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olderCanuck · 70-79, M
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Fukfacewillie · 56-60, M
@Thinkerbell Did he bang his shoe on Red Army privates?
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@Fukfacewillie
I think some of them got worse than the podium did at the UN.
[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yho1Eydh1mM]
I think some of them got worse than the podium did at the UN.
[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yho1Eydh1mM]
ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP
@Thinkerbell I was under that impression, as well.
Captain · 61-69, M
6140 yankees, no brits involved - heaviest losses by their marines in any battle, but obviously a drop in the ocean comapred with british losses. For example the failed expeditionary force before Dunkirk lost and estimated 68000. Thats the difference between winning and losing I guess...only 16000 lost during the Normandy landings and subsequent push form the beachheads by the Brits Poles and Canadians (who never seem to get enough credit - we took in Dieppe on our tour of France at Christmas).
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@Captain
And the Brits were lucky that the losses at Dunkirk weren't much higher. It might have been possible for the Germans to take maybe 300,000 prisoners, had they not deferred to Goering and the Luftwaffe.
I watched the film Dunkirk in a theater some years ago, and found myself getting frightened when the screaming Stukas dive-bombed the troops on the beach.
And the Brits were lucky that the losses at Dunkirk weren't much higher. It might have been possible for the Germans to take maybe 300,000 prisoners, had they not deferred to Goering and the Luftwaffe.
I watched the film Dunkirk in a theater some years ago, and found myself getting frightened when the screaming Stukas dive-bombed the troops on the beach.
saragoodtimes · F
June 4- June 6 the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum is holding it's annual WWll memorial. they have been doing a restoration of a P-61 Black Widow Fighter for years and it will take to the skies for the first time since it was recovered years ago. there are only 4 in the world and this is the only one that is flyable. can't wait to see it in the air over my house that weekend
Captain · 61-69, M
@Heartlander Did you ever see a documentray called Alex Henshaw. He became test pilot at Castle Browmwich in World War Two, and tested the planes coming off the production line. Apparantly he took the first spitfire they wamd out on a foggy June morning infront of the workforce, took it up turned it on its wing and as it came down and did an inverted fly past of the runway at approx 6 toot off the ground - with the mist swirling off the vortices at each wing tip. My favourtire bit was apprantly he used to test the Lancasters off the prodcution line (heaviest bomber in ww2) by pulling them out of a dive into a steep climb then barrel rolling them for fun. They do say though the dehavilland mosquito was the best plane in the RAF in ww2. Neraly as fast as the fatest fighters, made o wood so it could take a batteijr gand had along range, and stonrg enough to carry a big bomb. I wouldn't know- to far before my time - and Ive never seen one let alone one fly.
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@Captain Actually, I once saw a plywood mosquito up close. It was at the San Isidro Airport in the Dominican Republic in the mid 1960s. It was pushed off to the side of one of the parking ramps left to decay. A common sight at airports around the world.
Wow! was that a tiny airplane. I think I asked "where is the rest of it?" and was told "that's it!!" . The whole thing was about the size of a VW beetle.
Also at the time, the Dom Rep pilots were still flying P-51s and I got to watch a few landing up close. A made in Hollywood sight, open cockpits with neck scarves trailing in the wind.
The Brits have a thing for BIG bombers. Spent a bit of time at RAF Mildenhall and watched a few Vulcans overhead at just a few hundred feet. That sight alone would prompt me ro hoist a white flag up the flagpole :)
Wow! was that a tiny airplane. I think I asked "where is the rest of it?" and was told "that's it!!" . The whole thing was about the size of a VW beetle.
Also at the time, the Dom Rep pilots were still flying P-51s and I got to watch a few landing up close. A made in Hollywood sight, open cockpits with neck scarves trailing in the wind.
The Brits have a thing for BIG bombers. Spent a bit of time at RAF Mildenhall and watched a few Vulcans overhead at just a few hundred feet. That sight alone would prompt me ro hoist a white flag up the flagpole :)
Captain · 61-69, M
@Heartlander The vulcans used to fly over our shcool when I was 13-14 wiht olymous engines strpped underneath them They were tesing them for Concorde. They wer eno more tha 100 feet when the used ot pass over our matsh hut, same flight path every time.
akindheart · 61-69, F
Captain · 61-69, M
@akindheart My uncles father was at Arnhem. He never talked about it. (I presume you know the Arnhem story during operaiton market garden).
