80 years ago today we hit the high mark of our country. You can make the case that the high mark occurred on July 20, 1969 when we landed on the moon. But for us it was June 6, 1944 when over 25,000 Americans dropped into Normandy, France and landed on the beaches at daybreak to free France and Europe and defeat fascism.
In the words of General Mark Clark which are inscribed at the American Cemetary in Normandy:
IF EVER PROOF WERE NEEDED THAT WE FOUGHT FOR A CAUSE AND NOT FOR CONQUEST, IT COULD BE FOUND IN THESE CEMETERIES. HERE WAS OUR ONLY CONQUEST: ALL WE ASKED WAS ENOUGH SOIL IN WHICH TO BURY OUR GALLANT DEAD.
This day has always fascinated us. From the decision Eisenhower had to make to go, hoping his weather forecasters were correct about a break in the weather, to the 18-19 year old boys in the airborne who had unceasingly trained their minds and bodies for over a year to jump from C47s into Normandy at night to secure the access roads to the beaches, and hold them until the landings, to the men of the 4th Infantry division, including our grandfather- a Jewish haberdasher from Brooklyn with a young daughter at home (our mother), who landed in the first wave on Utah Beach and fought his way inland and liberated the town of St Marie du Mont.
There are tens of thousands of stories about the landings and the days after. We know many of them, but for today we focus on this day being the pinnacle of American greatness.
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| We love this picture of Ike talking to the Airborne just before they loaded and jumped. |
Citizen soldiers went up against the most professional army of the world and beat them in every battle. Yes, many of the front-line Axis troops in Normandy were conscripts from Poland who were not motivated. But lying in wait were professional Panzer and SS divisions who were met by the boys of the 101st Airborne who gave these professional soldiers their first battlefield defeat and continued to beat them all the way back to Germany where they surrendered.
We call them boys because they were. Until night fell on June 6 and then they were men.
We think of this day and all the unsung heroes, and our heart is filled with pride that such men existed in this world. They were born into the depression. They had lived hard lives. And yet, they loved their country so completely that they answered the call- and prevailed.
If you want a treat, read this article read this article and listen to the audio of Wright Bryan who was the only reporter on a C47 carrying paratroopers into Normandy. He narrated on tape that you can listen to about the pilots and airborne soldiers as they flew and then jumped into Normandy. It is an outstanding piece of reporting. We think this is a link that works.
Things are bad now. A criminal is a legitimate threat to win the presidency again.
Global warming is frighteningly real.
Our political system appears broken.
Our local State Attorneys Office, once the pride of the nation, is deeply broken and flawed.
But we are living in a Democracy paid for by the lives of those boys- who became men on June 6. They were heroes one and all and we owe them just about every blessing we have.
Take a moment, and in your own way, thank them for being who they were.
Some of the inscriptions on the walls at the American Cemetary at Normandy- everyone who has a chance to go, should.
THE BATTLE BELONGED THAT MORNING TO THE THIN, WET LINE OF KHAKI THAT DRAGGED ITSELF ASHORE ON THE CHANNEL COAST OF FRANCE.
General Omar N. Bradley
U.S. First Army Commander
TO US IS GIVEN THE HONOUR OF STRIKING A BLOW FOR FREEDOM WHICH WILL LIVE IN HISTORY; AND IN THE BETTER DAYS THAT LIE AHEAD MEN WILL SPEAK WITH PRIDE OF OUR DOINGS.
Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery
21st Army Group Commander
YOU CAN MANUFACTURE WEAPONS AND YOU CAN PURCHASE AMMUNITION, BUT YOU CAN'T BUY VALOR AND YOU CAN'T PULL HEROES OFF AN ASSEMBLY LINE.
Sergeant John B. Ellery
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
NOUS N'OUBLIONS PAS, NOUS N'OUBLIERONS JAMAIS, LA DETTE D'INFINIE GRATITUDE QUE NOUS AVONS CONTRACTEE ENVERS CEUX QUI ONT TOUT DONNE POUR NOTRE LIBERATION.
René Coty
Président de la République Française
TRANSLATION
WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN, WE WILL NEVER FORGET, THE
DEBT OF INFINITE GRATITUDE THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH THOSE WHO GAVE EVERYTHING FOR OUR FREEDOM.
