And the German weather forecast apparently called for unfavorable weather through mid June for the English Channel.

Today we would have to clear it with all the social groups and make sure we don't offend anyone by invading France. And don't forget the environmental impacts such a task would bring, all the dead fish and other marine life.

US Army soldiers and equipment were loaded onto ships in English harbors all throughout 4 June in preparation for landings.

In fact, a few ships had already departed for Normandy and had have fast destroyers sent out after them to avoid risking radio broadcasts

Rex Racer said:

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82 years ago today, Grandaddy was sitting in Tidworth Barracks, England, waiting to cross. I can't imagine what was going through his head. He had my Granny and my mother (who was less than 3 months old) waiting at home. Oh, how I love that man. Wish he was still with us.

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Mine was somewhere on New Britain in the Pacific Campaign with the 40th Infantry Division in June 1944. They were working their way toward the Philippines and the eventual liberation of Luzon.

ABATTBQ87 said:

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Two years ago, I was in Normandy for a 42-day WWII trip, which included visits to the UK, Holland, Hell's Highway, and Bastogne. I ended up with about 8,700 pictures.

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START POSTING THEM!

June 5, 1944 is the eve of D-Day one of the most consequential 24-hour periods in American military history. Here's what is happening right now:

The Decision to Go

On the morning of June 5, after his meteorologist predicted improved conditions for the following day, Eisenhower is ordering the go-ahead for Operation Overlord.

In a meeting with his American and British subordinates on the morning of June 5, U.S. General Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, announces: "O.K. We'll go."

D-Day is set for June 6.

As the day had approached and troops began to embark for the crossing, bad weather had set in, threatening dangerous landing conditions. After tense debate, Eisenhower and his subordinates decided on the 24-hour delay, requiring the recall of some ships already at sea.

On June 5, 13,400 American paratroopers are now boarding C-47 aircraft for what would become the largest airborne operation in history.

General Eisenhower is personally visiting paratroopers at different sites in England just before they board their airplanes, giving the order of the day "Full victory nothing else"

Paratroopers and infantry are cleaning weapons and about to participate in the first assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe.

June 5 is turning into a day of high tension, last-minute decisions, and massive mobilization with the largest amphibious invasion in history set to unfold just hours from now on June 6.

At this hour, General Dwight Eisenhower is briefing and talking with paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division

ABATTBQ87 said:

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Two years ago, I was in Normandy for a 42-day WWII trip, which included visits to the UK, Holland, Hell's Highway, and Bastogne. I ended up with about 8,700 pictures.

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Curious, was this an organized trip or something you put together yourself? I have plans of doing something similar in a few years when I retire.

Ag87H2O said:

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This scene from Band of Brothers alway gets me. Even with all the training they had, jumping from those planes in the dark with planes going down and flak flying everywhere, into the middle of German occupied territory, had to be terrifying.

God Bless those men.

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With as much WWII as I have studied, I hadn't actually given much thought to what this part of 6-June-1944 actually looked like. I guess I just assumed the C-47s flew over France and the guys jumped out. But that first time watching Band of Brothers, when the Skytrains emerged from the clouds to that sight of flak bursting in the air all around them, searchlights criss-crossing the sky, I was blown away by what that must have looked like to the guys piloting those birds. And then to jump from the plane into that, wow.

My dad's uncle, Billy C Pittman, was in one of those planes on the night of 5-June-1944.

AggieEP said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Two years ago, I was in Normandy for a 42-day WWII trip, which included visits to the UK, Holland, Hell's Highway, and Bastogne. I ended up with about 8,700 pictures.

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Curious, was this an organized trip or something you put together yourself? I have plans of doing something similar in a few years when I retire.

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I spent the first 15 days on a Band of Brothers tour. We started in London for a few days, then traveled to Normandy for five days, followed by four days in Holland, focusing on Hell's Highway and Arnhem, and concluding with three days in Bastogne.

After the tour, I took a train back to Normandy, picked up a rental car, and stayed in a bed and breakfast eight miles from UTAH Beach. I spent eight days exploring various sites at my own pace, which was fantastic.

Later, I took a ferry back to the UK and picked up a car in Portsmouth. I visited several sites, including glider locations, US training facilities, Plymouth, the Slapton Sands/Operation Tiger site, Exeter, Bude, Upottery, Ramsbury, Greenham Common, Hastings, Ipswich, Thorpe Abbotts, Rackheath, Duxford, and finally returned home.

I drove 880 miles in France and 1800 miles in the UK.

