6 June 1944.
Starting very early in the morning of 6 June, US, British, and Canadian pathfinders began dropping out of C47s over occupied France. OSS agents previously infiltrated and linked up with French resistance personnel, moved to secure these men and their equipment. Their jobs were to mark the DZs (drop zones) for the Allied airborne troops inbound from England. Here and there fire fights broke out as Gestapo (interior police) and Wehrmacht (army) patrols occasionally located and attacked them upon landing.
Literally thousands of aircraft; bombers, transports, and gliders passed over the beaches heading inland to various targets and DZs. AAA (anti aircraft artillery) fired upwards and occasionally hitting their targets to fall flaming to the ground. The first paratroopers began jumping at 0200 in the morning and quickly three entire airborne divisions (1 Brit/2 US) had landed in France to seize key roads and stop German reinforcements.
Seawards, the largest armada ever assembled bore over a hundred thousand men of the Western Allies; Americans, British, Canadians, Poles, French, Czechs, Danes, Dutch, Norwegians, Indians, South Africans, Rhodesians, Belgians, towards Festung Europa- Fortress Europe towards an invasion that many at the highest level of command feared was at best an even odds chance of success. A short break in the weather had decreed this invasion had to go today or be delayed possbily for months. The warships closed with the coastline and shepherded the slow transports packed with the invasion force. After hours of bombardment by dozens of battleships and cruisers, the first troops struggled towards land at 0630.
Waiting for the them were the Germans and Russians (thousands hated their Communist masters enough to serve Germany) of the occupying Wehrmacht. Dug in deeply and behind tens of thousands of mines, they were increasingly aware something more than an extra large air raid was happening. Some units went to full alert and manned their weapons watching anxiously towards the sea. The Luftwaffe (air force) was represented by only two Me109 fighters in all of western France and was powerless to do more then send them on a suicide run to check the beaches (which they did survive against all odds). The Kreigsmarine (navy) sallied forth in PT boats but despite sinking a Polish destroyer and some small ships was forced back to port. The German High Commnad remained confused over whether the invasion was a diversion or the real thing leaving the frontline troops to fight on alone.
*By the end of the day, despite stiff German resistance. All beaches were secure and troops were moving inwards. Over 6500 US troops were killed, wounded or missing. Some 4000 British and Canadian troops were also casualities. German losses were roughly the same but they were falling back.
The great gamble has succeeded. The Allies were ashore in Europe.
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The numbers of WW2 vets dwindles each day. The average vet of either side would be in his late 70s today. The last D-Day celebration with these brave men will be soon. Time marches on and now they are old and frail, shadows of the men who fought so desperately in the skies, sea, and on land in the varying uniforms of their nations. God grant they and what they accomplished not be forgotten.
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Comments: 35
I know the last WWI vet is now gone. Which is inevitable but still sad.
I linked your article to my D-Day article to try to get more viewers on both of them and more information out on D-Day. You can access it here.
Thanks, Chuck. Excellent article!
There is one Brit believe it or not who is left that served in both WW1 & 2 as a sailor. I think the last American WW1 vet died last year.
Actually I was doing some research about this yesterday. I found an article written on May, 25 2009 that claims that there are 6 still alive. (2 Americans although one was originally from Canada.) Frank Buckles is apparently still alive. When I looked at this web page I don't see anything that says he has died. Here is the article I found.
http://wizbangblue.com/2009/05/25/only-six-world-war-i-veterans-are-still-alive.php
Here is Frank Buckles website
http://www.frankbuckles.org/Home_Page.html
I must have heard "last WWI vet dies" and assumed it meant that, but I heard it a few weeks ago but it would be by country. I know Australia just lost one on 6/3/09 and I have come up with possibly 5 or maybe just one?
He is still alive. This article I just found dated a little over a week ago states that there was a ceremony for him honoring him as the last known WWI survivor. ( I guess they mean American)Of course these are just articles and I have not found anything on the DOD website.
http://www.whitmanhansonexpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2616:never-forget&catid=905:whitman-hanson-news&Itemid=70
That's amazing, truly amazing. I can't imagine the things he has seen.
I was going off a recent American Legion article. I will bow to your better information Chris! The article about the British sailor was in Military History magazine.
