Omaha Beach, June 6 1944, 1st Wave - Would You Do it?

There sure are quite a few armchair commandoes ready to storm the beach. I wonder how many responders have actually seen any kind of combat.

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I have and i'm going back!!

Let me see if I understand the exercise: Knowing what I do, after seeing "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Longest Day", and reading about D-Day most of my reading life, I am given the opportunity to hop into a time-machine and arrive just in time to join the first wave at Omaha Beach.

Not on your life! Same reason why I don't bungie jump, or drive 70 in a residential area, or eat uncooked tomatoes.

Now, if I was actually living during that time I would serve wherever I was sent, just like I did in the US Army during the Cold War. The balloon never went up during that time, but if it had I was trained and ready. At the same time, at age 52 I could still defend my family and my neighborhood, should that opportunity arise. Yet, why go looking for trouble? I think that those who are just itching for the invention of that time machine might have different answers if the possibility actually existed.

In other words, it is easy to be "gung ho" at your keyboard, and much more difficult when the chips are down. The real heroes are those who are actually serving in harms way, and my hat is off to them.

TexasSkyHawk said:

We volunteered to do a job in which we were then told what to do, where to do it, and how to do it. Not much choice in the matter.

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Bingo.

That gets to the heart of my question that I posed last night in post #63: What, exactly, is the point of this hypothetical exercise?

{Added by edit: Systema also addressed a similar point above while I was writing this one.}

Given that there is no such thing as a time machine (let alone one large enough to carry the Nimitz), given that relatively few of us have ever been in combat (I have not), given that most of the people who stormed Omaha were there because they had to be, not because they volunteered for that particular battle (*), I'm not sure what the OP and others hope to accomplish with this thread.

Is this exercise intended to see which of us are really brave or patriotic? Is it intended to make us look inside of ourselves to see what's there?

In either case, it seems a mostly pointless exercise, because one cannot know what one would do in that situation unless one is actually there in the place at the time.

And if you could use your time machine to go back before the battle and ask the soldiers who survived AND those who were to die the same question, what do you think they would say? (Be careful with that one; it's ripe for over generalization and hyperbole.)

It strikes me as a bit like asking me what I'd do if I encountered a gang of thugs with Tec-9s who had me cornered, & I was ccw. What would I do? My answer: I have no idea. There are several possibilities; one is die. I may have several contingencies in mind. But unless I'm in that situation, I can't know how I will respond.

(*)The fact that most stormed Omaha beach because they were told to does not diminish their contribution even one nano-iota. From what little I know about that battle, mostly from films and reading, their bravery was ... astounding, that is, mostly beyond my meager comprehension.

OK, I've got to go earn a living, now.

Nem

Seeing that things might be just a little fairer and safer here in the Internet fantasyland, i'll take you up on that undertaking without hesitation.

I would rather be the first wave than the second or third, having to step over or on the dead bodies if my countrymen, and getting de-motivated before even getting into it..... A Million Thanks to those brave souls that fought and died for us and the bastardization that our (soon to be socialist) country has become.

I spent four years trying to enlist in the military.

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I tried to enlist too. Denied due to one eye that was not correctable to 20/20 due to severe astigmatism.

Being able to voice one's dissent is EXACTLY the reason that your uncle died, sir.

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I think that was very low among the reasons. Wars are rarely fought over such ideals. While it is true that losing the war might well have resulted in the loss of many freedoms, retaining those freedoms was not even on the list of reasons why we went to war in WWII. Sadly, the end result of the war and FDR's polices was a dramatic reduction of freedom in the US.

I think my statements have generated some hostility let me rephrase; I would not be on the beach landing team I would rather be on the paratrooper team earlier that day, I don't see how making that choice is a problem.

That was me. Sorry you took offense. It wasn't meant to be disparaging, more to illustrate my opinion that there are other ways to serve the Nation. But I guess most of the warrior class here missed that.

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Wheeler,

My sincere apologies for misintrepreting your comments. I hadn't thought about Grenada in many years. It was the last mission our team embarked upon, and losing those guys before they even made it to the beach tore us up. Still hurts.

