An adage that may have to be relived is: “Those Who Forget History Are Doomed To Repeat It.” That being said, last evening, May 30th, Andy Rooney concluded his segment on 60 minutes with reminisces of his time as a war correspondent during World War II, and he shared his idea that there might one day be – by some political agreement or religious miracle – a cessation of war. Memorial Day reminds us of the many thousands of military personnel who have been killed in all previous wars, or have since died as veterans of those wars. It includes a grim reminder that every day in 2010 more than 1100 World War II veterans will die, and overall – when including Korea and Viet Nam Veterans – the total swells to more than 1800 each day.
June 6th, 1944 – is called D-Day. A reasonable answer of why it was called D-Day, although not official is: “The invasion was planned in advance without a date being assigned. This was done for security reasons and to keep the element of surprise so that the enemy response would be minimal. For purposes of planning, you assumed the operation would start at D-Day and H-hour, with the day and time to be determined later. Then you can plan for how things will proceed, starting from Day 1 - 0 hour and start counting as in D+1 day, D+2 day,” The invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord in World War II. The invasion was the largest amphibious operation in history. The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments, early morning amphibious landings on five beaches codenamed Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed.
The total troops, vehicles and supplies landed over the period of the invasion were:
By the end of 11 June (D + 5), 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies.
By June 30 (D+24) over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies.
By July 4 one million men had been landed.
The Invasion Fleet was drawn from eight different navies, comprising 6,939 vessels: 1,213 warships, 4,126 transport vessels (landing ships and landing craft), and 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. The Normandy landings were the first successful opposed landings across the English Channel in over eight centuries. They were costly in terms of men, but the defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the largest of the war. Strategically, the campaign led to the loss of the German position in most of France and the secure establishment of a new major front. In larger context the Normandy landings helped the Soviets on the Eastern front, who were facing the bulk of the German forces and, to a certain extent, contributed to the shortening of the conflict there. The official death and casualty figures on D-Day are as follows. The Americans: 1,465 dead, 3,184 wounded, 1,928 missing and 26 POW for the landing troops. For the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions the general estimation was 2,499 Killed In Action (KIA), Missing In Action (MIA) & wounded. The Canadians: 335 KIA, 611 wounded The British (estimated): 3,000 KIA and wounded. The 6th Airborne division had 650 KIA, MIA and wounded.
Back to the Andy Rooney idea and/or hope regarding war, the words of Jesus Christ give one a clear sense of human shortsightedness, stubbornness and folly that often occasion war. In Matthew 24:6-14, Jesus states succinctly to His followers: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places…you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The Gospel of the Kingdom is the message of hope and security. It alone gives one peace in the midst of conflict and calamity. Psalm 46:1 states: “God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in the day of trouble!” Turn to Him now! Consider these things with me!
June 6th, 1944 – is called D-Day. A reasonable answer of why it was called D-Day, although not official is: “The invasion was planned in advance without a date being assigned. This was done for security reasons and to keep the element of surprise so that the enemy response would be minimal. For purposes of planning, you assumed the operation would start at D-Day and H-hour, with the day and time to be determined later. Then you can plan for how things will proceed, starting from Day 1 - 0 hour and start counting as in D+1 day, D+2 day,” The invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord in World War II. The invasion was the largest amphibious operation in history. The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments, early morning amphibious landings on five beaches codenamed Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed.
The total troops, vehicles and supplies landed over the period of the invasion were:
By the end of 11 June (D + 5), 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies.
By June 30 (D+24) over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies.
By July 4 one million men had been landed.
The Invasion Fleet was drawn from eight different navies, comprising 6,939 vessels: 1,213 warships, 4,126 transport vessels (landing ships and landing craft), and 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. The Normandy landings were the first successful opposed landings across the English Channel in over eight centuries. They were costly in terms of men, but the defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the largest of the war. Strategically, the campaign led to the loss of the German position in most of France and the secure establishment of a new major front. In larger context the Normandy landings helped the Soviets on the Eastern front, who were facing the bulk of the German forces and, to a certain extent, contributed to the shortening of the conflict there. The official death and casualty figures on D-Day are as follows. The Americans: 1,465 dead, 3,184 wounded, 1,928 missing and 26 POW for the landing troops. For the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions the general estimation was 2,499 Killed In Action (KIA), Missing In Action (MIA) & wounded. The Canadians: 335 KIA, 611 wounded The British (estimated): 3,000 KIA and wounded. The 6th Airborne division had 650 KIA, MIA and wounded.
Back to the Andy Rooney idea and/or hope regarding war, the words of Jesus Christ give one a clear sense of human shortsightedness, stubbornness and folly that often occasion war. In Matthew 24:6-14, Jesus states succinctly to His followers: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places…you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The Gospel of the Kingdom is the message of hope and security. It alone gives one peace in the midst of conflict and calamity. Psalm 46:1 states: “God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in the day of trouble!” Turn to Him now! Consider these things with me!
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