JUNE 6 1944
 

My Dad was on Omaha beach on D-Day. (Their battalion got the Presidential Citation for that day ). My dad's outfit was one of the first to enter Paris. He wrote they entered on August 25th, and it was a thrilling experience.
I'm sure some of your all's dads or relatives might have been there too.
If anyone is interested I have uploaded an original bulletin that was sent to America from England on that day.
I have a huge scrapbook of money from all the country's in Europe my dad walked thru. Swastika pins, Some German Hitler propaganda papers, Some Hitler youth pins and tons of German artifacs from WWII. Very interesting. Some of the letters that my mom got were very insightful of what they went thru in foxholes every night and etc.
If anyone is interested in history, and WWII, you might enjoy seeing this :


<img src=http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/Cutlass12b/D-Day1.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket>


<img src=http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/Cutlass12b/D-Day2.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket>

Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

Mike, That surely was and is the GREATEST CENERATION, without a doubt.
[:-cheers-:]

Father Time

Hey, that's cool!
I got to visit Normandy, walked on the beach and a few other historical locations about 17-18 years ago. It was winter, decent weather, no snow, but all the museums were closed. There were a lot of outside exhibits - tanks, artillery pieces, pill boxes, etc. Visited a few cemetaries, including a Polish one. Found a last name on a tombstone that also belonged to a racer from Orlando and snapped a pic. It turned out not to be a relative, but he said it was weird to see. (I think he ran Stock also but I forgot his name now!)

Thank you to your dad and all who fought.

Locomotion Racing
http://www.geocities.com/locomotionracing

Those sound like great artifacts for sure. For some reason the propaganda that was dropped onto the streets always piqued my interest for some reason. Plus theres no better way to learn the 100% real history than with actual artifacts from the era. Thanks for sharing.

Sean

Black Box Racing

My dad went into the Navy and got married in 1944. We salute those who served.

First Thanks to ALL VETERANS on this solemn day. Living or Dead,they deservr praise.The most difficult operation in the Military is a hostile beachhead landing. It took more guts than I have . I was stationed in Germany during the cold war,a mere 20 years after the war. Upon visiting Paris, I saw some French women placing fresh flowers at the memorial to the U S Soldiers who helped liberate France. The Memorial is an eternal Flame and a brass likeness of the shoulder patch worn at that time.The Patch was called the Flaming Sword I ,too wore this patch. I think of it every time I get angry with the French......Remembering that, like ALL nations and peoples,There are many good ones. I was told not too long ago, that the Flame still burns there in Gay Paree.,right under the Arch de Triomph. Well, thanks Mike , I enjoyed it. Even if the F------ French have forgotten this grand deed . I have not, Your Friend, Roadrunnerrunner

Wow, Mike thanks so much for posting this. This really makes all the ranting over NHRA, and class racing seem preposterous. I agree 100% width the other posts as well. There is absolutely no argument whatsoever, that was the GREATEST GENERATION, the name fits. Just an amazing time in history and amazing people. If I had one chance to take a time machine back in time, there is no question I would pick the 40?s. Men were men. Strong men, brave men and real men who spoke their feelings and had thick skin. Men who worked hard for a living and were proud. And while those men were off fighting for the very freedom of the world, the women went to work doing man's work. And they did it damn well too. Rosie the riveter was as key a part to the war effort as the soldiers? themselves. It was a strong, and proud time for America. The ?men? of generation x, or y or whatever the hell it is were are up to now, would be well advised to read up on that era and take some lessons......

And roadrunner, you are right, I feel the same way.. I like to think I could muster the strength and courage to put on a good fight in battle, even a close quarters fire-fight. But a beachhead landing is just as terrifying as it gets... I get goosebumps thinking about it. I really don?t know if I could do it. Those were God-Damn strong, amazing men.

Thank You, Veterans !!!

Kevin P. Panzino
GT/FA 1202

If you make it to New Orleans DON'T MISS the D-Day Museum !!
It's humbling and will touch your heart for all those that were involved.
I plan to go again this summer....

I had two uncles in the navy and army (sherman tank driver)at the time, both with great stories and alot of respect for the germans who I was told were tough SOB's. I also have two customers that were in the war and still with us today. One piloted a Higgins boat on Dday and is a member of his LST organization and the other was a B25 pilot and was shot down only to be helped by the underground to return to his forces and fly a total of 42 missions ( before the Memphis Belle rule went into effect). As I was told by them it was a different time. They didn't know what lay ahead you just did what you were told. Great guys during tough times.