There is no greater day in American history than D Day, June 6, 1944. The youngest survivors of that day are now, at least, 97 years old. So this is the final 10 year anniversary when we will honor that date with any living soldiers.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers are staggering. Of the 4,414 Allied troops killed on D-Day, 2,501 were Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded.
In 2024, our country may elect a former president who has described our soldiers who were prisoners or who died not as heroes but instead as losers. He, of bone spurs fame, doesn’t deserve to ever have the title of Commander in Chief.
My father served in WW2. I still have his medics kit, his service revolver, and a uniform from that time.
Rumpole. What a small world. Did your grandfather know Phil R’s grandfather? They were both in the same 4th Division that landed on Utah beach. Phil’s grandfather, P.G., on D Day, landed at Utah beach as a member of the 8th regiment of the 4 Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery in action.
G-d bless all our troops who made the ultimate sacrifice.
A fair case can be made for July 8, 1868 and the ratification of the 14th Amendment. Think of that act in the context of these cowardly declarations: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/declaration-causes-seceding-states. Mississippi's declaration was especially noteworthy for this infamous line: "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world." But all of the declarations put slavery front and center in their justifications. Think also of the 642,427 total Union casualties, 110,100 of which were killed in battle, to overcome the evil of men that lead to slavery and the confederacy's treason against the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will keep this date in mind for an equally powerful post on July 8 this year.
It's tough to read those declarations of succession - the very words of the confederates as written by them for posterity - and not come away certain that the main cause of the Civil War was the fight over slavery. Sure, states rights were at issue, but the states' right that the confederates cared about first and foremost was the right to hold humans as property.
I have been to the American cemetery in Normandy. It is hard to put into words the emotion one feels walking among the markers, both crosses and stars, and reading the names of the 9387 heroes buried there. Most were young, probably terrified, but with an unwavering determination to do what needed to be done at any cost. Few places in the world more closely defines what it means to be an American than those 172.5 acres of hallowed ground. I hope we haven't lost that.
ReplyDeleteI am immensely proud of my grandfather Philip Grilihas landing in Normandy. He was wounded twice. D day plus 3 or 4 I believe and received a bronze star. He returned to action in Belgium in December of 1944 just in time for the battle of the bulge where he was wounded again and this time sent home thankfully where he had three daughters including my mother.
ReplyDeleteMany people of my generation had grand parents in WWII. My grandmother’s two brothers were Marines who fought in the Pacific.
I would very much appreciate my name not being used in the context of these heroes and D day as the discussions invariably end up with nasty comments especially in linking me to this blog which has at times significantly damaged my business. Please remove the above comment or remove my name. I’ve done nothing worthy of discussion in this matter. If I handle a case and it makes news so be it. But not this please.
I've been to Normandy. There is nothing I can tell you that can impart the emotion and sense of awe that one feels standing on those beaches and standing above the cliffs of Point D'Hoc. Or viewing the crosses and stars of David at the American Cemetery.
ReplyDeleteI would also point out that the American D Day Memorial is in Bedford Virginia. Why?
Because of the nearly 3'000 Americans that died that day 19 were soldiers from the small town of Bedford serving in Company A, 1st Battalion, 116th Infsntry Regiment.
They fought for their country, and for their families, but they fought and died for each other.
Eternally grateful.
What a fall from grace we have had.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Michael Angelo Catalano. My uncle, Angelo Catalano died on the beach at Normandy. My dad almost got killed on a ship in the north Atlantic in the merchant marine. I too am disgusted that 40% of America wants to elect a flaming jerk to be president who called my uncle a loser.
ReplyDeleteI have never voted for a single Republican and never will. That same asshole called John McCain a loser too. John McCain is my hero and always will be my hero.
“We’ll start the war from right here”
ReplyDeletesaid the only general on the beach, after currents took them two kilometers away from the intended landing point at Utah Beach.
cmohs.org/news-events/medal-of-honor-recipient-profile/theodore-roosevelt-jr/
Who is 1:52's psychiatrist. He is not earning his fees. But, if we ever hear of Anonymous winning a great case, we are forewarned.
ReplyDelete@11:07 - let's unpack what you missed. 10:13am was trying to out Rumpole's identity. It looks like 1:52pm was probably the person (whose name most of us know) that is largely assumed/believed to be Rumpole writing to deny that he is Rumpole, but it looks like he forgot to sign his name. That appears to have tripped you (11:07) up. Fixing the omission would just have a Streisand Effect. I assume that 1:52pm is now hoping this gets buried under the the SAO post that's getting so much attention.
