Any D-day vets here? Descendants of D-day vets?

[Preacherman]

Just FYI, there's a major celebration planned in France for the 60th anniversary of D-day later this year. Details can be found here. There are all sorts of special events planned, and veterans have special commemorative badges to be issued, etc. My father was there, and I'd love to attend, but I suspect I'm not going to make it...

 

[Tropical Z]

GOD bless em.My dad spent WWII in the Aleutians.Wish i had taken the time to thank him and ask him questions.I cant now. :banghead:

 

[Stickjockey]

I know of a few guys that are taking their jeeps and other vehicles to this little shindig. Most are from England/mainland Europe, but there are a couple that are scraping the funds together for containers from the US. Sounds like quite a do!

Not 6 June, but a friend of mine's father came ashore on D+6 as a medic and had a pair of combat boots follow him all the way to Berlin. Quite a story.

 

[newman32]

My Grandfather was in the Navy and was part of the invasion fleet. Lots of good stories about that and the other invasions prior to that.

 

[fix]

My Grandfather was in the second wave at Omaha. He used to tell some hair raising stories. The horrors the second wave saw is second only to the death the first wave experienced. He said that they all spent weeks wondering if it wouldn't have been better to be in the first wave.

 

[JamisJockey]

My Grandfather was a tank driver, but I'm not sure if he was in D-day or not. He was also a POW for a short while.

 

[JPM63US]

50th.

I accidentially ended up in London for teh 50th aniiv. of D-Day. Wass baffled when I got there and saw a bunch of vintage plane flying around . . . then when I checked in to my hotel, I realized teh date.

Got to shake hands with a bunch of Canadian vets and say thanks!

JPM

 

[Waitone]

Dad was at Normandy. Never talked about it but did say he did the walking tour of Europe.

The only movie he and I saw together as father and son was in 1964 when D-Day came out. That was also the only time in my life I ever saw him cry.

 

[DragonRider]

I may go with my Grandfather who served in WWII on a Gooney Bird, he dropped one of the Airborne Divisions, he later flew the Berlin Airlift and finally ended out with B47's.

John

 

[Rowdy1]

Grandfather was Airborne. Won many medals including Silver Star. He's even mentioned in the book the Four Stars of Hell.

 

[Henry]

A big "thank you" to all D-Day vets and their families!

 

[telewinz]

Father...Ernest Christian

741st tank battlion, D-Day. One of the few that didn't drown in the "floating" DD Shermans.

. On D-Day, waves reached nearly 6 feet, and the freeboard of the 741st DD-Tanks ranged from 14-18 inches. That the freeboard was so greatly reduced can be attributed to flex in the metal hoops used to support the canvas exterior when raised to provide floatation, and also to stretch in the canvas skirt itself; both problems leading to a reduction in buoyancy.

Coupled with the general clumsiness of the tank, and its difficulty in holding course even in good conditions, it is no wonder that the 741st was lost on D-Day. However, many of the tanks actually swam a great distance toward shore, contradicting statements that the tanks sank immediately after launching. And that they launched at all is a testament to the courage and determination of the Allies, in the face of daunting odds and grave danger.

 

[bogie]

My dad was a glider rider...