D-Day 70th anniversary: Ceremonies and staged landing held

[webfact]

D-Day 70th anniversary: Ceremonies and staged landing held

(BBC) Hundreds of the last surviving D-Day veterans have gathered on both sides of the English Channel, 70 years on from the momentous World War Two mission.

A spectacular Red Arrows display in Southsea and parachute drop in France came on the eve of the anniversary.

The Princess Royal was at the drumhead ceremony in Portsmouth, where on 5 June 1944 troops were preparing to invade Nazi-occupied France.

Between 2,500 and 4,000 Allied troops are thought to have died the next day.

As many as 9,000 Germans are also estimated to have lost their lives when around 156,000 troops, mainly from Britain, the US and Canada landed on Normandy's beaches in one of World War Two's key turning points.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27700479


-- BBC 2014-06-06

[Greer]

They were brave, and fighting for what they believed in. Up to 13,000 died - brave soldiers from both sides - trying to do what their country demanded. In the end, the Allies were victorious but the cost was great, and must never be forgotten.

Equally, it must never be repeated. Never again must the world go to war.

Lest we forget.

[siampolee]

We must never forget the debt we owe to our now I suppose grandfathers and grandmothers along with our (my generation) fathers and mothers for their efforts in W.W.2.

My father was in the El Alemain and middle East,theatre of war so of course he missed D.Day.

However later he served a tour of duty in Germany at the end of the conflict. Being a professional soldier his service term was extended beyond the wartime requirement.

[GeorgeO]

We must never forget the debt we owe to our now I suppose grandfathers and grandmothers along with our (my generation) fathers and mothers for their efforts in W.W.2.

My father was in the El Alemain and middle East,theatre of war so of course he missed D.Day.

However later he served a tour of duty in Germany at the end of the conflict. Being a professional soldier his service term was extended beyond the wartime requirement.

They would be great grandfathers and grandmothers now; I served during a period well after World War 2, from 1971 to 1993, and I am a four-time grandfather already.

[englishoak]

Lest we forget ... respect and thanks to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us who came after.

2 uncles RIP lads

[stoneyboy]

Big respect to all those that gave their all in the name of freedom.

How sad my grandfather lost his life on this day only one year before the D day landings here in Thailand on the death railway.

Lest we forget.

[NeverSure]

My Dad was there and he's still alive at 97. He was on the ridge close to where Gen. Douglas MacArthur was killed when allied planes got confused and bombed about 5 miles into friendly troops. He dived under a tank and got dirt scattered on him from nearby bombs. He was later wounded just before the Battle of The Bulge, was flown to England and then to Kentucky where he spent 6 months in the hospital.

He has a Purple Heart for being wounded and a Bronze Star for bravery in battle.

FWIW he says the Brits were some of the toughest guys he ever met. They were all together at times. And that's the last nice thing I'll ever say about a Brit. 555

Let's not forget the women who stayed home and were worried sick, many never to see their man again. Many women went to work in the factories. All of the US auto manufactures (many more at that time) shut clear down and starting building everything from airplanes to bombs to tanks. That labor was mostly the women.

[samran]

Let me guess. obama hopped on a plane to go over there. He loves flying & wearing his bomber jacket. He probably pockets a few Air Force One cocktail napkins every trip.

Here is what I predict. His speech will be all about him. It always is. How the invasion shaped his life.

How do I know this? Because it always is about him. At the Mandela funeral. At the West Point Commencement. It's his favorite topic.

God help all of us.

not the time for <deleted> like yours...not the time...

[Lancelot]

Let me guess. obama hopped on a plane to go over there. He loves flying & wearing his bomber jacket. He probably pockets a few Air Force One cocktail napkins every trip.

Here is what I predict. His speech will be all about him. It always is. How the invasion shaped his life.

How do I know this? Because it always is about him. At the Mandela funeral. At the West Point Commencement. It's his favorite topic.

God help all of us.

What will people do after 2016? There truly will be nothing to complain about after Obama's second term ends and the weakling won't even stage a coup to permanently remain in power! But its all true about O circumventing the Constitution- while I slept, he sent Navy Seals to confiscate the last beer in my fridge...

Back OT, the Normandy vets were a great generation. They mastered their fear and got the job done, hats off!

[Lancelot]

My Dad was there and he's still alive at 97. He was on the ridge close to where Gen. Douglas MacArthur was killed when allied planes got confused and bombed about 5 miles into friendly troops.

Um, General MacArthur died of natural causes in 1964...

[draftvader]

I may never agree with the politics of war but I will never doubt the bravery of those who went out there to fight in what they had been told to believe in. It is about those that we lost, the thousands that died to make those centimeters that saw the men standing there today able to claim victory. Today I have taken the time to picture the scene in my head and can only imagine the fear that those boys faced that day in their final moments.