ReplyDeleteIn any event, this blog is almost 20 years old. The hunt for Rumpole's identity was fun and novel a LONG time ago. By now though, I think most of us can agree that Rumpole's identity is best left anonymous. Rumpole's anonymity is what allows this blog to be what it is - as opposed to DOM's much more sterile blog.
Whether Rumpole is who most of us believe him to be, let's let the man have his plausible deniability.
I propose a new rule, you shouldn't be allowed to out (or try to out) Rumpole unless you sign your name on ALL of your blog comments forever. Even then, just don't do it.
Agree but the fact that some of us suspect who it is and know he is decent and trustworthy lends to the credibility of the blog and comfort in us sharing because we know he will handle it appropriately and not sell people out or hurt people who share.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s worse what Clinton did with his slutty little Intern and the perjury that followed or what Trump did with his porn star hooker who extorted him out of $150,000. I read today that the conviction in New York will affect a number of voters against Trump. Some would consider that to be Lawfare. so maybe it’s a push.
ReplyDelete1:42, please stop the WhatAboutisms! I am not happy about what Bill Clinton did with Monica, or his lies about it. But how he was treated (which memory thinks that it was not well) does not excuse what Trump has done. Just like with each of our cases, let them stand or fail on their individual merits.
ReplyDeleteBTW, try making a similar argument in your next criminal trial. “You must acquit my client because they didn’t prosecute this other murderer!” Not quite.
1:42 PM
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. I detest Trump yet you are spot on, what Clinton did to a college student was incomparably worse than what Trump did with a savvy porn star. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
What the fuck is wrong with you? The President seduced a 20 year old and you call her a slut. Fuck you.
ReplyDeleteIf you actually knew anyone who worked or interned in that administration, you would know she basically stalked him. Doesn’t excuse his behaviour of course. At least Kennedy never got caught.
DeleteClinton lied about a consensual blow job. Trump avoided taxes by filing fraudulent papers. Both stupid but, Trump is a piece of shit.
ReplyDeleteI did not call her a slut. I said she was slutty. I love sluts but I like slutty ladies even more. It was not meant to be an insult about poor little Monica or sluts! I’m sorry you took it like that.
ReplyDeleteHow about a post honoring the brave soldiers who rescued the four innocent hostages. 100 to go!!
1:42
ReplyDeleteOnly trump caught a case … that’s was the point, I believe.
You are all missing the point. Putting aside his reprehensible (to me) policies, the real danger in a second Trump presidency is his promise to leverage the DOJ to go after political opponents and journalists who oppose him. He also stated that this time, he would surround himself with acolytes who would not tell him "no."
ReplyDeleteThink about that for a second. The most powerful person in the world, who has already demonstrated a disregard/disdain for geopolitical and democratic norms, surrounded by people who will not rein in his worst impulses. The sole reason that the last Trump presidency was not as catastrophic as it could have been is that his own appointees drew the line. And these are not people anyone would call leftist or moderate in their political views - Barr, Mattis, Bolton, etc. These former Trump administrators are vehement that he should not be anywhere near the Oval Office given what came before.
Even if you support Trump's political policies, the narcissism, willful ignorance/disdain of Constitutional principles, and refusal to surround himself with anyone who will dare to defy him should make you think twice about electing such a person. And if this is a-ok with you, then yes, YOU are the asshole.
10:23 is a victim of his own Obama-like superiority complex. Trump never had fus opponents arrested or destroyed our borders. Our country has been ruined by the Progressive doctrine and whoever is pulling the strings of our senile president. I think Rumpole is correct. If you are not willing to drink the Koolade, just stop reading the Blog.
ReplyDelete“Only Trump caught a case.” Give me a break. Clinton was impeached for it. Don’t be intentionally dense.
ReplyDelete10:23 here. If anyone is drinking Kool-Aid here, it's 12:53 and those who believe that Biden had anything to do with Trump's legal issues or that he "destroyed our borders."
ReplyDeleteHouse Republicans recently torpedoed a bipartisan immigration reform bill that Trump and conservatives favored not too long ago just to give Biden the finger and be able to claim that he's unable to control the border crisis. Nice try, but I see whatcha did there.
