June 6, 1944 is always on my mind every year. I even instilled my son the importance of D-Day when he was 8 or 9 yrs old (he turns 15 on the 28th this month). I even get the missus by quizzing her “What day is today?” 

Tomorrow (June 7th), my 9th grade daughter has her final exam in her history class.  I told her that, at the top of her test paper, she should write her name and then, for the date, put down "D-Day plus 1".  I told her that should get her a minimum of five bonus points right there!

Like BlackSheep said, I, too, have taught my two kids the importance of this day.  

Eric

June 6th 1944, O.D.my friend’s father was at Juno beach. He came back home. On the way back some young punk stole his kit bag with his medals, he was so ashamed that he never went to our Remembrance Day celebrations.

pppmario

June 6th 1944, O.D.my friend’s father was at Juno beach. He came back home. On the way back some young punk stole his kit bag with his medals, he was so ashamed that he never went to our Remembrance Day celebrations.

My friend asked me since I had contacts in our veteran’s affairs, if there was a way to get them back, “give me 10 minutes”. I handed him a piece of paper and told him, have this info ready.

On December 23^rd 2005, a package arrived via a duty corporal, on the 25^th I was working and got a call to show up at my friends place. “Dad, this is Mario, he’s the one that got your medals back”, this man looked at me with a tear in his eye, and said thanks. I said no sir “Thank You!”

On June 6^th, O.D. stormed the beach in Normandy, my uncle John was born.

For some it’s just a date, for me it’s a hell of a lot more

 

Wow, so glad to hear you were able to replace his medals. The guy who stole his bag- well I swear in some cases like this we should bring back horse-whipping... 

My Father didn't make the landing because he was in the Air Corp and lost his ability to pilot his aircraft.  By that time he had already been in Europe on various missions, most notably kidnapping people and taking them to England.

He did tell me of one time he was tasked to transport a Sherman to the docks.  Despite telling the LT> he didn't know how to drive a transporter, he had to do it anyway.  A couple things he discovered :

Their streets in many cases could not handle something that big.  He left a path of damage to trees, fences, and corners of buildings in his wake.  

Te second thing he discovered was eventhough the English were not exactly happy aboiut his work, they put up with it, but did let the Army know of their feellings.

As a side note, he only make one trip to the docks and was then ordered to return to whatever his unit was.

I'm 54 as well and I took a trip to Normandy in 1989 with fellow armor lieutenants I was stationed with in Germany. We had a great time. It was the 45th anniversary of D-Day. It is a memory that will be with me forever.

ikar01

My Father didn't make the landing because he was in the Air Corp and lost his ability to pilot his aircraft.  By that time he had already been in Europe on various missions, most notably kidnapping people and taking them to England.

He did tell me of one time he was tasked to transport a Sherman to the docks.  Despite telling the LT> he didn't know how to drive a transporter, he had to do it anyway.  A couple things he discovered :

Their streets in many cases could not handle something that big.  He left a path of damage to trees, fences, and corners of buildings in his wake.  

Te second thing he discovered was eventhough the English were not exactly happy aboiut his work, they put up with it, but did let the Army know of their feellings.

As a side note, he only make one trip to the docks and was then ordered to return to whatever his unit was.

 

Trust me, it hasn't changed much.

My father was 14, his birthday is 6.6.

He remembered waking up to all of the church bells in Detroit ringing.

Bish

 

 

ikar01

My Father didn't make the landing because he was in the Air Corp and lost his ability to pilot his aircraft.  By that time he had already been in Europe on various missions, most notably kidnapping people and taking them to England.

He did tell me of one time he was tasked to transport a Sherman to the docks.  Despite telling the LT> he didn't know how to drive a transporter, he had to do it anyway.  A couple things he discovered :

Their streets in many cases could not handle something that big.  He left a path of damage to trees, fences, and corners of buildings in his wake.  

Te second thing he discovered was eventhough the English were not exactly happy aboiut his work, they put up with it, but did let the Army know of their feellings.

As a side note, he only make one trip to the docks and was then ordered to return to whatever his unit was.

 

 

 

 

Trust me, it hasn't changed much.

 

Nope... I did the same thing one morning in Germany in ‘84 after driving all nite. No trees or buildings, but other assorted things...

You should see the streets in Okinawa, hundreds of yeard old and barely wide enough for two cars at a time.  Once you left the main highway that ran around the island, they had to put up fish eye mirrors at the intersections.  Whoever got to the intersection first had right of way.  If you were turning, the looser had to back up enough to let you turn, without running off the road into a drainage ditch.

I've seen plenty of Marine armor there but only on their bases or rarely moving on the highway.They coudl never make it on the other roads.