I'm always available as a tour guide

First Aggie KIA/MIA on June 6, 1944

James Hull Japhet '43
Entered service in August 1942 during senior year at A&M; received wings in January 1943; went overseas in September 1943 to England. Awarded Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, and Presidential Citation.

Declared KIA; MIA over Normandy since July 1944. 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Company I paratrooper, D-Day combat jumper.

Here is the detailed historical breakdown and context compiled from Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #7157 and related airborne operational records regarding the loss of C-47A #42-100733 during the early hours of D-Day.

The Flight and Mission Context

• Aircraft: Douglas C-47A Skytrain (S/N 42-100733)
• Chalk Number: #24 (flying as part of Serial 16)
• Unit: 96th Troop Carrier Squadron, 440th Troop Carrier Group, 9th Air Force
• Assignment: Dropping elements of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
• Timeline: The aircraft took off from RAF Exeter in Devon, UK, late on the night of June 5, 1944, bound for Drop Zone D near Angoville-au-Plain, scheduled for a 01:43 drop time.

Chronology of the Crash
According to eyewitness testimony from the survivors and later military analysis, the stick encountered severe difficulties over the Cotentin Peninsula:
[ol]

The First Pass: The C-47 crossed into the drop zone area on schedule but was hit by initial anti-aircraft fire. The pilot was unable to issue the green jump light safely before overshooting the drop field.

The Turn Back: Jumpmaster 2nd Lt. Floyd R. Johnston noted that the initial green light flickered over open water (the English Channel), prompting him to hold the stick and order the crew to loop back for a second run. The plane banked right, heading back out toward the coast.

The Fatal Hit: As the plane crossed back over the coastal defense lines near Saint-Pierre-du-Mont / Pointe de la Perce (just west of the Vierville sector), it was caught in intense, low-level flak and concentrated machine-gun fire.

The Jump: With the aircraft heavily on fire, 2nd Lt. Johnston took the initiative and jumped, followed immediately by Christensen, Crouch, and Goodgal. Johnston was the first out; as his chute deployed, Goodgal witnessed the plane engulfed in flames before it plunged into the Channel/coastal shoreline.

[/ol]

The Flight Crew (4 KIA)
The entire USAAF flight crew was lost in the crash:

• Pilot: 2nd Lt. William H. Zeuner
• Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Harry N. Lumsden, Jr.
• Crew Chief: S/Sgt. Albert T. Margotto
• Radio Operator: Cpl. William F. Sellinghausen (sometimes cited as Bellinghausen)

Of the 19 paratroopers from Item Company, 4 survived the exit, while the remaining 15 were killed in action or went missing in action when the plane went down.

The 4 Survivors:

• 2nd Lt. Floyd R. Johnston (Jumpmaster)
• Pfc. Niels Christensen (Often listed in records as Christiansen)
• Pvt. Raymond L. Crouch (Later Pfc.)
• Pvt. Leonard S. Goodgal
  (Note: Because they came down outside their planned sector near Pointe du Hoc/Saint-Pierre-du-Mont, these survivors infamously fought alongside elements of the 2nd Rangers in the opening days.)

Normandy American Cemetery
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Tablets of the Missing

That sounds amazing. I spent a month in France in 2000 when I was studying French, got to spend 2 days up in Normandy including on June 6th. It was one of the most powerful moments I've ever experienced at the cemetery when they played taps, lots of veterans had made their way back and I felt more proud to be an American at that moment than at any other time in my life to that point. I feel like everyone should experience that at least once in their lives as a reminder of the price paid for freedom.

AggieEP said:

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That sounds amazing. I spent a month in France in 2000 while studying French and got to spend 2 days up in Normandy, including on June 6th. It was one of the most powerful moments I've ever experienced at the cemetery when they played taps. Lots of veterans had made their way back, and I felt prouder to be an American at that moment than at any other time in my life to that point. I feel like everyone should experience that at least once in their lives as a reminder of the price paid for freedom.

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I visited the Normandy American Cemetery on June 6, 2024, the 80th anniversary of D-Day. It was a moving experience. Over the course of my trip, I visited five American cemeteries, one Canadian cemetery, three German cemeteries, and three Commonwealth cemeteries.

It is now 2112 hours in Normandy France 5 June 1944

across the English Channel, tens of thousands of glider and parachute infantrymen are boarding their aircraft and taxiing out to the runways

The D-Day airborne assault on June 6, 1944, will involve the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

The planned drop zones (DZs) and landing zones (LZs) are situated in the Cotentin Peninsula to secure routes and block German counterattacks. Due to heavy anti-aircraft fire and poor visibility, many units will be scattered miles away from their designated targets.

