E
elkun
Guest
thank you, to all who gave,..thank you, for our freedom>..
I'll go have dinner with my 90 year old father this evening. He wasn't on the beach, but was flying overhead as a navigator in a B-17 (Which unfortunately, if you know D-day history the bombers were kind of a bust on that day....).
I try to spend as much time as I can with my dad, as in his condition I know I don't have much time left with him. I particularly like days like this though, as it gives us a reason to break-out his old scrap book. He can't remember what he had for lunch yesterday, but he can remember ALL 27 missions he flew in that B-17. I'll never get tired of listening to those stories!!!
Kudos, thanks, and God bless to the heros!!!
S.
I try to spend as much time as I can with my dad, as in his condition I know I don't have much time left with him. I particularly like days like this though, as it gives us a reason to break-out his old scrap book. He can't remember what he had for lunch yesterday, but he can remember ALL 27 missions he flew in that B-17. I'll never get tired of listening to those stories!!!
Kudos, thanks, and God bless to the heros!!!
S.
NVPete
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,370
Cherish the time you have! My Dad was at Omaha Beach as a gunner's mate 2/c on the USS Arkansas. I have thousands of rememberances of his stories he related at special times while I was growing up, especially around the campfire at hunting camps. A month before he died,I spent an "all-nighter" with him looking and reminiscing at old war pics, the Arkansas war log book (kinda like a HS yearbook)...where he retold some of his adventures and misadventures. I will forever be grateful to him and those of the "greatest generation" who sacrificed so much for us and future generations. I am also blessed to have such wonderful children,grandchildren, my wife, and great friends, and I pray daily that we may recapture some of the moxie they had to keep this nation strong, and restore her greatness. Thanks for posting.
SlinginLead
Active Member
- Messages
- 653
Those stories are priceless....I remember as a kid listening to my dad tell WWII stories. I always enjoyed holding is M-1 Carbine and his .45 Auto. He was in the Pacific Theater, along with three of my uncles. He had a trove of authentic Japanese war memorabilia; officers' swords, knives, Japanese Lugers, etc. That generation was truly special.
E
elkun
Guest
+1 nvpete. my father in law landed on Omaha, my dad was in the army air cor, in the pacific. he hated japs till the day he died,,, god bless them all'''''
O
olderthandirt
Guest
I thought this photo was incredibly profound. On the surface it appears to be shallow and insensitive but I think it demonstrates the freedom won by the sacrifice of our fathers.
This is supposedly the same beach 70 years apart.
God bless them all.
This is supposedly the same beach 70 years apart.
God bless them all.
eelgrass
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 31,775
That's a pretty sobering photo.
I was reading about the invasion a while back and came across something kind of interesting. We will never know the exact number, but it's estimated that between June 6th and the end of August 1944, 60,000 French civilians were killed in the cross fire between the Allies and the Germans. That's something I had never thought about before.
Eel
I was reading about the invasion a while back and came across something kind of interesting. We will never know the exact number, but it's estimated that between June 6th and the end of August 1944, 60,000 French civilians were killed in the cross fire between the Allies and the Germans. That's something I had never thought about before.
Eel
Two years ago, I had the pleasure of leading a bunch of our Boy Scouts on a trip through Normandy - we actually camped at the caretakers yard at American Cemetery. In the evenings, we would go down to the beach and the boys would play along the shore, wading, or tossing a football or a Frisbee. At first, I kind of felt it was disrespectful in such a hallowed place. But then the thought occurred to me that that was what those young men so many years before were fighting for. The picture below is Omaha Beach, July 2012, Pointe du Hoc is in the background.
The boys participated in morning and evening flag ceremonies (receiving wonderful compliments from tourists, retired and active military - including a British General) and my son actually was awarded his Eagle Badge in a special ceremony on the bluff over looking Omaha Beach.
The boys participated in morning and evening flag ceremonies (receiving wonderful compliments from tourists, retired and active military - including a British General) and my son actually was awarded his Eagle Badge in a special ceremony on the bluff over looking Omaha Beach.
feddoc
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 7,434
>
>The boys participated in morning and
>evening flag ceremonies (receiving wonderful
>compliments from tourists, retired and
>active military - including a
>British General) and my son
>actually was awarded his Eagle
>Badge in a special ceremony
>on the bluff over looking
>Omaha Beach.