Oh and forgot to mention that the Higgins boat pilot takes offense when it's mentioned that many boat pilots dropped their men off way too early to escape the fire. He actually had his boat take a hit and disabled only to wait on the beach under fire for 3 hours until he could get on a boat that was empty and heading back to pick up more troops. Later as the troops advanced he ran supplies up the Rhine river often shot at by German fighters.

I'm thumbing thru a 60+ year old scrapbook here. My dads letters home, maps, original orders and clippings. Thought I'd share a little, not that my dad was any different than the rest of the day, indeed they were ALL the GREATEST, as you guys agree.

After the Paris Liberation I read he went on up farther in to France. He wrote of seeing little communities with many graves. They mostly said.........American soldier--Name--Date-- World War # 1---1918.
From there to Belgium, Luxemburg, to Germany, back to Aachen, then to Bastogne. ( a very bad time ), then to Belgium at Battalion Headquarters, just as it was being surrounded by the Germans.
This was a bad time. On December 16th they were in the middle of the German offensive, surrounded, and my dad wrote to my mom from the foxhole :

............I sometimes wonder if I will ever get home. Honey, when the shells start falling and the robot planes come over, you sometimes wonder if it ever pays, and then God brings you thru once again and you are grateful.............

I'm sure a synopsis of every letter, from every foxhole.
There are so many interesting ones here.
The Greatest Generation for sure. Just thought I'd share for those that were interested

Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

Flanders Field is a graveyard in France near the beaches of Normady
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Thank you Mike for posting this and for what your dad did for our nation. A real hero! Jesse

Jesse Knapp

Mike
Interesting comment your dad made about wondering if he would get home. My dad was from Canada and in 1939 joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Became a fighter and light bomber pilot. Went to England in 42 and flew until the end of the war. He was in Canada on his way to the Pacific when the Bombs were dropped on Japan.

He kept a diary and the first year in England was more about the non war stuff. He was the Squadron boxer and told stories of the ring (and pub) fights. As the war progerssed the diary got darker. Then in early 44 the last enrty. Something to the effect of I don't know why I write, I'll never make it home to read it. 1 in 3 RCAF pilots didn't make it home, but my dad did. There were no set number of missions for them. You just kept flying.

One interesting story. My dad voluntered to fly a light bomber alone at night with 1 piece of cargo. A man with a parachute. They flew almost to the German border where they rose to 7-800 feet opened the bomb bay doors and out the jumper went. Dad went back to England not knowing if the man made it or not. Never knew for sure what the mission was or even the mans last name. I was Army Airborne and made one night jump. I know how my heart was racing and my jump was for the fun of it. Can't imagine the thoughts going thru that mans head as he dropped out the bottom doors and pulled his chute behind enemy lines. A true hero that no one knows about. One of many.

I agree "The Greatest American Generation."

This past weekend, we attended the annual WW2 weekend at the Reading, PA airport which was organized by the Mid Atlantic Air Museum. Reenacters, many aircraft including a B17, B25s, P40s, a P51; all flown during the day, displays, tons of vintage equipment and many veterans. Several memebers of the "Band of Brothers", a decorated German pilot and the American who shot him down (best of friends now) and many others speaking of their experiances. A very emotional day and an opportunity to talk to and thank these guys in person. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in this.

Cole

Mike and Stewart:

Yes, they were the greatest generation because they knew what
hard times were and we had the leaders, generals,etc. that
had the guts to fight a war like wars have to be fought if you
are going to win. It's too bad we don't have any leaders left
that have the guts to do what is necessary to win wars instead
of whats happened in the last 3 wars. Polotics don't win war
fighting with all you have wins wars.
My two cents worth.


SEB

Mike,

Thank your Dad for his service. I try to remind my students what was at stake during WWII by telling them that if we'd lost that war, I'd never be able to criticize people in government the way I'm able to under our system. I also have friends who have no aunts or uncles or cousins because they were exterminated by the ****s. We can all argue about whether we should have fought in Vietnam or invaded Iraq, but there can never be any doubt that we owe our freedom to those who sacrificed so much to preserve our way of life during WWII. And that is way that the men and women of Mike's dad's generation is entitled to be called the Greatest Generation.

