D-Day Reminder

[Broad Street]

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and many people aren’t aware of the key battle that started the whole thing. The battle for Pegasus Bridge started a little after midnight 75 years ago today and had the first casualties of the day. A small group of British cammandos in gliders surprised the Germans and took the bridge. Without any air, artillery, or tank support, they managed to hold this key bridge against the German counterattack, taking out a couple of tanks until the British paratroopers managed to make it to them. Had they not taken this bridge, D-Day would have gone down as a colossal failure with extreme casualties. 

The book, Pegasus Bridge, was a fantastic read, and anyone who wants to learn more about WW2 history should read it.

 

Here’s a link to give you a cool history lesson 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Deadstick

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Thanks for the info I'll definitely check the book out.  Thought I recognized the author as he wrote the Band of Brothers book.  I've always found the WW's incredibly fascinating and WW2 in particular.  Not fascinating in some morbid way rather how it shaped the world we live in.   My grandfather was in the Navy in the pacific towards the end of WW2 and had there been a land invasion myself and probably quite a few people on this board may not be here.  Thank you to all those brave men and women who served and set the world on a better course and to those serving today.  

[Broad Street]

If you like history about the Pacific Theatre, check out Flyboys. It’s the same guy who wrote Flags of our Fathers, it’s really good. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just got back from there, was in the region for the anniversary. Amazing. The whole region is celebrating it for a month.

A close to 100 year old 101 Airborne vet jumped from a C-47 again to mark the event... lrt that sink in. 

The Airborne units that went in (American and Britt) had brass balls for sure. The beach landing troops got it almost worse. (Especially at Omaha).

It was cool to sew the Russians say it wasnt a big deal, and that they won the war alone... been pumping that since the reichstag fell in 45....

[ten ocho recon scout]

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1960/11/first-wave-at-omaha-beach/303365/

Well worth the 10 minute read.

One of the better descriptions of war ive ever read.

[NJHalo]

That opening scene from Saving Private Ryan is scarier than any horror movie. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

7 hours ago, NJHalo said:

That opening scene from Saving Private Ryan is scarier than any horror movie. 

Yep. Tough to beat that scene.

Read that link I posted above. It was actually a lot worse than the movie...

[NJHalo]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Yep. Tough to beat that scene.

Read that link I posted above. It was actually a lot worse than the movie...

Great read. Thanks for sharing. 

I have to wonder how I would have handled myself...

[ten ocho recon scout]

8 hours ago, NJHalo said:

Great read. Thanks for sharing. 

I have to wonder how I would have handled myself...

One of the craziest things to read in that piece was that the first wave more or less never even fired a shot. Just slaughtered...

For anyone interested in WW2, I very highly recommend reading Ernie Pyle's work. He travelled around throughout the war, writing articles on all facets of it. Became a legend. Killed during Okinawa.

His writing is great. Reads like someone you know telling you a story. And the stories are amazing.