dib Posted June 6, 2011 Posted June 6, 2011 June 6, 1944. The invasion of France and the liberation of Europe. Thank You Boys.
CowgirlsFan Posted June 6, 2011 Posted June 6, 2011 June 6, 1944. The invasion of France and the liberation of Europe. Thank You Boys. A salute from me!
DC Tom Posted June 6, 2011 Posted June 6, 2011 June 6, 1944. The invasion of France and the liberation of Europe. Or half of it, at any rate.
Beerball Posted June 6, 2011 Posted June 6, 2011 My thanks as well! Anyone in the Santa Fe Springs, CA area may want to visit this place. If you're lucky you could get a tour guided by the 96 year old owner.
boyst Posted June 7, 2011 Posted June 7, 2011 D-Day history is amazing...and in general thank you to anyone who has served
Wacka Posted June 8, 2011 Posted June 8, 2011 Every Memorial Day weekend, they fly in a B-17 and a B-24 (the last one still flyable) into the local airport. You can fly in the B-17 for $400. There is an airman that flew in one on hand that answers questions you have. He's now 88. Still fits into and wears his uniform he wore in the service. If the plane had landing gear problems, the turret gunner in the belly was a goner. Thanks to all who gave all.
Pilsner Posted June 8, 2011 Posted June 8, 2011 (edited) I can't believe I'm so late on this one. Thank you all who served and put your life in harms way for our country. I cannot thank you enough. Thanks for the linky Beerball. That's one place I'd def like to see first hand and owner whom it would be a privilege to meet. A B-17 comes to my area from time to time. Next time it's here I'll gladly pay their fee/donation to help keep these classics aloft. Edited June 8, 2011 by Pilsner
DrFishfinder Posted June 8, 2011 Posted June 8, 2011 June 6, 1944. The invasion of France and the liberation of Europe. Thank You Boys. Amen.
dib Posted June 8, 2011 Author Posted June 8, 2011 A B-17 comes to my area from time to time. Next time it's here I'll gladly pay their fee/donation to help keep these classics aloft. The Collings foundation flies various aircraft around the country. They've flown a B-17, B-24, B-25, Corsair, and P-51 to Ft. Lauderdale at various time. The best was when my father-in-law gave us a walk around of the Corsair, which he flew as a Marine Pilot.
tennesseeboy Posted June 8, 2011 Posted June 8, 2011 Mplane in viet nam in 1970 was a C-47, which was the major cargo plane of WWII and was selected as the best plane of the first half of the 20th century. Now that was one hell of a plane, and is still a working aircraft despite the fact that the last ones were manufactured in the late 1940's. Used as a gunship (Puff the Magic Dragon) and Electronic Intelligence plane in Nam...Used for darn near everything in WWII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain
BB27 Posted June 9, 2011 Posted June 9, 2011 Not sure this is 100% correct, and a couple of days late, but I've been away.... SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCES Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere, march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight Eisenhower
DC Tom Posted June 9, 2011 Posted June 9, 2011 Mplane in viet nam in 1970 was a C-47, which was the major cargo plane of WWII and was selected as the best plane of the first half of the 20th century. Now that was one hell of a plane, and is still a working aircraft despite the fact that the last ones were manufactured in the late 1940's. Used as a gunship (Puff the Magic Dragon) and Electronic Intelligence plane in Nam...Used for darn near everything in WWII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain One of the reasons it was such a great plane, and still flies (operationally - there's several hundred around the world that still haul cargo, last I knew) is that, ironically, no one knew exactly what they were doing designing it. There was so little experience with stressed skin, semi-monocoque airframes, and no one knew **** about metal fatigue back then, so Douglas just over-built the airframe. And everyone but the Germans flew them - even Japanese built a licensed version in WWII. I'd like to say there was a better plane built in the first half of the 20th century...but I can't think of one.
tennesseeboy Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 we had a plane shot down and crash into the jungle ripping off both wings, and the co-pilot and one crewman of a crew of seven died in the crash. It had an incredible ability to glide even if both engines shut down. I had heard a story that during world war 2 one of them had a wing replaced from a different plane altogether and carried on throughout the war. I've tried to find the story, but can't seem to place it, so it might be apocryphal.
DC Tom Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 we had a plane shot down and crash into the jungle ripping off both wings, and the co-pilot and one crewman of a crew of seven died in the crash. It had an incredible ability to glide even if both engines shut down. I had heard a story that during world war 2 one of them had a wing replaced from a different plane altogether and carried on throughout the war. I've tried to find the story, but can't seem to place it, so it might be apocryphal. I think I've heard that story - only it was a damaged C-47 that had the wing of a DC-2 slapped on to it, just to fly it to Port Moresby for repairs. I know exactly what book I read it in, I can look it up when I get home. Most planes glide pretty well...the LaGuardia-to-Hudson River flight a few years back stayed in the air for four minutes, which is about a ten mile glide from an altitude of something like 3000 feet. Don't know what the C-47s was, but given they used to land the thing, loaded, on ridiculously bad fields like Wau, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a good glider.
DC Tom Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 June 15th, 1944. The invasion of Saipan, by 2nd and 4th Marine and 27th Infantry divisions.
erynthered Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 One less B-17. Liberty Bell crashes June 13, 2011 two days before the anniversary of the invasion of Saipan
1billsnut Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Last week I had the opportunity to be a guardian for a WWII veteran on a trip to the WWII memorial in DC. The trip was amazing, to be able to help these veterans see their memorial and hear some of their stories was something that I wont soon forget. The trip is 100% free for all WWII veterans, and $350 to be a guardian for a vet. It is sponsored through Honor Flight, they have programs in most states. If any of you know any WWII vets I would highly suggest that they take advantage of this program, they all deserve to see their memorial. Also, if any of you would like to be a guardian it is a very rewarding experience, these are amazing men and women! You can find out any information at www.honorflight.com . It is an unforgetable experience.
DC Tom Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Little known fact: in the '60, an epidemic of rabies swept Europe, from west to east. When people got around to studying it they traced it back to a westward migration of foxes and wolves that started in the Soviet Union in the early '40s. Yes, basically a bunch of rabid animals saw the Russians and Germans fighting, and said "We're crazy, but not THAT crazy. !@#$ this ****. We're outta here..." Mention this because: 70th anniversary of the German invasion of Russia. And, more importantly, 67th anniversary of the largest land battle in history. Much thanks to the 2.5 million Russians who annihilated an million-man German army group in a month, and basically won the war.
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