[nky]

Operation Overlord began 69 years ago for the liberation of Europe.
Young men from all over this great country put their lives on the line to storm the beaches of Normandy. Risking all so our way of life would prevail.

They were the Greatest Generation.
[Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FKJB4vOb9r0/TJ...e+1944.jpg]

[nky]

[Image: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9G...-fBSsRWZKS]

[nky]

[Image: https://store.wisvetsmuseum.com/wp-conte...-1944.jpeg][url=http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=june+6+1944+d-day&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Bfi8_zFkS_nCmM&tbnid=3-6CWJUA52Qu0M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emersonkent.com%2Fspeeches%2Fd_day_prayer.htm&ei=pAOwUYD9NvXK4AOhy4DgDA&bvm=bv.47534661,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFlNbRbw1mTUCz6lOBNSeUDyvobDg&ust=1370576096616322][/url]

[judgementday]

People do not realize how significant this is in world history....had we not been successful, who knows what worse things Hitler could have done...

[RunItUpTheGut]

There is no doubt that is the best generation of young men this country has ever seen.
Todays kid do not match up to that era or even come close to it.

It was a much better life then, with values. Kids would shit a brick if they got drafted today and probably pass out from time away from video games, while the brave souls then were flocking to recruiters wanting to go fight.

What a better time.

[nky]

[Image: http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9G...OZwj0yUHKZ]

[nky]

[Image: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9G...K7_Q5--XzA]

[nky]

images are from today's observance at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

[nky]

Total burials	9,387
Unknown burials	307

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
alute:
Over 9600 US troops were entombed here

Total burials	9,387
Unknown burials	307

[RunItUpTheGut]

How many WW2 survivors are still living?
Im sure its still in the thousands, but its been almost 70 years ago putting the majortiy of them around 90+ i would think.

[Wildcatk23]

There is no doubt that is the best generation of young men this country has ever seen.
Todays kid do not match up to that era or even come close to it.

It was a much better life then, with values. Kids would shit a brick if they got drafted today and probably pass out from time away from video games, while the brave souls then were flocking to recruiters wanting to go fight.

What a better time.

What about the kids that join the armed forces everyday?

[vundy33]

What about the kids that join the armed forces everyday?

Easy for him to say all that when he's never experienced anything close to it, hahaha.

[vundy33]

How many WW2 survivors are still living?
Im sure its still in the thousands, but its been almost 70 years ago putting the majortiy of them around 90+ i would think.

It's getting pretty low. Another few years and they'll all be gone. Just a few years ago I would see WW2 vets out and about, especially around military bases. Hardly ever see that now.

I'm glad that so many WW2 documentaries are being made with input from these vets. We need to get as many as possible before they're all gone, to keep their memory alive.

[nky]

How many WW2 survivors are still living?
Im sure its still in the thousands, but its been almost 70 years ago putting the majortiy of them around 90+ i would think.

About 2 million US vets are still alive
The last WWI vet died last year
By the way the last Civil War widow died in 2008

[RunItUpTheGut]

What about the kids that join the armed forces everyday?

Of course you take my words, and spin them into the biggest liberal hogwash imaginable.
I said NOTHING avbout the kids that joined the armed forces today....NOTHING.

My point was that todays youth are pansys.
Its the simple truth. Lets see how many voluntarily sign up to join the forces if ever needed again, compared to WW2 times....

[RunItUpTheGut]

About 2 million US vets are still alive
The last WWI vet died last year
By the way the last Civil War widow died in 2008

Thanks, pretty good info.
I had no idea that many were still live.

Its weird how many stories you here of nazis still being found hiding out in different parts of the world.

[RunItUpTheGut]

It's getting pretty low. Another few years and they'll all be gone. Just a few years ago I would see WW2 vets out and about, especially around military bases. Hardly ever see that now.

I'm glad that so many WW2 documentaries are being made with input from these vets. We need to get as many as possible before they're all gone, to keep their memory alive.

Watching world war 2 docs is the best televsion IMHO.
I was always a history buff, and nothing is more interesting to me.

[vundy33]

I love them. They're on the Military Channel all the time man. I mean really good ones. If you don't have te Militarh Channel, you need to check about getting it because I know you love history like I do.

Also, have you watched "World War 2 in HD"? I bet ya have, but if you haven't, you need to buy it immediately, hahah. There is also a "Vietnam in HD" which is great as well. It covers the battle known as Hamburger Hill and interviews soldiers that were there...I really liked that because the unit that was involved was the same I was in.

[vundy33]

It's really worth the $25 or $30 it costs if ya haven't watched it...it's a series. One of the best I've ever watched. It also covers pretty much every part of the war...from the Pearl Harbor, to the Africa campaign, Pacific Theatre and the huge amount of big battles thee, and of course the European theatre. Also goes in depth about lesser know things as well, like the British SOE and American OSS (Special Operations Executive and Office of Special Services, precursors to today's SAS and CIA).



Look over my typos lol, on my phone.

[Spirit100]

Well done on honoring D-day NKY. For you WWII enthusiasts Tom Brokaw sheds good light on a vets journey in his book series...."The Greatest Generation."

It's a no nonsense look at the lives and paths of 1940s Americans who made it happen for us today.

Again, thank you for sharing NKY. If I was able I would interview as many of these WWII vets as possible to honor, track, and share their journey before the good Lord brings them home!

What we see on the history channel and others is just a brief glimpse into their journey.

[RunItUpTheGut]

I love them. They're on the Military Channel all the time man. I mean really good ones. If you don't have te Militarh Channel, you need to check about getting it because I know you love history like I do.

