WORLD WAR II UNITS, INFORMATION
If you were in World War II or know someone that was, the link below has Unit stories of some of the many Hospital and Medical Units that were overseas during that time. Just click the link and scroll through the Units listed. My Dad was in the 108 Evac Hospital Unit. I was able to read about his Units exploits and found his name on their roster. This link and historical information has been provided by:
"Unit History" or "Testimony" are Courtesy of US World War Two Medical Research Centre (MRC)
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Operation PLUTO explained - Another little known WWII operation ......WWII Fuel
You may already know of this, but I sure didn't. In spite of watching film about WWII and the European theater, I had never known the logistics of how all the military vehicles were supplied with fuel. They sure couldn't just stop at the corner station and fill up their tanks or jeep gas tanks. I found this film fascinating.
And so weird to hear amazing details about D-Day so long after the event. What a fantastically complex engineering and operational feat it was, and how remarkable the skill and effort exhibited by the young men of the early 40's who planned and made the landing successful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N1UHU3z44U
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WWII Memorial website:
Are you a WWII Veteran, or have a family member, spouse, or friend, who was? You have an opportunity to honor that person at the WWII Memorial website and registry. Click on the link below for information.
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WWII From Space - Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Here is an informative website the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum has to document what was done from airspace during WWII. Well worth a look, the site shows many artifacts and equipment that contributed to our operations in the war.
https://airandspace.si.edu/topics/world-war-ii
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D-Day, June 6, 1944
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops.
https://www.army.mil/d-day/index.html
'It was tough' : WWII Veterans return to Utah Beach to commemorate D-Day
SYLVIE CORBET AND JEFFREY SCHAEFFER
Updated
ON UTAH BEACH, France (AP) — Looking at the vastness of Utah Beach, its sand blowing in strong wind and bright sunshine, made Robert Gibson's memory of D-Day even more vivid. “It was tough,” the 99-year-old veteran said of the moment when he landed there on June 6, 1944 alongside more than 150,000 other Allied troops.
Gibson was among dozens of World War II veterans, mostly Americans and British, who traveled to Normandy this week to mark the 79th anniversary of D-Day, commemorating the decisive assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control. He remembered “lots of casualties. We had almost run over bodies to get in the beach. Never forget we were only 18, 19 years old. ... I’m glad I made it.”
Gibson landed on Utah Beach on D-Day in the second wave, after the assault troops. He survived to continue fighting in Normandy and eventually into Germany. The first job of his battalion, he said, was "to guard an ammunition dump and the first night it got struck. You didn’t know where you were to go. Bullets were going all over the place. But we ducked it.”
Andrew Negra also landed on Utah Beach. That was on July 18, 1944. He returned for the first time this year and was “amazed” by the warm welcome from local French people. “Every place we went, people are cheering, clapping, and they’ve been doing this for I don’t know how many years,” he said. At age 99, Negra is the only member of his battalion who is still alive. Braving the wind to walk on the beach for a few minutes, he said, “So many we lost. And here I am.” Negra participated in combat operations until his division reached eastern Germany in April 1945.
On Sunday, more than 40 American veterans of World War II formed a parade, using wheelchairs, along the streets of the small town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, where thousands of paratroopers jumped not long after midnight on June 6, 1944. Cheerful crowds applauded, calling out “Merci" and “Thank you.” Children waved, and many families asked for a photo with the men.
Donnie Edwards, president of the Best Defense Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps World War II veterans visit former battlefields, said, “For us, every year is a big one.” Given the ages of the soldiers who fought nearly eight decades ago, Edwards observed, “Nothing is guaranteed. So we want to make sure that we do everything we can to get them an incredible and enjoyable experience.”
The veterans then headed to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont for a brief ceremony at a monument honoring the U.S. Navy that overlooks Utah Beach. “The fallen will never be forgotten. The veteran will ever be honored,” an inscription in the stone reads. Some of the almost-centenarians asked volunteers to accompany them on the wide stretch of sand.
Matthew Yacovino, 98, became emotional as he remembered what happened there to his older brother, who almost died after his jeep blew up during the landings. “The driver got killed and my brother fell on the beach unconscious," Yacovino said with tears in the eyes. His brother eventually recovered. Yacovino himself served as a combat air crewman during the war.
Like others who come to Normandy for historical reenactments of what transpired there, Valérie and Lionel Draucourt, visitors from the Paris region, dressed in khaki uniforms. They wanted to pay their respects to the veterans. “Frankly, I don’t think we can quite fathom what they lived through. We can’t understand it, it’s so big, it’s crazy,” Lionel Draucourt said.
Veterans were due to take part in official ceremonies of the 79th anniversary on Tuesday, including at the Normandy American Cemetery. On D-Day, Allied troops landed on the beaches code-named Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold, carried by 7,000 boats. On that single day, 4,414 Allied soldiers lost their lives, 2,501 of them Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. On the German side, several thousand were killed or wounded.
U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, stressed that the significance of the commemorations “for memorializing the efforts that they did and what they did. They were fighting to make sure that fascism and Nazism didn’t stay in control of Europe. Ultimately, we all know that they were successful,” Milley said.
- Nicolas Garriga contributed to this story. Originally published
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Additonal History Channel site:
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
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USS Arizona Memorial:
The United States Government provides a Memorial on the U.S.S. Arizona for members of the Crew that survived the Pearl Harbor attack and have now passed away. Click on the link below to view a You Tube video.
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US Naval Institute Author Jerome O'Connor Post Presentation, September 26, 2023
Jerome M. O'Conner, author of "The Hidden Places of World War II" (picture below) spoke at the Post in a 45 minute Powerpoint program about the vast and never destroyed Nazi U-boat bunker bases in France. Revealing the existence of the abandoned but intact bases resulted in Mr. O'Connor being named the 2001 US Naval Institute "Author of the Year." Jerry wrote the book at a rather advanced age, and it has been selling constantly on Amazon for 51 months at a 100% professional approval rating and 96% Amazon reader recommendation.
A discussion of how U-boats almost won the war before United States entered it was read with excerpts from the book associated with the U-boat threat. Jerry also brought a few books for sale for anyone wishing a copy. The book is also available via Amazon. He also brought four posters of the era, shown below.
-- Eric Pulia, Post Commander; book cover and posters provided by Jerome O'Connor.