Overlord. The scale of the invasion still amazes me. I think the days when you can risk that many men and so much material in a confined area are over.

Shaun

What I found interesting was all the innovations that went into Overlord.

The Allies knew they needed to bring their own port since they would not be capturing one. The Mulberries were a great idea and threw the Germans off guard as they expected the invasion be to closer to a port city.

The Funnies. All the different tank attachments to clear mines, cross obstacles, etc.

The oil lines that they laid across the channel as soon as it was safe to start pumping oil rather than shipping it.

It takes some smart people to plan out such a huge task.

62 years we can never for get this day

On this day 62 years ago my father drove his LCVP loaded with elements of the 1st Infantry Division onto the shingle "feet dry" at Fox White Sector, Omaha Beach, second wave.

Miss you dad.

Barry

Apart from the action that occured in the frontlines of Overlord, another thing that amazes me is the scale of the logistics that took place in order to keep the supply line going and feeding the troops with ample ammo and food.

Also as Alan mentioned, i think the British were geniuses for introducing the funnies. They certainly made short work of the minefields on the other beaches.

I too will never forget this day.

It most certainly was a first in many ways...
I think the extended cover plans were both essential, and no mean feat to the success of the whole operation.

Howdy all....

I had the extreme personal previledge of speaking one-on-one with a medic who landed today 62 years ago on the stoney beaches of France. Attending a special seminar at a local college {Regis University} I was able to squirrel away one of the speaking veterans of this particular engagement........................

I will eternally be in AWE of what these gentlemen accomplished that day so far away from all they knew, and all they were brought up to cherish here at home......



Tread.

The Allies really had no real long range plan, past just getting ashore & staying there. When they got hung up, then the plans to bring ashore supply & maintenance units to build up stocks fell apart. Combat units replaced logistics units and the logistics units that did come ashore did not have the space to build up the supplies for the long haul (no pun intended).

Thus when the breakout occurred, there was an insufficient logistics structure ashore to support it and the drive to Germany faltered.

The invasion is a classic case study in the tradeoffs of combat and logistics power. To an Army logisitician as myself, it is a fascinating area of study ...

John

Howdy jRatz,

I admire you greatly, not only for you abilities here on this site, but for your unique position as a paid historian Bully for you mate!

But on the historical side of things, I will simply share this comment passed on to me by the D-Day Beach medic of whom I speak.....
" The unique thing about what happened that day was; that no matter what assignment you had before you left, the assignment you needed to fill was what lay before you! "

Not only am I proud opf the men that day, 62 years ago, but, given the 'poopy' {avoiding the auto-censor's} circumstance's in Iraq, I am equally proud of our men in the field TODAY!......They have an ineviable assignment that even my personal hero's of Dubya Dubya II might possibly 'shine' on........

Tread.

I know one of the most amazing moments of my life was visiting the National D-Day museum (pre- Katrina) and listening to one of the coxswains of a Higgins boat recount that day. How he paused to wipe away a tear or to avoid being choked up telling his tale left no dry eyes to those within earshot. You could tell it was painful for him but he WANTED us to KNOW what all those brave men went through. The highest thanks that we could give them is not to forget as this important date/era grows more distant with time.

In honor of the day I broke out my copy of SPR and watched the landing scene. The word awe does not do justice to my feelings toward these men. They truely are the "greatest generation."