Also, have you watched "World War 2 in HD"? I bet ya have, but if you haven't, you need to buy it immediately, hahah. There is also a "Vietnam in HD" which is great as well. It covers the battle known as Hamburger Hill and interviews soldiers that were there...I really liked that because the unit that was involved was the same I was in.

I do have the military channel which is where i watch a lot of docs.

When the history channel spends the time to create a good doc, its worth the watch, but there recent obsession with pawn stores ha kind of killed there true history shows.

Last week i watched a doc on the luftwaffe and it was amazing. It was somewhat of a tribute to there superior air skills and it was interesting to learn about them. Theres a couple of luftwaffe docs on youtube that i also watched and there backgrounds are very interesting. Most of the time, you only see docs from the side of our defenses on television, which is understandable but there were some amazing fighter pilots on the axis side. They could overtake an airfield in no time, and quite frankly if it werent for the dog fights we had over the japanese and luftwaffe, im not sure the rest of the allies could have handled them.
Docs like these always spill over to the blitz and i love seeing docs on Churchill and how they dealt with that.
A lot of interesting stuff out there that most people find boring, is actually better than any movie they come out with today if they'd just watch the docs.

I think im going to start trying to find docs on actualy militay strategy for my next round. Id like to find some good docs on our strategies in Normandy.

[TheRealVille]

Of course you take my words, and spin them into the biggest liberal hogwash imaginable.
I said NOTHING avbout the kids that joined the armed forces today....NOTHING.

My point was that todays youth are pansys.
Its the simple truth. Lets see how many voluntarily sign up to join the forces if ever needed again, compared to WW2 times....

Did you voluntarily sign up after high school, or college? I didn't, so I don't say squat about todays kids.

[TheRealVille]

FTR, my great uncle was among those that stormed the beaches of Normandy. He got captured by the Germans, and spent 11 months in a prison camp. My great grandmother was sent a letter telling her that he was MIA / presumed dead. 11 months later they sent another that said they were bringing him home. He had two more brothers in the military at that time. One was Navy, one Air Force. The Navy uncle was credited with shooting down 21 Japanese airplanes from the ship's gun.

[Hoot Gibson]

Of course you take my words, and spin them into the biggest liberal hogwash imaginable.
I said NOTHING avbout the kids that joined the armed forces today....NOTHING.

My point was that todays youth are pansys.
Its the simple truth. Lets see how many voluntarily sign up to join the forces if ever needed again, compared to WW2 times....

You should always expect that one or two of the "usual suspects" is going to personally attack you when you criticize the deadbeats in their generation. I agree that the current generation pales in comparison to the one that fought and won World War II.

However, there is no shortage of young men and women who do measure up to that great generation. I attended a retirement ceremony for a Chief Warrant Officer on Friday, who I got to know as he prepared to retire after 23 years of service. I also met his father, who is a Vietnam vet and his older brother who retired after a long career in the military. Two of his sons currently serve in the Army and could not attend the ceremony, and his grandfather fought in WW II. I also met the Chief's 17-year old son, who was in his ROTC uniform and has been assisting a group of paralegals in the Army as an intern.

There are probably as many or more great people in the current generation as there were in our father's and grandfather's generation, but IMO, their numbers are not keeping pace with the growth of the general population. This clearly is not a great generation, but there are many, many members of the current generation who would have been standouts in any generation. The one or two who pounced on your words, which I took as a tribute to the generation who fought WWII, are not among them.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Did you voluntarily sign up after high school, or college? I didn't, so I don't say squat about todays kids.

There wasnt a war going on when i graduated high school.

[RunItUpTheGut]

FTR, my great uncle was among those that stormed the beaches of Normandy. He got captured by the Germans, and spent 11 months in a prison camp. My great grandmother was sent a letter telling her that he was MIA / presumed dead. 11 months later they sent another that said they were bringing him home. He had two more brothers in the military at that time. One was Navy, one Air Force. The Navy uncle was credited with shooting down 21 Japanese airplanes from the ship's gun.

And i have four living family members who are serving in the military. 1 army, 1 air force, and 2 marines.

Almost everybody is connected to a member of the military.
It has nothing to do with what i stated and i stand by it. This current generation of kids are a lot different, and while we ofcourse have several good young men out theres, theres a lot more of the worthless kind being raised today.
It all goes back to parenting, if you draw, your kids most likely will.

[vundy33]

You probably know of a new show on the Military channel then RIUTG, it's about our strategy in famous battles over the years. I don't like the ones based on Iraq and Afghan really, but I always catch the WW2 and Vietnam episodes.

[judgementday]

Being a history buff, WW2 will always hold a special place in my heart in that my grandfather served during that time and eventually in Korea. He fought in the Pacific and only saw England enough to fly through there. I have looked up to him from an early age and many times my family compares me to his grumpy ways but I take it as a compliment....he turned 90 this year and seems to be trucking along...

I had the opportunity to visit the WW2 museum in New Orleans during a business trip. The place was beyond awesome.

The highlight of the trip....I was standing in front of a blown up picture of one of the beaches of Normandy, different red bulbs would light up when you pressed their "info" panel. An elderly man rolled beside me in his wheelchair and sat looking at the picture. I pointed and mentioned to my wife about the blimps positioned down the beach, he spoke up and said that they were placed there to keep German planes from dive bombing the beaches as troops came on. I thanked him for the information and introduced myself. A younger gentleman who was with him came up behind him and asked if he recognized that beach. He said no, but to my surprise, he went on to name the beach he assaulted on the day of the invasion. I was in awe of this as I had never met anyone who was part of DDay. I discussed Band of Brothers with him, etc... and he thanked me for the conversation. I was on cloud 9....

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

My great uncle was in the first wave on Omaha beach.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

As for talking about todays generation I would say if there was ever another major war like WW2 the young folks would step up.