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@DogMan Rereading this rings back my very young memory of blimps overhead, to and from patrolling the Gulf in WW2. Added to the drama were German POW camps along the river and coast.
I also remember a few blackout drills. As I understand, U-boats would remain submerged all day then surface at night and would use lights along the coast to help pick out ships to attack.
There was a blimp base in Houma, La that patrolled the Mississippi Delta and the deep channel of the Atchafalaya.
https://heartoflouisiana.com/u-boats-in-the-gulf/
https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2001/04/15/la-style-war-in-the-gulf-wwii-german-prisoners-were-housed-in-area-pow-camps/26792261007/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/terrebonnelibrary/albums/72157633273490681/
I also remember a few blackout drills. As I understand, U-boats would remain submerged all day then surface at night and would use lights along the coast to help pick out ships to attack.
There was a blimp base in Houma, La that patrolled the Mississippi Delta and the deep channel of the Atchafalaya.
https://heartoflouisiana.com/u-boats-in-the-gulf/
https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2001/04/15/la-style-war-in-the-gulf-wwii-german-prisoners-were-housed-in-area-pow-camps/26792261007/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/terrebonnelibrary/albums/72157633273490681/
sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M
sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M
@Captain [media=https://youtu.be/ahPwlOOKedg]
DogMan · 61-69, M
My dad was in combat as an infantry rifleman in Italy WWII I have two scrap books with
every letter he wrote to his mom, she saved them along with all of his documents.
I sent some of the letters to the WWII museum in Florence. They sent me 6 shell casings
from an American M1 Garand that were found on Mt. Battaglia where dad was wounded.
Dad's regiment took the mountain and defended it for a week, repelling relentless assaults by
two German divisions.
every letter he wrote to his mom, she saved them along with all of his documents.
I sent some of the letters to the WWII museum in Florence. They sent me 6 shell casings
from an American M1 Garand that were found on Mt. Battaglia where dad was wounded.
Dad's regiment took the mountain and defended it for a week, repelling relentless assaults by
two German divisions.
Captain · 61-69, M
@DogMan '''yes at the end of the day I think that's why Dick always went back. good wine. good weather, good people. I'e got my dad's story as well. He went to Cyprus during the troubles. Wasn't acutally driing that day but for whatever reason they were going up the big mountain and the resistance blew the trck off the road. He got a shoulder injury and spent a lot of time in hsopital before being sent home. He did fully recover. He was back there a few years ago and was in a taverna and someone got talking to him about it - a local. Next thing you know he was sharing a drink a drink and a chat with the reistance figther who had exploded the bomb. Its a small world. Im only 5 peole away form DJT on linked in - I hope Ive been inoculated
Freeranger · M
I used to attend the Marine Corps birthday celebrations with a fellow Marine, my former science teacher, who was a WWII/Korea Corsair pilot. He was still picking me up at a spry 90 years old, still "piloting" his car down the highway. That man was not afraid to use the gas pedal....whew!
One year, we had the widow of one of the flag raisers, Rene Gagnon in attendance. I had a chance to meet her.
One year, we had the widow of one of the flag raisers, Rene Gagnon in attendance. I had a chance to meet her.
Freeranger · M
@Heartlander Yup, no where to go but onward to the target. The Colonel stated in conversation that, the corsair could absorb a surprising amount of damage. I would not know personally, but he knew those birds inside and out.....he kinda drove his car that way. Never a dull moment when I rode with him. We enjoyed swapping sea stories to the Ball and back.
I miss him......hell, I miss the attitude of his generation. They all came home, and having hung up their uniforms, rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Steady as a rock, and none of today's self-entitlement whiners among them.
I miss him......hell, I miss the attitude of his generation. They all came home, and having hung up their uniforms, rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Steady as a rock, and none of today's self-entitlement whiners among them.
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@Freeranger
Copland's 'Fanfare for the Common Man' could aptly be called the fanfare for the Greatest Generation.
[media=https://youtu.be/0KxMc_tyQBo]
Copland's 'Fanfare for the Common Man' could aptly be called the fanfare for the Greatest Generation.
[media=https://youtu.be/0KxMc_tyQBo]
Freeranger · M
@Thinkerbell Music is the balm for the soul......I would completely agree......from the Colonel to my granfather, killed by a Nazi Uboat in 1943, so many personal stories of sacrifice and courage. I pray the coming generations understand how much they have been given, as Americans.
Music.....this type of music is a balm for the soul of those who, are either military familes, or Gold Star families. I'm grateful for it.....as it stirs the soul.