WOW, that is an honor.
>The boys participated in morning and
>evening flag ceremonies (receiving wonderful
>compliments from tourists, retired and
>active military - including a
>British General) and my son
>actually was awarded his Eagle
>Badge in a special ceremony
>on the bluff over looking
>Omaha Beach.
WOW, that is an honor.
feddoc
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 7,434
>I'll go have dinner with my
>90 year old father this
>evening. He wasn't on
>the beach, but was flying
>overhead as a navigator in
>a B-17 (Which unfortunately, if
>you know D-day history the
>bombers were kind of a
>bust on that day....).
>
>I try to spend as much
>time as I can with
>my dad, as in his
>condition I know I don't
>have much time left with
>him. I particularly like
>days like this though, as
>it gives us a reason
>to break-out his old scrap
>book. He can't remember
>what he had for lunch
>yesterday, but he can remember
>ALL 27 missions he flew
>in that B-17. I'll
>never get tired of listening
>to those stories!!!
>
>Kudos, thanks, and God bless to
>the heros!!!
>
>S.
>
I'm sure you will treasure the time you have left with him. You are fortunate indeed.
>90 year old father this
>evening. He wasn't on
>the beach, but was flying
>overhead as a navigator in
>a B-17 (Which unfortunately, if
>you know D-day history the
>bombers were kind of a
>bust on that day....).
>
>I try to spend as much
>time as I can with
>my dad, as in his
>condition I know I don't
>have much time left with
>him. I particularly like
>days like this though, as
>it gives us a reason
>to break-out his old scrap
>book. He can't remember
>what he had for lunch
>yesterday, but he can remember
>ALL 27 missions he flew
>in that B-17. I'll
>never get tired of listening
>to those stories!!!
>
>Kudos, thanks, and God bless to
>the heros!!!
>
>S.
>
I'm sure you will treasure the time you have left with him. You are fortunate indeed.
E
elkun
Guest
RE: D daypeople
we owe them so much, and our younger people know so little...>
we owe them so much, and our younger people know so little...>
Zeke
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 10,605
RE: D daypeople
Amen to all.
My dad died in 1989 and I miss him to this day. I walk past his grave at least 4 times per week just to say hi. He taught hand to hand fighting during the war.
I also walk past my dad-in-law's grave on the same days. He died just last November. He fought in Korea and lost a lot of his buddies there but managed to make it home.
I/We OWE people like that!
Thanks elkun for your thoughtfulness.
Zeke
Amen to all.
My dad died in 1989 and I miss him to this day. I walk past his grave at least 4 times per week just to say hi. He taught hand to hand fighting during the war.
I also walk past my dad-in-law's grave on the same days. He died just last November. He fought in Korea and lost a lot of his buddies there but managed to make it home.
I/We OWE people like that!
Thanks elkun for your thoughtfulness.
Zeke
Zim
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,336
>I'll go have dinner with my
>90 year old father this
>evening. He wasn't on
>the beach, but was flying
>overhead as a navigator in
>a B-17 (Which unfortunately, if
>you know D-day history the
>bombers were kind of a
>bust on that day....).
>
>I try to spend as much
>time as I can with
>my dad, as in his
>condition I know I don't
>have much time left with
>him. I particularly like
>days like this though, as
>it gives us a reason
>to break-out his old scrap
>book. He can't remember
>what he had for lunch
>yesterday, but he can remember
>ALL 27 missions he flew
>in that B-17. I'll
>never get tired of listening
>to those stories!!!
>
>Kudos, thanks, and God bless to
>the heros!!!
>
>S.
>
>
Cool. My uncle was also a B-17 navigator, but later, bombing Dresden. Was also one of lucky 30% that survived a full tour. Dad was in the Philippines surveying islands for landing strips. God bless them all.
***********************************
Member RMEF, Pope & Young Club, NRA, UWC & DP Hate Club
>90 year old father this
>evening. He wasn't on
>the beach, but was flying
>overhead as a navigator in
>a B-17 (Which unfortunately, if
>you know D-day history the
>bombers were kind of a
>bust on that day....).
