80th anniversary of D-Day

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94chem
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4:55p, 6/4/24
I was in the first class of Rudder Scholars in 1992. We lived in Caen for 4 weeks. We all got to know Margaret Rudder, and she invited us over to her home. I was at the 50th anniversary in 1994 before moving away to grad school. Every month in the late 90's I would see the obits in The Texas Aggie, and pay respects to the burgeoning ranks of the WWII Ags in Silver Taps. I knew the numbers would begin to fall soon, as they reached their 80's, and that it wouldn't be long until they were all gone. Now, it's hard to believe that the very youngest of them are 100 years old, except for a few who may have lied to get in. Hard to believe that my parents knew WWI veterans for over half of their lives, and now we are saying goodbye to the very last WWII vets. I could say a thousand things, but mainly I just wanted to say that I remember what they did.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
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OldArmyCT
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4:38a, 6/5/24
AG
I went to an event in Ft Worth 2 months ago, the speaker carried a flame thrower on Iwo Jima. My dad (deceased) flew 29 missions as a B-24 bombardier. I went to high school in Wiesbaden, every single dad of every student was a WWII vet, my GF's dad had the MoH.
Respect.
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LMCane
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8:05a, 6/5/24
a few hours from now the first 101st and 82nd Division Paratroopers would be loading onto their C-47s and taking off for the liberation of Europe!

This is the most amazing set of audio on a historical event you have ever heard:

D-Day on the live radio broadcasts from New York, 5 and 6 June 1944

listen as it happens
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ABATTBQ87
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8:26a, 6/5/24
AG
Howdy from Normandy
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AgLA06
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In reply to LMCane • 1:24p, 6/5/24
AG
LMCane said:
a few hours from now the first 101st and 82nd Division Paratroopers would be loading onto their C-47s and taking off for the liberation of Europe!

This is the most amazing set of audio on a historical event you have ever heard:

D-Day on the live radio broadcasts from New York, 5 and 6 June 1944

listen as it happens
That's really cool!
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LMCane
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In reply to AgLA06 • 1:44p, 6/5/24
AgLA06 said:
LMCane said:
a few hours from now the first 101st and 82nd Division Paratroopers would be loading onto their C-47s and taking off for the liberation of Europe!

This is the most amazing set of audio on a historical event you have ever heard:

D-Day on the live radio broadcasts from New York, 5 and 6 June 1944

listen as it happens
That's really cool!
it's my tradition every year in the days around Operation Overlord anniversary to listen to all 17 hours
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ABATTBQ87
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10:49p, 6/5/24
AG
It's 545am here in Bayeaux France
The entire city is covered in French, American, British and Canadian flags and store windows are painted with murals and thank yous to the Allies

There are thousands of reenactors wearing military uniforms of allies from 1940s, and military vehicles clog the streets.

I've seen 3 paratroop drops from C47s over the past days, and have walked on Utah, Omaha and Pointe du Hoc.

It's a fantastic event
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to ABATTBQ87 • 8:31a, 6/6/24
AG
As an aside, be sure to get some food at La Florentin. It's a great restaurant.
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MAROON
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10:19a, 6/6/24
AG
"The Most Important Day Of The 20th Century" Featuring Alex Kershaw, Author of "The First Wave" - Veriten

I haven't listened yet, but this was put out by a friend's firm. I've heard it's a good podcast. Will listen today at lunch
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OldArmy71
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In reply to MAROON • 12:27p, 6/6/24
AG
Excellent listen. Talks quite a bit about Rudder.
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Traces of Texas
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1:18p, 6/6/24
Lt. James Earl Rudder, shown here on the far left after receiving the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry, led the 2nd Ranger Battalion up the promontory at Pointe-du-Hoc. 10 years later, in 1954, he returned with a magazine writer and looked down over the cliff. "Will you tell me how we did this?" he said. "Anybody would be a fool to try this. It was crazy then, and it's crazy now,"





Pointe du Hoc from the air. That little strip of beach is all they had. Bomb craters are still visible on top.




“I must say as to what I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world. The best land & best prospects for health I ever saw is here, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here.” —– David Crockett
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MAROON
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2:21p, 6/6/24
AG
Damn

How did I not know (or maybe I forgot) that Rudder Tower is the same height as the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc?
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usmcbrooks
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2:42p, 6/6/24
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Traces of Texas • 5:24p, 6/6/24
AG
Appreciate your post, hate to be that guy, but Lieutenant Colonel.

While most of the soldiers were 18-25, Rudder was an "old man" of 34. Seems young to me, but still a little old to be climbing cliffs while taking fire
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Traces of Texas
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 8:50p, 6/6/24
CanyonAg77 said:
Appreciate your post, hate to be that guy, but Lieutenant Colonel.

