternal grandfather was a Army Air Corps/USAF mechanic, and a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

My maternal grandfather was a cook for the Navy, and served in the Pacific theater for three years.

And if I traced my family tree back correctly, I have an ancestor from Arkansas who was a private with a volunteer regiment for the Union, and another ancestor from Alabama (?) who fought for the South.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

Know what I was doing right now, a long time ago? Links at site:

http://daisycutter.blogspot.com/2005/06/do-you-know-what-today-is.html



My dad was quite busted up on D-day. He was part of the Big Red 1:

http://www.bigredone.org/

I know I'm a little late on this, but a salute to your dad. My great uncle died from the wounds he suffered on D-Day. He's certainly not forgotten. His picture hangs on my wall.

 

[Annie]

I know I'm a little late on this, but a salute to your dad. My great uncle died from the wounds he suffered on D-Day. He's certainly not forgotten. His picture hangs on my wall.

Thanks Jimmy! Well my dad is sitting right in my kitchen. Well he is, but seriously none of those guys are forgotten, nor is anyone who ever served honorably! But for their culminating efforts, we would not be where we are today.