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70 years ago today
- Thread starter NutmegCT
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I turned 6, 9 days later. My dad and his brother didn't get home until 1945, but I remember news about the war was always on the radio. Mom worried about the ship my dad was on, but always put on a front for us kids. I remember that all the cars had black out lights on them and my dads 32 Chevy had the headlights all taped up with just a strip across the center of the lens open. I remember the air raid sirens, pulling all the shades down and using one light in the house during those times. I remember bits and pieces about Pearle Harbor on the news, no specifics, just that us kids wondered why everyone was so upset afterward, we found out later. Today I think about all those men and women who sacrificed everything to keep the war on foreign shores and keep us safe. Heroes all! PJ
mikephillips
Yoda
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The last time it seems everyone agreed on what was good and bad in the world and did what was necessary to ensure darkness didn't win.
One of my father's clearest childhood memories was when he was 11 and heard the news of the invasion on the radio and running to school to tell everyone.
One of the divisions on Omaha Beach, the 29th, was a National Guard division comprised chiefly of Maryland and Virginia men, hence it's name the "Blue / Gray" divison
The one thing that tends to get overlooked in talking about our "Greatest Generation" is how much credit they gave to their parents for raising them with the values of hard work and to take a stand for what was right and stand up to what was wrong. I recall one veteran who finally retired from working in the family contracting business at age 87 saying "If you thought I worked hard...you should have seen my father."
One of the divisions on Omaha Beach, the 29th, was a National Guard division comprised chiefly of Maryland and Virginia men, hence it's name the "Blue / Gray" divison
The one thing that tends to get overlooked in talking about our "Greatest Generation" is how much credit they gave to their parents for raising them with the values of hard work and to take a stand for what was right and stand up to what was wrong. I recall one veteran who finally retired from working in the family contracting business at age 87 saying "If you thought I worked hard...you should have seen my father."
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How many men would walk 5 or 6 miles to work because their car broke down? My dad, an old farm boy, did until he had enough money saved up to fix it, that took a couple weeks or more and he never missed a day of work! Yes back then they were tough and very determined. He never spoke much of the war and his ship being in Italy during the invasion of German troops, he only spoke of the good times, which wasn't many. PJ
aeronca65t
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My father-in-law, who is 91, arrived in France two weeks after D-Day.
He walked and rode across Europe with the US Army, making it to the concentration camps in Germany (my wife once asked him how often he took a bath or brushed his teeth and he just rolled his eyes).
He remembers sleeping in a castle at one point.
For some reason, I'm the only family member he talks to about the events of that time. Some are funny and some are incredibly sad.
My own father was younger and he lived in Ireland, which was neutral. During WW II, my Dad remember the American GIs sneaking over the border (from Northern Ireland) into The Free State because the pubs were supposed to be better.
After the war, my Dad actually signed up for a trial period with the RAF (as a mechanic), but by the time the trial period was over, he and Mom had decided to emigrate to Canada.
Here's a recent shot of my WW II-vet father-in-law (and my mother-in-law). Married 60+ years.
When he returned from the war, he went back to Bucknell to finish his degree. But he flunked a Statistics class so he had to retake it. When he toke Statistics the second time, he sat next to a good-looking girl who he ended up marrying.
He walked and rode across Europe with the US Army, making it to the concentration camps in Germany (my wife once asked him how often he took a bath or brushed his teeth and he just rolled his eyes).
He remembers sleeping in a castle at one point.
For some reason, I'm the only family member he talks to about the events of that time. Some are funny and some are incredibly sad.
My own father was younger and he lived in Ireland, which was neutral. During WW II, my Dad remember the American GIs sneaking over the border (from Northern Ireland) into The Free State because the pubs were supposed to be better.
After the war, my Dad actually signed up for a trial period with the RAF (as a mechanic), but by the time the trial period was over, he and Mom had decided to emigrate to Canada.
Here's a recent shot of my WW II-vet father-in-law (and my mother-in-law). Married 60+ years.
When he returned from the war, he went back to Bucknell to finish his degree. But he flunked a Statistics class so he had to retake it. When he toke Statistics the second time, he sat next to a good-looking girl who he ended up marrying.
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I remember when certain days and events were honored by just about everyone. As an example, when there was a day, even the cartoons in the newspapers would take a day from their story to honor those events. Today, the only one I say was in Mallard Filmore.
Where have we gone wrong?
Where have we gone wrong?
Sherlock
Yoda
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And the Canadian troops stormed Juno Beach...
Just watching the Normandy ceremony right now, probably can't watch all of it as I plan to be at a parade downtown later this morning in honour of our Winter Olympic athletes, something that might not have happened if D-Day never happened...
A couple of old WW2 photos recently acquired...
A British soldier in the town of Sonsbeck in Germany... On the way to Berlin, 85% of the town was destroyed...
Another one, it explains itself...
Just watching the Normandy ceremony right now, probably can't watch all of it as I plan to be at a parade downtown later this morning in honour of our Winter Olympic athletes, something that might not have happened if D-Day never happened...
A couple of old WW2 photos recently acquired...
A British soldier in the town of Sonsbeck in Germany... On the way to Berlin, 85% of the town was destroyed...
Another one, it explains itself...
Sherlock
Yoda
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This ceremony is being held on the day of the event, which happens to be a week day, so of course many will be at work... However here in Canada, Remembrance Day (November 11th) ceremonies are attended by larger crowds every year, and in most provinces it's a statutory holiday... Remembrance Day pre-dates WW2, in honour of the signing of the armistice of The Great War, in 1918 on that exact day, on the 11th of November, at 11:00
One of the veterans of D-Day was mentioned in media quote this morning, that 20 years ago he feared for the memory, but he finds that the youth of today have re-gained that respect...
Canada does remember, a photo essay I made regarding the practice of wearing of the poppy...
My Father who was born in 1896 and was in both wars in the Navy. He was on the USS Enterprise when the Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor.
I now have a German Son-In -Law. His father suffered during WW 2 and barely got to West Germany out of East Germany, before the Russians took over the East. He is a few years older then me, but we were both just kids at that time. It is amazing to me that in just one generation after the war his son has married my daughter and I have two wonderful grand sons who are dual citizens of the US and Germany. My Son -in-laws Parents live in Cologne and my wife and I have visited them there and they come to San Diego to visit the Grand kids and of course their son and my daughter.
It makes me wonder why we have to have wars in the first place. After all the fighting here we are all back together again as if nothing happened.
I now have a German Son-In -Law. His father suffered during WW 2 and barely got to West Germany out of East Germany, before the Russians took over the East. He is a few years older then me, but we were both just kids at that time. It is amazing to me that in just one generation after the war his son has married my daughter and I have two wonderful grand sons who are dual citizens of the US and Germany. My Son -in-laws Parents live in Cologne and my wife and I have visited them there and they come to San Diego to visit the Grand kids and of course their son and my daughter.
It makes me wonder why we have to have wars in the first place. After all the fighting here we are all back together again as if nothing happened.
G
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mikephillips
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A world war of the type WW1 and WW2 were I think would be close to impossible anymore. We're too inter-connected and able vie the net to watch each other's lives and emotionally connect. And if that didn't do it, the cost and build time of military equipment these days would mean any conventional war of matched forces might be over in days as the combatants run out of ships and planes.