U.S. 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles)

The 101st is tasked with securing the exits behind Utah Beach and capturing Carentan.

• Drop Zone A: West of Saint-Martin-de-Varreville.
• Drop Zone C: West and Southwest of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• Drop Zone D: South-west of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• Actual Pattern: High winds and evasive pilot maneuvers will soon scatter the 101st severely. Many men landed in the flooded marshes of the Douve River.

U.S. 82nd Airborne Division (All-American)
The 82nd is assigned to capture the road hub of Sainte-Mre-glise and secure the Merderet River crossings.

• Drop Zone O: West of the Merderet River, between Sainte-Mre-glise and Picauville.
• Drop Zone T: North of Sainte-Mre-glise.
• Drop Zone N: West of Sainte-Mre-glise near Chef-du-Pont.
• Actual Pattern: Like the 101st, the 82nd's drops will be heavily dispersed. Some pathfinder planes will miss their targets by miles, resulting in paratroopers landing directly in the town square of Sainte-Mre-glise

At this very hour- The British 6th Airborne Division is loaded up in their aircraft taxiing to the runways.

Six Horsa gliders will be taking off from England in total radio silence and land at 0016 AM beside the Caen Canal at what would become known as Pegasus Bridge.

Major John Howard's men will scramble out, overpower the garrison in a brief firefight, and secure the bridge intact.

It is the very first Allied ground action of D-Day, completed in under fifteen minutes.

LMCane said:

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At this very hour- The British 6th Airborne Division is loaded up in their aircraft taxiing to the runways.

Six Horsa gliders will be taking off from England in total radio silence and land at 0016 AM beside the Caen Canal at what would become known as Pegasus Bridge.

Major John Howard's men will scramble out, overpower the garrison in a brief firefight, and secure the bridge intact.

It is the very first Allied ground action of D-Day, completed in under fifteen minutes.

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That was at RAF Tarrant Rushton, and I visited that site and drove the runway in 2024!

LMCane said:

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It is now 2112 hours in Normandy France 5 June 1944

across the English Channel, tens of thousands of glider and parachute infantrymen are boarding their aircraft and taxiing out to the runways

The D-Day airborne assault on June 6, 1944, will involve the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

The planned drop zones (DZs) and landing zones (LZs) are situated in the Cotentin Peninsula to secure routes and block German counterattacks. Due to heavy anti-aircraft fire and poor visibility, many units will be scattered miles away from their designated targets.

U.S. 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles)

The 101st is tasked with securing the exits behind Utah Beach and capturing Carentan.

• Drop Zone A: West of Saint-Martin-de-Varreville.
• Drop Zone C: West and Southwest of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• Drop Zone D: South-west of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• Actual Pattern: High winds and evasive pilot maneuvers will soon scatter the 101st severely. Many men landed in the flooded marshes of the Douve River.

U.S. 82nd Airborne Division (All-American)
The 82nd is assigned to capture the road hub of Sainte-Mre-glise and secure the Merderet River crossings.

• Drop Zone O: West of the Merderet River, between Sainte-Mre-glise and Picauville.
• Drop Zone T: North of Sainte-Mre-glise.
• Drop Zone N: West of Sainte-Mre-glise near Chef-du-Pont.
• Actual Pattern: Like the 101st, the 82nd's drops will be heavily dispersed. Some pathfinder planes will miss their targets by miles, resulting in paratroopers landing directly in the town square of Sainte-Mre-glise

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I visited many of these drop zones, lots of American memorials can be found.

My bed and breakfast was located 1/2 mile from the church in Angoville au Plain.

~at 0300 Allied bombers now begin hitting German defensive lines along the 50-mile Normandy coastline, about three hours after the airborne operations began at 0015

~0500- 0545 The naval bombardment begins. Seven battleships, 18 cruisers, and 43 destroyers open fire on the coast.

HMS Belfast, for example, opens fire at 0527

~0625 - 0630 The naval bombardment will run from roughly 0545 until 0625. The beach landings then begin, starting at 0631 AM

The aerial bombardment does very little damage, as poor visibility makes it difficult for bomber crews to hit their targets, and the naval bombardment is also considered too short to be fully effective.

The naval bombardment will shortly begin hitting fixed German positions along Omaha and Gold Beaches

NBC News live report of the invasion of France now begins

This is a very interesting way to present the information. Thanks.