Music.....this type of music is a balm for the soul of those who, are either military familes, or Gold Star families. I'm grateful for it.....as it stirs the soul.
Ambroseguy80 · 56-60, M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Ambroseguy80 · 56-60, M
@Thinkerbell they are rather cool people.
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
@Thinkerbell So what do you think of Danny Tesla & Would You Do Him
antonioioio · 70-79, M
Heartlander · 80-89, M
Thanks for posting.
I've never been to Iwo Jima but overflew it a few times. Its most impressive feature? How small ... a tiny island for such a fierce battle. About 8 square mile total area. About the size of Grand Isle, LA, or Grand Turk.
During the Vietnam era, I spent some time ferrying aircraft back and across the Pacific, shorter range airplanes requiring refueling island stops along the way ... Midway, Wake, Johnson, Guam, Okinawa. But never Iwo Jima. Spent a few nights at Midway and Wake ... even smaller than Iwo Jima ... and had the opportunity to visit the beaches and old pill boxes. A very somber experience.
I've never been to Iwo Jima but overflew it a few times. Its most impressive feature? How small ... a tiny island for such a fierce battle. About 8 square mile total area. About the size of Grand Isle, LA, or Grand Turk.
During the Vietnam era, I spent some time ferrying aircraft back and across the Pacific, shorter range airplanes requiring refueling island stops along the way ... Midway, Wake, Johnson, Guam, Okinawa. But never Iwo Jima. Spent a few nights at Midway and Wake ... even smaller than Iwo Jima ... and had the opportunity to visit the beaches and old pill boxes. A very somber experience.
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@Heartlander
You're very welcome.
Yes, only 8 sq miles, a little over 5000 acres. That means on average, more than one marine died and more than three were wounded for each acre.
Nearly all the Japanese defenders died, about 4 per acre.
Just awful, hard to imagine today.
You're very welcome.
Yes, only 8 sq miles, a little over 5000 acres. That means on average, more than one marine died and more than three were wounded for each acre.
Nearly all the Japanese defenders died, about 4 per acre.
Just awful, hard to imagine today.
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
@Heartlander the walk along the paths at the US Military Cemetery in Normandy is an awesome, inspired my experience.
LeopoldBloom · M
Greystone21 · 61-69, M
@Makinmd That is true, but it is impossible to imagine the sheer horror those people went through without context. Equally, it must have been heart-breaking to have endured those horrors without the proper appreciation. I don't feel schools do enough to keep the level of appreciation alive.
littlepuppywantanewlife · 31-35, M
littlepuppywantanewlife · 31-35, M
@Carazaa Thank you.
Captain · 61-69, M
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therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
I highly recommend John Garfield in Pride Of The Marines, who portrays real time marine hero Al Schmid, another tear jerker. This film has only one battle scene within Guadalcanal, but it's very realistic. Hard to believe but it's a chick flick....Eleanor Parker does a great job in it.
Another two on the homefront war films I recommend are Since You Went Away with Claudette Colbert and The Best Years Of Our Lives with Frederick March.
If you want to see a war film with the accent on the nurses in war, try So Proudly We Hail with Claudette Colbert.
I assume you have seen Saving Private Ryan. Im a film buff with the accent being on 30s40s50s movies.
Also try Dana Andrews in The Purple Heart for an Air Force perspective on WW2 in the Japanese theater,
A WW1 favorite of mine is The Fighting 69th with James Cagney.
Bataan with Robert Taylor is a real good one.
Another Robert Taylor flick, Above And Beyond deals with the atomic bomb build up and the eventual dropping of it. Another fascinating film.
Another two on the homefront war films I recommend are Since You Went Away with Claudette Colbert and The Best Years Of Our Lives with Frederick March.
If you want to see a war film with the accent on the nurses in war, try So Proudly We Hail with Claudette Colbert.
I assume you have seen Saving Private Ryan. Im a film buff with the accent being on 30s40s50s movies.
Also try Dana Andrews in The Purple Heart for an Air Force perspective on WW2 in the Japanese theater,
A WW1 favorite of mine is The Fighting 69th with James Cagney.
Bataan with Robert Taylor is a real good one.
Another Robert Taylor flick, Above And Beyond deals with the atomic bomb build up and the eventual dropping of it. Another fascinating film.
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Shadyglow · F
@Thinkerbell omg hell effing NO
someone real and alert and mindful and knowledgeable of the world from a personal standpoint..PT boat crises where JFK almost died but saved many other fellows, strongly influenced his character.
