Memorial Day 2021, remembering the fallen.

[Sylvain]

Let's all take a moment to remember and honor the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom.
It is almost Memorial Day in the US, we're also a week away from D-Day (June 6), a very important day in France, especially in Normandy where I live.

Feel free to add pictures, thoughts and stories to this thread.

The Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach.

 

[Sylvain]

Years ago a British artist came up with a project called Fallen 9000, to commemorate the Allied soldiers who died on D-Day beaches in Normandy.

9,000 is the estimated number of Allied casualties on June 6th 1944.

It's hard to picture such a large number when it comes to human lives lost in a single days.

The project's goal was to have the shape of 9,000 bodies etched in the sand of the D-Day beaches.

It took hundreds of local volunteers.

 

[Sylvain]

 

[BigRed]

Well said, Sir!

I always appreciate when you share pics of Normandy and northern France here.

Thank you.

 

[Sylvain]

 

[Sylvain]

Well said, Sir!

I always appreciate when you share pics of Normandy and northern France here.

Thank you.

Sadly this year much of the D-Day events have been canceled due to COVID here.

There will be small events at local cemeteries but no massive crowds, parachute jumps, no vets visiting etc.

Usually at this time of the year we see lots of WW2 vehicles from all around Europe, they all come to Normandy to celebrate.

I haven't seen any so far, just like last year.

 

[Bennettjh]

Wow. Thanks for posting this.

 

[yote hunter]

God bless all those who gave and those who gave all ! Thank you .

 

[Sylvain]

Wow. Thanks for posting this.

You're welcome.
It's such a simple yet beautiful tribute idea.
All done in a day and washed away by the waves.

 

[yote hunter]

 

[yote hunter]

 

[flatlander]

Thank you for this.
The only way for them to be truly forgotten is to not say their names. Remember those who have given their lives for this great country.

 

[Sylvain]

Thank you for this.
The only way for them to be truly forgotten is to not say their names. Remember those who have given their lives for this great country.

A lot of those soldiers have given their lives for a foreign country, to bring freedom to a foreign land, which is even more noble.

 

[Sylvain]

They recently buried a US WW2 soldier in the Normandy American Cemetery, in 2018.



Before that date the latest burial was in 1956.

Julius Pieper, from South Dakota.
He died at age 19, in 1944 but his body was just recently identified 74 years later.
He was previously buried in an unmarked grave in Belgium.

He was moved and buried next to his twin brother who died the same day.
They both served on the same ship.



His ship was sunken by a German mine.

 

[yote hunter]

General John A. Logan, Memorial Day founder - The Army Historical Foundation

Originally called Decoration Day, when Americans took time to decorate the graves of soldiers who gave their lives in the Civil War, today’s national holiday of Memorial Day honors all […]

armyhistory.org

 

[red_zr24x4]

Thank you Sylvain
Like I've said for about the last 10 years, You're more American than most Americans
God Bless

 

[KokomoDave]

RADM Richard D. Moon - RIP great uncle!

 

[88E30M50]

In addition to others that gave all, our family remembers two family members that did not return from WWII. The first is my grandmother’s older brother. His given name was Joseph but the family called him Bill. He was wounded in the battle of the Huertgen Forest (sp?) but returned to his unit in early 1945. He died in the battles around the Remagen Bridge.

The second family member is more distant but still remembered. His name was Anthony Piscitelli and he was a P38 pilot that died while strafing Coullemeire Airfield, near Paris in April 1944. He flew with the 343rd Figher Squadron, 55th Fighter Group and was flying a P38J with the squadron code CY-B. His squadron mates said that he continued the strafing run at extremely low altitude despite having an engine hit and on fire.

 

[MrSmitty]

I have a POW/MIA bracelet, that I have been wearing for over ten years, Maj. Ronald Bond, shoot down date 30 Sept 1970, Laos. almost all those lost over Laos have never been recovered, or accounted for. 1982 in a field tent made into an all ranks club in South Korea, I was drinking with a Major, who flew in Vietnam, he said there were a number of times he had squadron mates shot down, he saw the deployed chutes, heard the rescue beacons when they got on the ground, yet they never were returned... I pray every day for a full accounting.... Til they come home.............

 

[jwamplerusa]

Let's all take a moment to remember and honor the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom.
It is almost Memorial Day in the US, we're also a week away from D-Day (June 6), a very important day in France, especially in Normandy where I live.

Feel free to add pictures, thoughts and stories to this thread.

The Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach.

Thank you Sylvain!