Every year, V for Victory! commemorates the anniversary of D-Day, the great invasion of Festung Europa that opened the long-awaited Second Front and ultimately engulfed Nazi Germany. Each June 6th is a little more poignant than the last, as the number of surviving veterans dwindles. This 67th anniversary comes just over three months after the death of Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, and one month after the death of Claude Choules of Perth, Australia, the world's last surviving combat veteran of World War I, and the last veteran to have fought in both world wars. Hopefully, the readers do not mind the revival of some classic D-Day posts.
 |
| Battle-scarred Pointe du Hoc on the coast of Normandy, France, four miles south of Omaha Beach. The U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion suffered heavy casualties scaling these cliffs on June 6, 1944, only to find that the 155 mm guns they had been sent to take out had been removed two days before the invasion. |
As I think I've said before, the only reason for so few comments from me is that you say all that needs to be said, and say it beautifully.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, and ad multos annos.
Thanks, Tony, and the same back to you.
ReplyDeleteAlthough published in The Atlantic, figured you might be interested in this article: http://bit.ly/lvxjOa You are steeped in, and love, history... yes?
ReplyDeleteTopic: Omaha Beach landings.
H/T: Culture War Notes (aggregator)
Awesome, TH2. Thank you for posting that link.
ReplyDelete