Our border crisis has been brewing for decades and is exacerbated by Congress's inaction to revise our immigration code, which has remained unchanged since 1990. Moreover, the immigration crisis will NEVER cease as long as it's driven by desperation. Lastly, if by an "Obama-like superiority complex" you mean using complete sentences to articulate real-world ideas and arguments, thanks for the compliment.
A criminal case .. don’t be accidentally dense !
ReplyDeleteBrother (I'm looking at you 9:18/9:51), give me a break on this poor Trump, the billionaire victim shtick.
ReplyDeleteThe crime that Trump was convicted of is not the same as what Clinton was impeached for. But there is a good comparison - John Edwards. John Edwards, like Trump, was accused of using campaign funds to cover up an extra-marital affair and in the process, that he violated campaign finance laws. John Edwards, like Trump, DID catch a criminal case for it. Of course, Edwards hired experienced trial defense counsel and the jury hung.
But my favorite part of the whole thing is that never, not once, do Trump supporters claim that he DIDN'T do what he is accused of doing or that it wasn't illegal. They just kvetch about it being "unfair" without ever really even explaining why or how.
"The border crisis" - what a crock of shit. Stop letting the worms eat your brain.
ReplyDelete3 million people at the border a year - So? What does that mean? Let me tell you.
The U.S. population is roughly 333 million people.
The birth rate in this country is about 1.6 per woman, but the replacement rate is about 2.1. Which means that without immigration, the U.S. population shrinks every year. I'm no statistician, but I asked ChatGpt to do the math for me. At this birth rate, and without immigration, the U.S. population shrinks by about 3.15 million per year (that number blew my mind, to be honest and I had to ask it to re-do the math several times).
There are roughly 1 million new green cards per year. At this rate, the permanent population still shrinks by 2.15 million people per year.
Now let's return to those 3 million people per year at the border. They're filling our population decline and only creating growth of about 850,000 per year - or about 0.2% annual population growth.
0.2% annual annual population growth is NOT an immigration crisis.
What we have is a management crisis combined with rampant xenophobia and ignorance that inept politicians are using to deflect from their own inability to manage VERY modest growth.
Even if the birth rate was flat, 3 million illegal immigrants at the border each year plus about 1 million green cards a year still only accounts for about 1.2% annual growth. 1.2% annual population growth is a joke. The immigration crisis is 100% artificial. Let them in, give them social security numbers, let them work, let them pay taxes. That's it. If the numbers start skewing different, then we can re-assess.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not like the economy can't handle it. Unemployment is historically low at 4%. For context, in the last 50 years unemployment has fluctuated between as low as 3.5% and 14% (10% outside of covid madness during the Trump presidency). Also, maybe you weren't aware of this, but immigration tends to lower inflation. How about them apples.
Bam! Hunter Biden convicted.
ReplyDeleteDoes MAGA world still think that the justice system in this country is rigged against Trump and in favor of his political rivals? Give me a break.
The chutzpah of MAGA world claiming that Democrats are trying to lock up their political opponents in a political witch hunt is immense. Do these words sound familiar - "lock her up"?
She was a dirty young lady. She saved her cum stained dress. Yes I would say stalker is the right word.
ReplyDeleteRE: "80 years ago today we hit the high mark of our country...it was June 6, 1944 when over 25,000 Americans dropped into Normandy, France and landed on the beaches at daybreak to free France and Europe and defeat fascism."
ReplyDeleteYes, that is part of the story. While these figures are estimates, we owe the Soviet Union a huge debt to "defeat fascism"
American casualties in World War II = 420,000
Soviet Union casualties in World War II = 27 Million
The Soviet Union did the heavy lifting, yes with the USA providing much needed armaments. But the Soviet Union provided the bulk of the human cannon fodder needed to "defeat fascism".
I kinda disagree. Yes the Soviets had monumental casualties. Some of that is poor generalship. I don't think the Russians have ever been known for their brilliant military tactics. I also think that straight up US citizen soldiers beat the Germans best, as the US airborne did again and again against the best SS divisions the Germans had. I do agree that without the Russians in the war it takes another two ears before the war ends. And that does bring into play Germany potentially developing nuclear weapons and jet technology. So we will never know for sure. But I do not think it is right to say Russia did the heavy lifting. The US fought two wars on opposite sides of the globe- Russia fought one war on its home turf.
ReplyDeleteThanks for contributing - I enjoy very much discussions like this.