Posted on Nov 12, 2015
D-Day. Info graphic really puts the scale of the assault in perspective. Have you seen it?
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I know this is out of the blue, but I came across this info graphic on a BBC website. Breaking the invasion down by the numbers. As we all should know D-Day was the Largest Amphibious Assault conducted by the U.S. Army and her partnered nations. To break Hitlers Atlantic Wall.
I grew up listening to my grandfather talk of his days as an RAF pilot flying mission that day. His duty was to pilot a plane of paratroopers from 6th Airborne Division. His engined failed from antiaircraft fire comig up from below and he purposely glided his plane low and away from the troops still coming down. He and his crew survived the landing and got out before the plane fully engulfed. He linked with US troops (who he says were way off their mark and not the other way around) and fought with them through the invasion days until he made contact back to a English unit and back to the RAF. Even after Alzheimer's took everything from my grandfather. Talking about his days flying would always seem to bring the glint of life back to his eye. Sometime he would tell the stories as he did when i was younger other times I believe he thought we were his old crew and would banter as if as well. Because of him I've constantly wanted to know more about the men of WW2. Reading everything I could get my hands on during my younger years. It's probably what let me to joining and serving today.
Anyway that's my little story. Anyone else have some tales from their parents or grandparents?
Link to the story with the info graphic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zgvyyrd?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=BBC_iWonder&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=knowledge_and_learning
I grew up listening to my grandfather talk of his days as an RAF pilot flying mission that day. His duty was to pilot a plane of paratroopers from 6th Airborne Division. His engined failed from antiaircraft fire comig up from below and he purposely glided his plane low and away from the troops still coming down. He and his crew survived the landing and got out before the plane fully engulfed. He linked with US troops (who he says were way off their mark and not the other way around) and fought with them through the invasion days until he made contact back to a English unit and back to the RAF. Even after Alzheimer's took everything from my grandfather. Talking about his days flying would always seem to bring the glint of life back to his eye. Sometime he would tell the stories as he did when i was younger other times I believe he thought we were his old crew and would banter as if as well. Because of him I've constantly wanted to know more about the men of WW2. Reading everything I could get my hands on during my younger years. It's probably what let me to joining and serving today.
Anyway that's my little story. Anyone else have some tales from their parents or grandparents?
Link to the story with the info graphic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zgvyyrd?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=BBC_iWonder&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=knowledge_and_learning
Posted in these groups: 
Aviation
WWII World War Two
Aviation WWII World War Two
Posted >1 y ago
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In my opinion, that generation of soldiers, Marines, and sailors literally saved the world. It was their hard work and sacrifice that paved the way for the rest of us who served. It's sad we are seeing the last of them slip away. We all owe them all a huge debt of gratitude.
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My grandfather was an Oberstleutnant commanding a Panzer battalion kazarened near Caen, his garrison a specifically targeted objective of the 82d Airborne. They saw little action on D-Day, but got all they could bargain for later. Most of his armor was destroyed by tank buster aircraft on D-Day+1.
He used to tell me stories of scraping together scratch units and having squad sized chance engagements in the hedgerows, often times just stumbling upon each other.
The funny part was he told me that he was sitting in a sheltered spot in a field having coffee in September, and looked around. He thought to himself that there sure were a lot of Americans around, and that he hadn't see very many Germans lately. He hadn't gotten the word that Army Group G had been ordered to break out, and he was now over 150 miles from German lines. Just like that, he decided to make his way East to friendly lines. He nearly had to walk all the way to Germany to find them, taking two months to make his way.
He made it in time to be assigned a new command, and led a Panzergrenadier Battalion in the Bulge.
But that is another story.
He used to tell me stories of scraping together scratch units and having squad sized chance engagements in the hedgerows, often times just stumbling upon each other.
The funny part was he told me that he was sitting in a sheltered spot in a field having coffee in September, and looked around. He thought to himself that there sure were a lot of Americans around, and that he hadn't see very many Germans lately. He hadn't gotten the word that Army Group G had been ordered to break out, and he was now over 150 miles from German lines. Just like that, he decided to make his way East to friendly lines. He nearly had to walk all the way to Germany to find them, taking two months to make his way.
He made it in time to be assigned a new command, and led a Panzergrenadier Battalion in the Bulge.
But that is another story.
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