Take a moment today

[Tazz]

69 years ago today men gave their lives to defeat tyranny. Something everyone should do in their lifetime is visit Normandy.

 

[blackw900]

We're pretty close to tyranny in the good old USA these days....I'll bet many of those men from D-Day are turning in their graves over the demise of freedom in this country.

 

[8978]

My father was there. Went from Sargent to Lieutenant in 1/2 an hour. One of his men was hit and holding his intestines in his hands kneeling on the sand trying to keep them off the ground. My father found out later he lived and was fine!!!!!

 

[Cargo Commando]

So, I'm guessing how it was presented in Saving Private Ryan is spot on as it was difficult to watch the scenes.

 

[8978]

Pretty much. My father said many many guys died drowning climbing down the rope ladder to the boats. Their back packs were so heavy and lots of guys sea sick and weak from the rough trip over.

 

[8978]

One more story from my father.

Near the end of the war my father was told to take a group and capture the officers held up in a nice house behind enemy lines. It was night and they could see a REAL YOUNG guard out front. At that point all they had was kids pretty much. My father didn't want to shoot, stab or kill him so they came up with the bright idea to knock him out when he made the turn. So, they hit him in the head and all he did was scream in pain. The four officers inside came out and were SO GLAD to be captured. They didn't even take their side arms. Nobody wanted to fight or kill anymore. The officers were just plain hungry.

My father kept in touch with one of the officers who moved to France. He would send us a case of wine every year before Christmas.