But I wont stick my neck by mentioning names. and no biden wasnt at the tip of my tongue
He is already in the rest home. Its nobody or Trump and I would prefer J.S. or D.K. and I will stop there, already 2 much
someone real and alert and mindful and knowledgeable of the world from a personal standpoint..PT boat crises where JFK almost died but saved many other fellows, strongly influenced his character.
But I wont stick my neck by mentioning names. and no biden wasnt at the tip of my tongue
He is already in the rest home. Its nobody or Trump and I would prefer J.S. or D.K. and I will stop there, already 2 much
Captain · 61-69, M
@Shadyglow Its never worth it and any lessons learnt have now clearly been completely forgotten by the majority in the USA. I would point out that Britain and Germany have clearly NOT FORGOTTEN those lessons but then you have to come close to losing a war to really understand the cost of war.
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
Many now alive fail to understand and why both WWI and WWII were fought. Incredibly, the reworking of history has wiped out the facts about the US Civil War.
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
@DogMan Good for you, no matter what your personal reasons may have been to join, you did, and you did serve your country. i absolutely agree, there are other activities that serve your community, but before anyone bad mouths anyone else for their politics or their position on the government, first show you care enough to serve it in some capacity.
Captain · 61-69, M
@samueltyler2 Just my thoughts, adn the economic collapse now happnieng brought on by the sam eprotectionism and imbalnces of trade as in 1928 is another classiv of the lessons of history not being heeded.
therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
The wisecracking back then was a way for the men to keep their mind off battles. I assure you, if you're all serious all the time, you will eventually go crazy in a war/combat setting.@Thinkerbell
Captain · 61-69, M
@Thinkerbell Yes 68000 lost dead by the expeditionary force - 10x Iaw Jima. So many saved though.
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Montanaman · M
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Heartlander · 80-89, M
@DogMan Thanks for sharing that. I would have been but 3 at the time and have faint memories of blimps flying overhead and black-out drills.
He was the oldest son of my mom's oldest sister. 19 at the time. I remember my parents kept and cherished one of the last letters that he had written. As I recall, it was on that thin, near see-through paper with redacted sentences. All letters from GIs were screened by the army.
He was the oldest son of my mom's oldest sister. 19 at the time. I remember my parents kept and cherished one of the last letters that he had written. As I recall, it was on that thin, near see-through paper with redacted sentences. All letters from GIs were screened by the army.
DogMan · 61-69, M
@Heartlander Yes, I have some of those type letters too. They were small, like they were
reduced somehow. Do you know when he entered service? I'm from Waterloo Iowa.
My dad worked at the John Deere factory there
reduced somehow. Do you know when he entered service? I'm from Waterloo Iowa.
My dad worked at the John Deere factory there
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@Roadsterrider
I have no doubt that your friend had a lot of pictures that were simply too grisly to be shown in history books or newspapers.
I have Marine and Army combat vet friends who told me that anyone who says he was not scared in combat is not telling the truth. Courage, as I understand it, does not consist in being without fear, but in overcoming it. Semper Fidelis is not the Marines' motto for nothing, given their history.
I have no doubt that your friend had a lot of pictures that were simply too grisly to be shown in history books or newspapers.
I have Marine and Army combat vet friends who told me that anyone who says he was not scared in combat is not telling the truth. Courage, as I understand it, does not consist in being without fear, but in overcoming it. Semper Fidelis is not the Marines' motto for nothing, given their history.
Roadsterrider · 56-60, M
@Thinkerbell My wife is a nurse, she has always worked in nursing homes and I have always made it a point to let her introduce me to the vets that she takes care of. I have met men who were on Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Guadalcanal, and a few other places in Asia and in Europe. They need to talk, and they will talk about things with another vet, that they won't talk about with their nurse or their social worker. We are losing that history at an alarming rate. Most of the WW2 vets are gone, vets from Korea and Vietnam are in their 70s and 80s. If you want a perspective from someone who was there, visit a local nursing home next veterans day, memorial day or 4th of July. Semper Fi.
braveheart21 · 61-69, M
We need these vets to tell the story of the places and battles they fought in or we will lose this personal history of a terrible time in history forever... LEST WE FORGET @Roadsterrider
Freeranger · M
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
@Thinkerbell So What Do you think of The Rock & Would You Do Him
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
@Thinkerbell So What Do you think of Lenny Kravitz & Would You Do Him
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
@Thinkerbell can't wait for this answer
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
@Thinkerbell so what do you think of Tom Ellis & Would You Do Him
LamontCranston · M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
An amazing, little spoken about, was trying to convince the GIs sent to Europe that there was a reason to fight the Nazis. They knew about the "sneak attack" on Pearl Harbor, but were unconvinced about the Holocaust. The GIs that eventually liberated the camps had no idea what they were! The US refused to accept Jews that were trying to escape the deaths that they faced. That subtle antisemitism is not so subtle now in the middle east!
