IGX

"Full victory. Nothing else." -Final Order of Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower before D-Day

Nazi's running on the beach from advance reconnaissance planes.

Hard men getting harder.

Marauder headed to France, June 6, 1944

Utah Beach 6/6/1944

How it appears today, still pockmarked by artillery barrages.

Fat Cat wrote:

Everybody checking out Facebook one last time

I recommend Omaha Beach and Beyond by Bob Slaughter.
It's his account from D-Day to Nazi surrender.
Talks some about how many of the Allied troops were nowhere near prepared for what they encountered due to botched intelligence.
Respect due...the toughest guys ever.

101st Airborne, Mohawks and War Paint.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTi5rjJv698[/youtube]

Most of those guys, and the paratroops, walked from there to Germany in the next 11 months.

If I could have witnessed any moment in history, that would have been it.

Fat Cat wrote:

Every generation has its burden to bear...

My step-father-in-law, who passed last year, was wounded and evacuated 1 week after landing at Omaha Beach. My brother-in-law (Navy) and I (Air Force) were the only ones in the family who knew about it. I don't know if he ever mentioned it to a non-veteran. One of his daughters saw his Purple Heart for the first time at his funeral and asked, "What is that for?".

My uncle was sunk 3 times in the Pacific. The only time it was ever mentioned was when my father and uncles got together and the women weren't around. They'd have a few beers, tell some stories, talk about their friends who didn't come home and rag on who had it easier.

Bunch of tough, hard core, motherfuckers disguised as regular guys. God, how I miss them.