While most of the soldiers were 18-25, Rudder was an "old man" of 34. Seems young to me, but still a little old to be climbing cliffs while taking fire

I got it right on all of my social media. Somehow in copying and pasting it here I truncated it. I've written so much about him over the years that I hope you believe me when I say that I knew he was a Lt. Col. I've posted his whole life story most years since 2011. Still, it hurts that I missed that.

Did you know that, after he graduated from high school and enrolled at Tarleton State in 1927, he didn't quite have enough for tuition and room and board, so the Tarleton football coach, W.J. Wisdom, arranged to award him a partial "milk cow scholarship." The Lions Club donated a 2-year-old Jersey heifer, which Rudder milked daily in exchange for reduced prices for his meals in Tarleton's dining halls.
“I must say as to what I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world. The best land & best prospects for health I ever saw is here, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here.” —– David Crockett
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Traces of Texas
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In reply to MAROON • 8:53p, 6/6/24
MAROON said:
Damn

How did I not know (or maybe I forgot) that Rudder Tower is the same height as the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc?

You didn't know it because it's not true. Rudder Tower is considerably taller --- about 145 feet tall.

I learned this the hard way, by the way.

“I must say as to what I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world. The best land & best prospects for health I ever saw is here, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here.” —– David Crockett
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Traces of Texas • 9:18p, 6/6/24
AG
I figured it was some little hiccup.

Regarding Rudder Tower, I always thought it looked taller than 100 feet. And tell us, how did you learn the hard way? Did you fall off?

Or did some nitpicking know-it-all call you out online?

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Hey Nav
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9:30p, 6/6/24
AG
Quote:
The Lions Club donated a 2-year-old Jersey heifer, which Rudder milked daily in exchange for reduced prices for his meals in Tarleton's dining halls.
Sort of like getting a job watering the fields on campus, with the automatic sprinklers....
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JABQ04
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6:30a, 6/7/24
AG
My brother always posts this on D-Day.
6 June 1944

"While looking for water to fill my canteen, I spotted a well at the rear of a nearby farmhouse. On my way to the well, the scene I came upon was one that had never left my memory.

It was a picture story of the death of one 82nd Airborne paratrooper. He had occupied a German foxhole and made it his personal Alamo. In a half circle around the hole lay the bodies of nine German soldiers. The body closest to the hole was only three feet away, a potato masher [grenade] in its fist. The other distorted forms lay where they had fallen, testimony to the ferocity of the fight. His ammunition bandoliers were still on his shoulders, empty of M-1 clips. Cartridge cases littered the ground. His rifle stock was broken in two. He had fought alone and, like many others that night, had died alone.

I looked at his dog tags. The name read Martin V. Hersh. I wrote the name down in a small prayer book I carried, hoping someday I would meet someone who knew him. I never did."
John Fitzgerald
From Steven Ambrose's D-Day
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byfLuger41
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5:13a, 6/13/24
AG
Good post, OP!

I've been a WWII addict since the mid 90's and really enjoyed visiting with Veterans over the years. Sadly we are seeing very few remain and that number will continue to fall the next few years.

It's important that we Remember, Honor and Serve those few who remain and never forget what they did.


I was in Normandy for the 80th and made two jumps from a C47 into Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Apex moment on a personal level, but I don't jump for myself…I jump for them. I jump so that what those men did is never forgotten.


Gig'em c/o 2011

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ABATTBQ87
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In reply to byfLuger41 • 9:39a, 7/15/24
AG
byfLuger41 said:
Good post, OP!

I've been a WWII addict since the mid 90's and really enjoyed visiting with Veterans over the years. Sadly we are seeing very few remain and that number will continue to fall the next few years.

It's important that we Remember, Honor and Serve those few who remain and never forget what they did.


I was in Normandy for the 80th and made two jumps from a C47 into Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Apex moment on a personal level, but I don't jump for myself…I jump for them. I jump so that what those men did is never forgotten.


Gig'em c/o 2011
I was at Ste Marie du Mont on June 3rd

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byfLuger41
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In reply to ABATTBQ87 • 4:50p, 7/15/24
AG
So cool!

I need to pull the manifest just to be certain, but I think we had two birds flying in echelon on 3 June.

My position was stick 1, number 1 in the lead bird.

Either way that video is definitely of my Team and I conducted jump OPS on 3 June!

Thanks for sharing and Gig'em!
TO THE DROP ZONE!!!
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ABATTBQ87
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In reply to byfLuger41 • 6:20p, 7/15/24
AG
Here's a drop at LaFiere Bridge on the morning of June 3rd

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byfLuger41
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6:29p, 7/15/24
AG
Very nice!

Were you there with a jump team or solo mission?

Sorry to OP for derailing the thread…a little!
TO THE DROP ZONE!!!
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ABATTBQ87
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In reply to byfLuger41 • 6:54p, 7/15/24
AG
byfLuger41 said:
Very nice!

Were you there with a jump team or solo mission?

Sorry to OP for derailing the thread…a little!
I was sightseeing, not a jumper
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