Mike and David....perhaps we Americans have had it TOO soft. I mean look at the sacrifices All Americans made in WW2. Because "we " sacrificed ...we haven't had to since then....Point is if we truly had gotten behind a war effort like we did in the 1940's...Viet Nam would have been won about 1971. You remember tjhe "mother of all battles"...The Republican Guard .. Give me a break..THIS Iraqi War and The Afghanistan tjhing would both be over by now.I am not saying we should have ,I'm saying we could have....And without Nukes.But as a nation we have taken a lot for granted. It amazes me how we know that the Persians, Greeks, Romans,Swedes, Brits etc all became complacent and lost their respective Empires, and yet ,here we go...

I don't renmember how to spell Complacent. But I'm old , so if it is wrong forgive me. P.S. I served during the Viet Nam War. I was stationed in Heidelberg Germany...And not one Viet Cong got past the Neckar River.

Where the Neckar and the Salm rivers met - I was stationed there. Dad was a high speed morse code operator stationed in Burma, China in WW 2. Lost over 60% of his hearing because of it. We did our part. Damn proud of it.

"The future isn't what it used to be."

My grandfather landed on Utah beach on D-DAY. These men are truly the reason we are free. We lost him in 2002, but his memory will be with us forever. I salute all veterans and I am grateful to live in a free land.

Mike,

Thanks for posting. That was great!!! Have an uncle who collects and studies WWII stuff like we study drag racing. I forwarded to him what you posted. He has a collection that is unbelievable to see. Sadly, when he goes, his kids will probably put everything on E-bay to sell.

Todd

Todd, I can e-mail your uncle the documents and they will look a little better. One racer saw this and ask me if it came off of a website that he might go to. This is an original document that is in this scrapbook. I scanned it and photobucketed it. My mom was a REAL scrapbook person. She was a secretary all of her life and I believe worked as a civillion in a gov. office in WWII. When the wire came over she snaged it up after it was read. The news was the story, not the paper it came on, but it got in our scrapbook. http://www.classracer.com/html/happy.gif

I have tons of coin and paper $ from countries that aren't even countries any more. With notes under each as to the value. Notes such as under the Luxemburg francs, showing that in 1943 they were minted in America.
Under the German Mark, she writes.....WORTHLESS. lol ( written in 1945 ).

My dad like most never talked about the war. I was too young and busy chasing girls and hotrodding to ask. But my mom told me much after he passed away, and the scrapbooks are unbelievable. The only thing I ever heard him say was one time he said there was absolutley no reason he should have lived thru it.
Thats how they all were though isn't it.

Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

Mike,

I will e-mail him and ask. I kid you not, this man is SO in to this stuff. Had a great uncle that was in WW II and he would always would tell my uncle and father that if they had been through it, they wouldn't be watching it or collecting like they do.

Do you have an e-mail address if he wants to view it?
Thanks again

Todd

Todd, my e-mail is Mikeymay@bellsouth.net. I'll send those if your uncle would like.
I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts about this day, and generation. I enjoy hearing the stories you guys have shared. I don't think I could have jumped at night at 800 agl Stewart. Even into my own territory.
Zino, I'm with ya, I would love to go back to that time. But only if I could get back when I wanted to. lol Not as tuff as those guys.
Brian, my other scrapbook of WWII is at my sisters house in Fla. I remember seeing an original map that had all the beaches of the D-Day invasion on it. Wonder how close Omaha and Utah beaches were from each other ? Could our relatives on that day in thier wildest dreams think we would be talking about this 60 years later, on keyboard's in our homes. Wild

Late 1944 >> somewhere in Europe <<

.....Today our excellant anti-aircraft shot down a Jerry 88, one of the biggest bombers, and it shot into flames. After the crash we could see and it had all the emblems of a German Aircraft. The motor was the largest piece of material left and the flyers were beyond recognition. Just some of the sights we see....................

Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

Mike, as a Vietnam Vet, I can only imagine what those guys went through, There are many things that happen in war that we really just don't care to talk about!
I can only hope that generations to come realize the sacrafices that so many have given before and now!
The very best to those that served whether they believed it right or wrong
they did their job...

Steven Johnson
Super Stock Grand AM

Steven,

You are one of those yourself that I tip my hat to!!!

Todd