The Allied forces invaded the beaches of Normandy on June 6th, 1944, 73 years ago today. The brave men that climbed down cargo nets into landing craft under the cover of darkness tell stories about how some where unworried. They’d been told the Navy and Army Air Corps were going to bombard the beach, clearing the way for a stroll up the sand and into France.
Barges filled with rocket launchers aimed at German pillboxes. Tanks that could float up onto the beach to provide armored support. Bombs dropped by a seemingly endless stream of planes overhead. Some soldiers might have actually allowed themselves to believe it could be easy. Except the barges of rockets dropped their explosive payloads into the water, short of the beach. Many of the floating tanks foundered before reaching the sand of France, providing little to no armored support, and the bombers in the air were instructed to hold off on dropping their bombs for 2 to 3 seconds, placing the ordinance behind the line of German defenses and killing mostly French cattle and leaving German defenses largely intact.
Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, the sheer force of will of the Allied soldiers saw them through the onslaught and after suffering an incredible amount of casualties, the Allies took the beach. These men, many wounded, then marched into France and ultimately ended the Nazi threat on freedom in Europe and around the world.
Ryno had a unique chance to educate a friend of his on the events of D-Day, and he shared his thoughts on the 73rd anniversary of D-Day below.
https://youtu.be/3_ggf0RjXtk
