82 years ago Today
 

The Longest Day. Lest we forget….

Bless them! If not for those men and women we might all be speaking German.

The Greats Generation is a understatement!:usa2:

I cant imagine their psychology. Being farm boys ,city boys etc. Their fears! Seeing things I've never seen. I pray that God Blesses them and their families. Gives them peace.

They knew the odds. For the initial assault troops landing in the first wave on Omaha Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944), casualty rates were extraordinarily high. While there is no single official survival metric, some of the most exposed units suffered casualty rates of up to 50% to 90% in the opening hour, making the life expectancy for these specific troops as short as a few minutes.

Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment, which landed in one of the first waves at the heavily fortified “Dog Green” sector, suffered a 96% casualty rate in the first 15 minutes of the assault.

The Navy Combat Demolition Units (the forerunners to today’s Navy SEALs) assigned to Omaha Beach suffered a staggering casualty rate of roughly 52% to 70%. Of the 175 Navy officers and men who landed in the area, 31 were killed, and 60 were wounded. These demolition sailors faced intense, continuous fire as they tried to blast gaps in the heavy German defenses. Despite the horrific losses, they managed to blow up several complete gaps in the obstacles, allowing vital reinforcements and equipment to land.

TRUE HEROES!