>
>I try to spend as much
>time as I can with
>my dad, as in his
>condition I know I don't
>have much time left with
>him. I particularly like
>days like this though, as
>it gives us a reason
>to break-out his old scrap
>book. He can't remember
>what he had for lunch
>yesterday, but he can remember
>ALL 27 missions he flew
>in that B-17. I'll
>never get tired of listening
>to those stories!!!
>
>Kudos, thanks, and God bless to
>the heros!!!
>
>S.
>
>
Cool. My uncle was also a B-17 navigator, but later, bombing Dresden. Was also one of lucky 30% that survived a full tour. Dad was in the Philippines surveying islands for landing strips. God bless them all.
***********************************
Member RMEF, Pope & Young Club, NRA, UWC & DP Hate Club
1911
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 6,197
RE: D daypeople
>we owe them so much, and our younger people know so little...>
Our new crop gimme gimme gimme generation unfortunately mistakenly don't know what they don't know, as they are educated in their own eyes and not the eyes of the real world as it exists. Hence the sad tale of history repeating itself and the tree of liberty being watered with the blood of brave men and patriots from time to time.
>we owe them so much, and our younger people know so little...>
Our new crop gimme gimme gimme generation unfortunately mistakenly don't know what they don't know, as they are educated in their own eyes and not the eyes of the real world as it exists. Hence the sad tale of history repeating itself and the tree of liberty being watered with the blood of brave men and patriots from time to time.
eelgrass
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 31,775
Well said 1911. Well said.
My father arrived in England about a year prior to D-Day. He was with a General Service Engineer outfit. He was an expert welder. One of the things he did in England was work on Operation Mulberry, the temporary harbor that was towed across the channel. Remnants of that harbor are still there today. My sister went there last year to see it. We like to think of it as his memorial, in a way. He was in France by the time it was installed and never did get to see it in operation.
My father arrived in England about a year prior to D-Day. He was with a General Service Engineer outfit. He was an expert welder. One of the things he did in England was work on Operation Mulberry, the temporary harbor that was towed across the channel. Remnants of that harbor are still there today. My sister went there last year to see it. We like to think of it as his memorial, in a way. He was in France by the time it was installed and never did get to see it in operation.
1911
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 6,197
Ya know, the rare oddity that the Greatest Generation had. None of them considered themselves heroes nor victims. They did what had to be done and that was all there was to it. From the men on the beaches to Rosie the riveter back home. Sadly, an age gone past.
Gator
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 18,163
LAST EDITED ON Jun-10-14 AT 07:25AM (MST)[p]As these brave men and women age and die, We lose a lot of history, Keeping it is up to the kids to remember it for the next ones in line. They was a different breed of Americans then. Sure would like to see her move back in that direction.
Thanks to all that served to keep America free.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
Thanks to all that served to keep America free.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
"As these brave men and women age and die, We lose a lot of history, Keeping it is up to the kids to remember it for the next ones in line. They was a different breed of Americans then. Sure would like to see her move back in that direction.
Thanks to all that served to keep America free."
Very, very true. Sad to loose them.
Thanks to all that served to keep America free."
Very, very true. Sad to loose them.
M
Model_70_Guy
Guest
My dad was in the pacific theater during WWII and I used to love listening to him tell stories of different island invasions. Normandy is on my bucket list and when I was in France a few years ago I was in the southern part and we were unable to visit Normandy but I will see it one day.
"Our house is protected by the good lord and a gun, You'll meet both of them if you show up uninvited."
"Our house is protected by the good lord and a gun, You'll meet both of them if you show up uninvited."
Hey Zim! Just saw your post about your uncle being a navigator as well. Cool stuff!
I stopped by to visit with my mom and dad for Father's Day yesterday and scanned this picture out of his scrap book. A 20 year old 'kid' taking his potentially last drag prior to crawling-up into the plane for one of his missions. Luckily he made it back safe from ALL of his missions and the cigarettes didn't kill him either. ;-)
S.
I stopped by to visit with my mom and dad for Father's Day yesterday and scanned this picture out of his scrap book. A 20 year old 'kid' taking his potentially last drag prior to crawling-up into the plane for one of his missions. Luckily he made it back safe from ALL of his missions and the cigarettes didn't kill him either. ;-)
S.
