D day
guypjfreak
Posts: 2,281
remembering all the men and women that helped to give us our freedom
chapo
chapo
0
guypjfreak
Posts: 2,281
Comments
fuck nazis
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Looking at these old men, I wonder what memories and emotions they've held (or let go of) all these years.
My god, how young they were at the time. Some still in their teens.
Makes me think of my own father, who was just 21 when he served in WWII.
Thank you to these men, and let's hope the VA shit gets rectified, SOON.
(they probably wouldn't even consider themselves heroic, but to me, they are)
Speaking of WWII heroes, just saw a great movie a few day ago- The Monument Men. Phenomenal!
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/05/26/d-day-photos-canada-anniversary_n_5393983.html
These men and women were asked to do an unimaginable and horrifying job ... and most did so unselfishly. I had Uncles serve in WW2 and my grandfather in WW1 ... not 1 ever mentioned the war they were involved in. Truly brave men and woman that deserve our utmost respect.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06/06/d-day-veteran-escapes-nursing-home_n_5460358.html?1402073850
Good for him...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
This one's another good read. Not many left to directly tell us their stories.
http://www.today.com/news/d-day-vet-i-dont-want-be-hero-anybody-2D79767682
"We had overfed the troops that morning,'' DeVita told Brokaw. "They were all seasick. When we got near the beach, one particular machine gun took a liking to us and was hitting my boat. The Germans had the high ground. They were shooting down at us. It was like hitting fish in a barrel."
An emotional DeVita recalled the fear of being ordered to drop the ramp to the boat.
"I knew in my head, even though I was a young kid, when I drop that ramp, instead of the bullets hitting the ramp, they would come into the boat,'' he said. "So the coxswain says, 'Drop the ramp,' and I made believe I didn't hear him. So he said it a second time, and I made believe I didn't hear him. And the third time, he says, 'Goddamn, DeVita, drop the effin' ramp.
"We had 30 men on the boat. Three men made it to the beach. They were all wounded and some were dead."
DeVita can still remember the sounds of soldiers in their final moments.
"You know, there's a fallacy when a man is dying — they don't ask for God,'' he said. "The last word that that they say is, 'Mama, Mama."
Those painful memories have been with DeVita for 70 years, and he is just sharing them now with his children. Four generations of his family joined him at the beach in Omaha to honor his service. DeVita returned because he feels a duty to speak for the men who died that day.
"These kids were 18, 19 years old,'' he said. "They're never gonna see their son play Little League baseball. They're never gonna walk their daughter down the aisle, and they're never gonna hold their grandchild in their arms. They had their whole life ahead of them.
"My family thinks I'm a hero. I'm not a hero. When you go up to the cemetery above Omaha, those are the heroes. Those are my heroes."
DeVita is hoping his family and others take a lesson from the anniversary.
"Love your freedom,'' he said. "Because that's what we fought for. We fought for your freedom."
i saw that about the escapee fair play to him
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/06/06/d-day-landing-sites-pictures_n_5458026.html?1402052492&just_reloaded=1
Amazing photographic work ...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Click on the images to see them as they look now.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Godfather.