DogMan · 61-69, M
@samueltyler2 That could be true for some of the GI's. My dad was drafted into the 88th
infantry as a rifleman. He never mentioned anything like that. I also read all his letters
that he wrote to his mom, and he did not mention it. He did however, tell his mom many
times not to worry, that the 88th would crush the German Army, and he would be home for
Christmas. He didn't get home for Christmas, but the 88th did in fact crush the Germans
in every battle. They were the front line infantry division, that the Germans called The
"Tip of the spear" The books I read about the 88th, say that they were outnumbered in
every battle, and never lost one.
infantry as a rifleman. He never mentioned anything like that. I also read all his letters
that he wrote to his mom, and he did not mention it. He did however, tell his mom many
times not to worry, that the 88th would crush the German Army, and he would be home for
Christmas. He didn't get home for Christmas, but the 88th did in fact crush the Germans
in every battle. They were the front line infantry division, that the Germans called The
"Tip of the spear" The books I read about the 88th, say that they were outnumbered in
every battle, and never lost one.
therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
DogMan · 61-69, M
@therighttothink50 You know that movie is based on real soldiers? But they were
called the Filthy 13 I believe. They shaved their heads into mohawks,and painted their
faces with war paint before battles. And from what I understand, they didn't bathe
too much.
called the Filthy 13 I believe. They shaved their heads into mohawks,and painted their
faces with war paint before battles. And from what I understand, they didn't bathe
too much.
Axeroberts · 56-60, M
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@Axeroberts
Hopefully we'll nip that in the bud. There are enough nuclear bombs just waiting to be used to carve another dozen Grand Canyon in the earth. We humans would join the dinosaurs in the list of extinct lifeforms, and a bunch of cockroaches will have to start all over again.
Hopefully we'll nip that in the bud. There are enough nuclear bombs just waiting to be used to carve another dozen Grand Canyon in the earth. We humans would join the dinosaurs in the list of extinct lifeforms, and a bunch of cockroaches will have to start all over again.
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Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@JAYS21
I didn't know, but I looked it up just now and found that more recently (about a year ago), another of the six Iwo Jima flag raisers had been misidentified.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/us/marines-iwo-jima-flag-raising.html
I didn't know, but I looked it up just now and found that more recently (about a year ago), another of the six Iwo Jima flag raisers had been misidentified.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/us/marines-iwo-jima-flag-raising.html
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therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@therighttothink50
The Fighting 69th was justly famous, perhaps most of all for its actions in the American Civil War.
[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR6HV4KHRDY]
But whoever wrote JFK's speech for him got the battle to which he refers hopelessly wrong.
Fredericksburg is in Virginia, not Maryland, and the battle was fought on December 13, 1862, not September.
It was the battle of Antietam (which is in Maryland) that was fought in September. There is a city in Maryland named Frederick, but no significant battle was fought there.
The Fighting 69th was justly famous, perhaps most of all for its actions in the American Civil War.
[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR6HV4KHRDY]
But whoever wrote JFK's speech for him got the battle to which he refers hopelessly wrong.
Fredericksburg is in Virginia, not Maryland, and the battle was fought on December 13, 1862, not September.
It was the battle of Antietam (which is in Maryland) that was fought in September. There is a city in Maryland named Frederick, but no significant battle was fought there.
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@therighttothink50 is the Fighting 69 a National Guard unit in NYC?
therighttothink50 · 56-60, M
Greystone21 · 61-69, M
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
@Thinkerbell To some extent yes, but the basis was set well before even them, and the effects of both wars is so different.
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@Thinkerbell Absolutely. "and beyond". We're still living in the shadow of WW2. Pick practically any spot on earth, and there's still the echo of that awful war. Ukraine, the Middle east, Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa? Dig a centimeter below the surface and it's that war.
TheBannibalOne · 61-69, M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP
@Thinkerbell On the monument.
WillaKissing · 56-60, M
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Havesomefun2 · 56-60, M
JohnnySpot · 56-60, M
1-50 of 82