01:45
General Marcks of the 84th Army Corps receives new information concerning enemy paratroopers, spotted between Sainte-Marie-du-Mont and Sainte-Mre-Eglise.

01:50
In Paris, near the Bois de Boulogne, Naval West Group chief of operations, Admiral Karl Hoffman, summons the various staffs following the accumulation of alarming reports. He sends the following message to Germany: "Report to the headquarters of the Fhrer that it is the invasion".

01:55
Take-off in England of the bombers of the 8th US Air Force. 1,198 aircraft are deployed in total.

02:00
Marshal von Rundstedt is made aware of alerts following the discovery of paratroopers, notably reported by the 352nd Division.

Captain Wagemann (Duty Officer) places the 21st German Armored Division on level 2 alert (movement ability in less than an hour and a half).

02:05
The 1. Panzerjaeger Kompanie of the 716th Infantry Regiment leaves Biville to patrol along the Orne canal in the direction of the Bnouville and Ranville bridges.

02:15
The 352nd German Infantry Division reports the end of alert for all of its units.

02:29
The Force U ships arrive off Utah Beach and drop anchor 24 kilometers from the shore.

02:30
Serious fighting is taking place in the locality of Ranville between the British airborne troops of the 6th Airborne and the German soldiers of the 716th Infantry and the 21st Panzer Division.

An armored vehicle from the 1. Panzerjaeger-Kompanie of the 716th German infantry division is destroyed on the Caen-Ouistreham crossroads in Bnouville by a PIAT of the 7th battalion (6th Airborne Division).

Fixed transmitters "Bag Pipe" and "Chatter" from England come into action and blur the communications of the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe (German Air Force).

02:35
Two planes towing gliders are spotted by the Feldpostamt of the 352nd Infantry Division.

02:40
Marshal von Rundstedt reports by radio to the VIIth German Army that he does not believe in a large-scale landing.

02:45
The 914th Grenadier Regiment (352nd Infantry Division) reports that 50 to 60 paratroopers jumped south of the Grand Canal of Carentan.

LMCane said:

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NBC News live report of the invasion of France now begins

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My dad remembered this vividly as he was 15 years old. They all knew a lot of guys from his neighborhood in San Antonio who were in that invasion force (although they did not know for sure at the time). He said they were glued to the radio all day long.

About 10-12 years ago my 2 sisters my mom and I spent about 7 days in Northern France around the Normandy beaches touring different war sites. We stayed in the little French war villages/towns at night and visiting museums, cemeteries and the beaches. Many of the massive bombing holes carved into the ground were still there on Omaha beach. We went on a few daily tours, some of the info the tour guides covered was literally horrifying. My mom's oldest brother who was quite a bit older than her was killed in St Lo France at the end of July 1944. My mom was a very young child at that time so her memory of him was very little. We searched for the field hospital near St Lo that he was reported to have died in but there were no traces of those field hospitals. We figured we were within maybe a 1 to 2 mile radius of the field hospital based on some information they had received years ago from someone who was fighting with him that had lived. We had a general area map with some old road information the soldier had sent to my mom's mom years ago after the war had ended, He did not come in on the original D-Day landings but was one of the many thousands of fresh troops they were bringing in daily, he landed on the Normandy beaches in late June per a letter he sent to his parents. They figured he was on the ground fighting for roughly 1 month. We had quite a bit of information about my moms brother and where he was fighting based on a few letters he had sent home. The letter they received of his death from the war department also gave some brief information. We tried to visit the little towns we thought he may have stayed in.
His body was eventually returned to the US, we did not find the actual burial location where he was buried during the war.

Those were some of the greatest American hero's this country will ever have. Here

In June of 2000 we visited the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, France. While we were there a wreath laying ceremony took place with the "Star Bangled Banner" and a 21 gun salute to honor Americans who gave their lives and were buried in the cemetery. There was a group of UK veterans present and we talked to two of them One had been captured at Dunkirk and interred in a Polish-German POW Camp in Poland. They were participating other guy had landed in North Africa, Italy, and Normandy. It was such a great experience.

Just don't think we could ever do this again if we needed to. Gen Z and Millennials are mostly betas of the highest order. Maybe 1% of the male population would willingly do this and help. That may even be generous.

After I was there for a one day tour, I've told everyone I know they should go. I'll likely go back to spend more time there. You will see the American flag flying alongside the French flag everywhere, and the locals are very welcoming of US visitors.
When you stand on Omaha Beach, you can appreciate the distance these men had to cover to get from the edge of the water to some semblance of cover. It's awe-inspiring and horrifying at the same time.