Gone, but never forgotten.

[morpho]

My dad landed on Utah Beach on June 8 and eventually fought his way across France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany with the 90th Division and was in Czechoslovakia at war's end. He passed away in 2008 but he and the rest of his generation will never be forgotten.

[draftvader]

My dad landed on Utah Beach on June 8 and eventually fought his way across France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany with the 90th Division and was in Czechoslovakia at war's end. He passed away in 2008 but he and the rest of his generation will never be forgotten.

We are remembering them today. That includes your father, my grandparents and so many others like them who played their part. Again, we have to put aside the politics and focus on the humans.

I think memorial Sunday is a very important day of the year. I just shy away because I can't stand watching the politicians lay their wreaths with the blood of their armed services all over their hands. They should have veterans and families only and politicians should be pushed away from point scoring at these occasions.

My daughter is 2.5 and I will make sure she understands that people died fighting for what they believed in, that she should be damned grateful to be born lucky enough to hold a British passport and that if she chooses to use it she does that with respect, awe and humility. The actions of those boys on that day have shaped our destinies today and mostly for good. My complete and utter respect to them.

[Benmart]

We must never forget the debt we owe to our now I suppose grandfathers and grandmothers along with our (my generation) fathers and mothers for their efforts in W.W.2.

My father was in the El Alemain and middle East,theatre of war so of course he missed D.Day.

However later he served a tour of duty in Germany at the end of the conflict. Being a professional soldier his service term was extended beyond the wartime requirement.

They would be great grandfathers and grandmothers now; I served during a period well after World War 2, from 1971 to 1993, and I am a four-time grandfather already.

Thank you for your service. We may have passed one another during our time in. LOL.

91B5M

USA Ret.

1968-1988.

Rest In Peace Fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Patriots.

[Baerboxer]

I may never agree with the politics of war but I will never doubt the bravery of those who went out there to fight in what they had been told to believe in. It is about those that we lost, the thousands that died to make those centimeters that saw the men standing there today able to claim victory. Today I have taken the time to picture the scene in my head and can only imagine the fear that those boys faced that day in their final moments.

Gone, but never forgotten.

My Uncle landed with the Candians (although he was a good South Wales boy). He took shrapnel. Patched up and carried on. Caught up with him in later life, casuing severe rheumatism in his hips and he was a big man. But he never complained, and usually only spoke of the comradeship and the determination that they were on the side of right.

My late uncles and late father spoke very little about their war time experience. My dad was called up 1940 just after getting married and was finally demobbed in late 48. I've got about 3 stories and no his regiment, rank and a rough idea of what he was doing for the latter part of his service. That's it.

These men served, as their previous generation has in WW1, saw unspeakable horrors, carried out unimaginable things, then came home and in the majority of cases simply resumed quiet family lives, working hard to rebuild the country. I never forget the tremendous debt owed, especially to those who gave their all. Thanks to them we have the freedoms and opportunities we've all enjoyed.

Gone, never forgotten and always respected.

[Chicog]

The spirit of every single one of them is, and will remain, unquenchable.

http://news.sky.com/story/1275656/veteran-89-recreates-d-day-parachute-jump

[harryfrompattaya]

We forget but we have to Thank America for leading and paying for D Day

Thank You America and the brave soldiers who fought and died

[JUDAS]

Gentlemen I salute you.

[NeverSure]

My Dad was there and he's still alive at 97. He was on the ridge close to where Gen. Douglas MacArthur was killed when allied planes got confused and bombed about 5 miles into friendly troops.

Um, General MacArthur died of natural causes in 1964...

Ouch. My bad - brain fart. Same story but it was General McNair.

"General Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 – July 25, 1944) was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He was killed by friendly fire when a USAAF Eighth Air Force bomb landed in his foxhole near Saint-Lô during Operation Cobra as part of the Battle of Normandy." LINK

[GeorgeO]

We must never forget the debt we owe to our now I suppose grandfathers and grandmothers along with our (my generation) fathers and mothers for their efforts in W.W.2.

My father was in the El Alemain and middle East,theatre of war so of course he missed D.Day.

However later he served a tour of duty in Germany at the end of the conflict. Being a professional soldier his service term was extended beyond the wartime requirement.

They would be great grandfathers and grandmothers now; I served during a period well after World War 2, from 1971 to 1993, and I am a four-time grandfather already.

Thank you for your service. We may have passed one another during our time in. LOL.

91B5M

USA Ret.

1968-1988.

Rest In Peace Fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Patriots.

Kudos to you too Benmart. I believe that we can hold our heads up high for serving full military careers...!

[Somtamnication]

Heroes, all of them! Lest we forget.

[7by7]

<snip>

My father was in the El Alemain and middle East,theatre of war so of course he missed D.Day.

Those serving elsewhere are often forgotten; though they made great sacrifices for our freedom, too.