Lest we forget...

[WestEndAngler]

Today is the 74th anniversary of D-Day – June 6, 1944 – the beginning of the liberation of Europe and another nail in the coffin of Hitler’s Third Reich.

• In less than a year, the war in Europe would be over (May 8, 1945).

• The Allied Supreme Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower (from Texas), would be sworn in as our 34th President just 9 years later – January 20, 1953.

• It was General Eisenhower’s sole decision to “go or no-go” with the D-Day invasion in the early morning hours of June 6. D-Day was originally set for June 5 but storms forced Eisenhower to postpone for 24 hours. Without a break in the weather, D-Day would have to be put off two weeks until tides and moon were right again. Allied meteorologists predicted that break, small though it was, for June 6. Eisenhower launched the invasion with a simple: "OK, we'll go."

• Years later Eisenhower would be asked why the D-Day invasion was so successful. His reply: “We had better meteorologists than the Germans.”

[coachlaw]

"The chair is against the wall. John has a long mustache."

The Longest Day.


I have never been so moved, or seen my father so emotional, as the day I visited the St. Laurent Cemetery at Omaha Beach. Those men helped save the world that day.

[FlyPelican]

True men of valor!

Thanks for the post.

-FP

[plugger]

Thanks for mentioning D-Day . We should always be thankful for that generation . I bet it's hardly mentioned in textbooks today . Sandy , what does your school's textbook say about D-Day ?

[coachlaw]

Don't worry, it's in there. Textbooks are not as bad as you might think. Some PC stuff in them has gotten ridiculous though.

[plugger]

Thanks , Sandy . That's good to know . I've seen on the internet an interview of college freshman who are asked some simple historical questions that they fail to answer correctly . Not as bad as who's buried in Grant's tomb , but ,close . HAR !

[JT]

And the French should be bending over backwards kissing our a-- to this day.

[coachlaw]

Not all French are bad. When my dad and I were there, there was a young woman with a little girl. She had a huge basket of flowers. She was carefully placing flowers on graves, one by one. We crossed paths and she asked if we were Americans. Her English was very good. She told us she came once a week with flowers and put them on as many graves as she could. They're paid for by an association in Normandy who's goal was to have flowers on every grave at least once a year. When you're there and you see the scope of the work, it's humbling. There are so many crosses and Stars of David. She said her grandparents were in the Resistance and she did this as a volunteer because she was SO THANKFUL to the Americans for saving France. We thanked her and her daughter for all they were doing. She asked if anyone we knew was buried there, that she would pay the grave special attention that day. We didn't, but it was such a nice thing for her to ask. THERE ARE GOOD FRENCH PEOPLE. Just not too many in Paris. Kind of like here in the U.S. In Brittany and Normandy, they were very welcoming and thankful for their Liberation. They see what America did there as a self-less act of bravery, more than re-paying for all Lafayette did for us.

[JT]

I didnt mean to say that they're not any good french; my mother is majority french..... I just said they ALL should be bending over backwards kissing our a--.

Did you ever see the photos and videos of the french throwing flowers on the Germans troops when they walked into Paris with no fight and claimed it?

[coachlaw]

Paris . . . I was on the steps of the Cannon Street Commodities Exchange in London waiting for a buddy to come meet me for lunch one day. 2 Scotsmen were walking down the steps and one mentioned he had to go to Paris for the weekend. His friend said, "Ahhh Paris . . . . It would be such a wonderful city, if not for the Parisians." I couldn't hold back my laughter. I asked the guy if I could us that phrase in the future. He answered in the affirmative. Imagine the rudeness of NYC with the dishonesty of D.C. all rolled into one and you have Paris.

If you visit France, stay in the country. People there like Americans. I had wonderful experiences in Normandy and Brittany. Aside from the museums and landmarks, Paris kind of sucks. The food wasn't even good. Had to carry a pouch of Tony Chachere's with me everywhere.