One cold morning in June

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by MORTARDUDE James :

Super as usual !! Since you have a grunt's eye view of the real estate, any ideas on the pros and cons of the black and white "The Longest Day" and the color "Saving Private Ryan" movie versions of the real thing ?? Love you brother,

Larry

I think the Longest Day was filmed at a time when the beach wasnt so built up. On Dday there were virtually no houses on the beach, now theres dozens and dozens up beyond the stone seawall which also wasnt there on D day. They must have done some heavy digital snipping on Saving Private Ryan or filmed a significant part somewheres else. Ive read survivors statements on the longest Day and they said it was actually some BS.
Longest day shows em getting off the Higgins boats all gungho but they just got off and found what covver they could find in the water and let reinforcment build up, thanks to some semisuicidal engineers who did succeed in getting enough of the obstacles blown so that more craft could get in. Theres a big ,monument to these engineers they saved the day
This is what you see: It would have been close to suicide to try and make it from the boats in the first wave up a half mile of beach to the bottom of the bluffs. The Germans had interlinked fields of fire, presited artillery
But you HAD to get off the beach. This would have been one of those "Well shit I'm dead if I move and I'm dead if I stay here" kind of moments--every combat vet knows this one. Sometimes in war ALL the choices are bad.
I personally am one of those kind who would rather die moving but there were times when I just lay there an said "Fuckit!! let some of thse high paid people sort this shit out!!" I think I would have moved but thts just a guess
Lots of em moved and made it and lots of em moved and didnt.

it was a terrific scrifice and most of all were these: This is a wall of MIA known but to God who there was not enough left to identify

[Jerry D]

great report James, Thanks again

[phuloi]

GREAT Pics and GREAT narrative.(Not to mention the GREAT SALUTES to our fallen comrades.)

Thanks!

[PHO127]

My Son Made the 50th anniversary jump onto Normandy with the original jumpers. He brought us a commemorative bottle of French wine. I got out the VCR tape of his jump this afternoon and have been sitting here watching it for a while. Lots of sand blowing around here this afternoon. Got to thinking about him calling just before the jump from England, He was out with the "Old Guys" Drinking and partying just the same as they probably did prior to the original jump. Glad you bought the Boys in France a beer.

Thank You

[exlrrp]

Thanks Sid!
Tom (friscokid) and I are interested in going back for the 60th Anniversary and jumping.
Could you ask your son how he set this up--what organization and how do we get ahold of them?? Did he do freefall or static line?any info would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
James

[exlrrp]

Sid this one is just for you--Psycovets on Omaha Beach 2003--Thanks
james

[PHO127]

Phillip was with the 1/325 of the 82nd when he made the jump. His battalion won an 82nd airborne competition to represent the 82nd at the 50th jump on Normandy, They also made a 50th jump at Anzio. He has a real nice gold coin from the Normandy Jump. My guess would be to contact the U. S sport parachuting association about a jump but I am also guessing that this would be a military jump only. BUT that is only my guess, Phillip is currently with the 5th SF and I think he is in Kosovo right now but possibly the mountains in Northern Iraq. He is due back in the states sometime in March of 04.