above video mirrored from D-Day “Things You Don’t Forget” | Memoirs Of WWII #14Normandy…
The average age of a newly enlisted soldier during WWII was 17
This year, Veterans aged from their late 90s to 100+ returned to the shores of Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the invasion.
The D-Day invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Overlord, was the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating.
Here are some key statistics…
Troop numbers:
Total troops landed: 156,000
American troops: 73,000
British and Canadian troops: 83,000
Ships and landing craft:
Total ships: 5,333
Landing craft: 4,126
Tank landing ships: 1,200
Casualties:
Allied troops killed or missing: 4,000-9,000
German troops killed or wounded: estimated 4,000-12,000
Our note: One of the many reasons for the inaccuracy is due to the high number of deaths in a very short time - many bodies drifted to sea, others were so shot or blown up they would have to literally match up the scattered body parts. DNA analysis was not available then. Also all the tags each soldier wears were not collected until after the battle meaning there were even more bodies claimed by the sea. Only going through the rosters at their home camp would actually help but even then there are too many variables to be certain. This is not a reflection on the military’s ability to track their troops but is a result of the massive scale and force entailed on that day.
Equipment and supplies:
Total troops, vehicles, and equipment landed: 850,000
Vehicles: 148,000
Supplies: 570,000 tons
Air support:
Allied aircraft sorties: 14,000
German aircraft sorties: 1,000
Weather conditions:
Wind speed: 15-20 knots (28-37 km/h)
Wave height: 6-12 feet (1.8-3.6 meters)
Cloud cover: 10/10ths
Beachheads:
Omaha Beach: 34,250 troops landed
Utah Beach: 23,250 troops landed
Gold Beach: 24,970 troops landed
Juno Beach: 21,400 troops landed
Sword Beach: 28,850 troops landed
These statistics highlight the massive scale and complexity of the D-Day invasion, which marked a turning point in World War II.
The D-Day Cameramen Who Filmed Normandy Invasion - Then and Now
From Omaha Beach to Utah Beach: On D-Day, June 6, 1944, at least 4 detachments of the 165th Signal Photographic Company landed on the coast of Normandy to document the Allied Invasion of Europe.
These combat photographers were armed, not with guns, but with cameras.
In this mini-documentary we will be following 3 of the 4 detachments on the locations where they shot it.
mirrored from The D-Day Cameramen Who Filmed Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944 - WWII Then & Now | SNAFU DOCS
Stature
Before the U.S. entered WWII, Britain was the world power and had been for a couple of centuries.
We did not have a massive amount of ships, planes, armament, nor military personnel - in 1935, there were fewer than 119,000 troops in the U.S. military.
Before our involvement in WWII, a political debate raged in Congress as to whether there should even be an Army of conscripts (whose draft enlistment was only 1 year long) and if they should be used to fight a war in Europe (if necessary) or sent home as the United States fell backward into isolation.
That debate raged until November 1941, when the House of Representatives rejected the disbandment of what Patton called an Army of 820,000 "civilians in khaki pants."
Thousands of men between the ages of 21 and 34 were put into uniform before there was even a war to fight.
Once Japan attacked Pearl Harbor all that change - drastically and VERY quickly.
Men went to war and the women took over production of military equipment.
Some 10 million men entered military service during WWII, most of them volunteers.
Some companies that could produce even a part of the military needs volunteered to help stock our military inventories as quickly as possible.
You can read more about the effort to build our military in the 2 years before the Pearl Harbor attack here [archive].
The German Force
Germany sought to defeat its opponents in a series of short campaigns in Europe.
Germany quickly overran much of Europe and was victorious for more than 2 years.
Germany defeated and occupied
Poland (September 1939)
Denmark (April 1940)
Norway (April 1940)
Belgium (May 1940)
the Netherlands (May 1940)
Luxembourg (May 1940)
France (May 1940)
Yugoslavia (April 1941) and
Greece (April 1941)
Yet Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from German ground attack by the English Channel and the Royal Navy.
On June 22, 1941, German forces suddenly invaded the Soviet Union - which Hitler had promised NOT to invade.
But Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States turned the tide of battle and ultimately defeated Germany in May 1945.
The Greatest Generation
As a result of the change of stature of the U.S. before, during, and after WWII, they end up being dubbed The Greatest Generation.
Born between 1901 and 1924, the had lived through the Great Depression and World War II with many having fought in WWII.
They are known for their modest demeanor and achievements which transcended gender roles, with women playing essential roles in the war effort and national mobilization
The Greatest Generation shaped the world we know today through their contributions to science, education, business, politics, and the arts - unlike what we are seeing on the MSM, Social Media, and with the Leftist shenanigans.
We NEED to learn what they learned…
Statistics of the D-Day Invasion