I recommend the Band of Brothers series. Very well done and more historically accurate than a lot of others.
Saw it. Wasn't bad but the Longest Day does the best overall. The input from both sides is there while in the Band of Brothers, it's lacking.
Excellent point. Ever watch Tora! Tora! Tora!? Extensive Japanese perspective.
Great day today--I've been able to sit in front of the tv and watch a D-Day marathon on the Military Channel.
We've got Band of Brothers and I agree with Greg. Very well done and fairly historically accurate.
Yep, thats why I like those two movies. Both sides had lots of input in them. Hollywood seldom puts that kind of effort into a film anymore.
It is days like today I really miss my grandfather. He did not talk much about the war but he would sit down with me at times and tell me of his experiences. Unfortunately he was never able to participate in any remembrance ceremonies or see the WWII memorial. He passed away almost 19 years ago.
thankss for the info
Wonderful rememberance Charles. Very nicely done. One of my good friends died last June he was with a very famous group I think it's the 110th Mountaineers. I was very proud of his service during the war.
10th Mountain Division, currently a light infantry division stationed at Ft Drum NY. They fought extensively throughout the Italian campaign.
Oh one more thing Charles 55Th anniversary? I am confused.
Good catch Chris...that why I stayed away from anything resembling math!
Someone played a recording of Reagan's speech on the 50th anniversary of D-Day. He was a President who could talk credibly about heroism and sacrifice.
Good post, Chuck.
A great commemorating article, thanks so much Charles.
I was watching some news yesterday, I dont understand why we dont treat our veterans better... They all went to a foreign part of the world, fought for our country, were wounded, killed, or came back with terrible memories, and we dont provide EXCELLENT medical care, we dont give them homes to live in and money, I personally think that every person who has served their country should live very well, when they finish.... I cry over this sometimes, as I see veterans in places they shouldnt have to be, or homeless even, it is rediculous! Excellent post, and we should remember them all every day.....
You neglected to mention the Navy "Scouts and Raiders" who swam ashore the night before to blow up beach obstacles, AND swam ashore near Calais to to create a diversion keeping the Germans believing that assault would come at Calais! The "Scouts and Raiders" were the forerunners of UDT and the Navy SEALs. Along with the Pathfinders, some of the bravest men of the Normandy Invasion!
Didn't neglect them Spartan, I barely cratched the surface on those particpating. I just wanted to give a quick oversight of the action. It would have taken hours to do justice to all the units on both sides.
I 've never heard of them called Scouts/Swimmers before, I'd only seen them listed as UDT. I do know that term is currently used by the Army for one.
Regardless, thanks for putting the info up there!
Since I was old enough to read "The Longest Day" I have always been amazed and fascinated by those Rangers given the task of taking Pointe du Hoc! To tell these men ahead of time they could expect 90% casualites and yet they went against every known survival instinct and did it anyway says a great deal about the American fighting man!
We trained for missions in the Cold War days that told us similar stories. 82 ABN and other airbone/light units were told our life expectancy was pretty short, if REFORGER had kicked in the stories about expected causalities basically had most the of the Army as out of the picture in less than a couple of weeks.
At least those Rangers knew they had a chance as POWs, few of us expected a chance at that with the Russians. Luckily it never happened but it was a cloud over your head when one started thinking.
"...thousands hated their Communist masters enough to serve Germany..."
LOL! That is so telling!
Assuming the minimum age for our soldiers was 18, those vets would be in their 80's. My father served Germany from age 10 to 14. He is now 75.
thanks for sharing
Hi Chuck, Mr. Buckles is still alive... he lives about 15 mins. from where I live...
Glad someone still remembers!
My we never forget. Glad to see you here on Gather once again.
Great info about something so sad. I enjoyed the Longest Day and we have the Band of Brothers. Every so often, we will take it out and watch it. It's all very moving to me.
Good history, our dad was a WW2 vet, he would have been 88 this year. We still miss him and he's been gone 11 years now. He would never talk about the war though. He was on the front lines, I can only imagine the things he must have seen in his time there.
I spent some time in Walter Reed as a young trooper and got to talk quite a bit to various WW2 vets, most of them Pacific theater. The kind of stories that never make history books either.