D-Day continues to be noted by the various media outlets, but as the years pass it becomes more of a cursory mention. All too soon the few remaining veterans of that day will be gone, leaving us with dry words on a page and grainy black-and-white images.
My father was a combat engineer attached to an infantry division. He went ashore that day on Omaha Beach to help clear mines and obstacles. This was done under fire and amidst a chaos and fury that most of us, thankfully, will never experience.
"Obstacles of three sorts were existent on Omaha Beach. These consisted of gate-like structures (approximately 10 feet high and strapped with mines) placed about 250 yards from the high-water line. Next, about 200 yards from shore, heavy logs were driven into the beach floor at an angle with mines strapped to the ends and along the logs. These were followed by the 5 ½ tall metal hedgehogs that were buried in the sand."After D-Day Dad slogged across Europe until he was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He talks freely about all his WWII experiences, with the exception of D-Day. He just quitely says he was part of the landing force and then changes the subject.
War is hell...
1 comment:
God bless your dad. That must be one helluva memory.
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