Anytime you take up arms for your country, you risk your life. The only thing that is a variable is the degree of risk.

I will occasionally chide REMFs, but ONLY when their "opinion" is one that typifies the kind of REMF behavior that anyone who's been on the front lines knows exactly what I'm talking about.

But I will never, and have never, chided anyone who didn't carry a weapon in their hand in the service of their country. From the folks who worked in the motor pool to the meterologists to the machinists to the pilots to the admins--all of them voluntarily swore the oath and put on the uniform.

Likewise here at home, those who serve or have served in other ways such as law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, investigators, and even those who have civil service jobs, but without the typical civil service attitude--they're all good and all have my absolute gratitude and respect.

In fact, if you even VOTE you have my respect. I may not like the way you vote, but that's not what it's about. It's about caring enough to make your mark and voice heard and seen as it relates to running our nation and communities.

Jeff

Texas, we're okay.

I will occasionally chide REMFs, but ONLY when their "opinion" is one that typifies the kind of REMF behavior that anyone who's been on the front lines knows exactly what I'm talking about.

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Had to look up REMF. No real definition but I think I got it. Kind of a soldier slang for those that thoughtfully encourage you to go and do what they won't.

In the Forest Circus they are referred to as "The Overhead" when they are within earshot. More colorful names when they are not.

The man who raised me during my formative years (12-24) spent D-day in a P-47 Thunderbolt looking for Luftwaffe and other targets of opportunity. His Brother was busy with the Seabees either on Attu or Iwo Jima or someplace in between.

My Father served in Japan after the war and during the Korean war (well the war part, not the last fifty year part) so I guess he was a REMF. So I grew up hearing stories from both sides (or would that be both ends?).

What (I think) some here are saying is "World War II" was a real war started by others (if you exclude the treaty of Versailles) that we got pulled (most unwillingly) into. But the war was both quantifiable and qualifiable. Some of the more recent "wars" have been a little less so. (depending on your world view of course).

Edit to add;

It's about caring enough to make your mark and voice heard and seen as it relates to running our nation and communities.

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Amen Brother.

With all due respect this topic is ridiculous, standard internet commando response " DUDE!!! I'd be kickin' butt the first wave!"

Given a time machine I'd like to see the Declaration of Independence signed, maybe put a bug in Jefferson's ear about writting the 2A so it was CRYSTAL clear.

I got a question how many of the " THR Warrior Class" would ride into the Alamo W/ Crockett? Little BigHorn anyone? 2nd Bull Run? How about Apollo 13?

I remember my grandfather telling me the most vivid memory (the one that was still stongest 50 years later ) he had of being on Omaha beach was the smell of death

Who here would take part in the Dieppe Raid? (Knowing what we know now.) Or the Bay of Pigs raid? Or how about the bombing runs over Dresden?

-Sans Authoritas

My father was a radio operator -Army Air Force and ended up ground based in the Carribean and south America. One Uncle wound up a Navy Corpman giving shots to guys in a VD ward for two years. Another Uncle was a Navy Radio operator in a PBY up and down the east coast-mostly anti sub patrol.Another Uncle got lung shot in North Africa,he lived but had bad health due to his injury. I guess it was pretty much a crap shoot . Don't think many guys got a choice in the matter.
I would like to think I would have done my part in the day but I won't ever know.

treo said:

I got a question how many of the " THR Warrior Class" would ride into the Alamo W/ Crockett? Little BigHorn anyone? 2nd Bull Run? How about Apollo 13?

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Sigh.

Another unmarried marriage counselor type for my Ignore list . . .

Jeff

My Apologies th You all

My sincere apologies to all for my over-reaction to a post last night. I violated THR rules and my own as well.....I will practice more self control in the future and try to maintain "The High Road" in the future........

jedwi, I'm not sure what it is that you're apologizing for. Your answer seemed honest and completely devoid of bravado and posturing.

the first wave lost somethin like 75% and as for the british over on gold and sword the lost somethin like 4000 men if i remember correctly! sorry i follow alot of ww2 history! my grandfather was in the navy at the time and actually drove in one of the troop transports! not sure which wave as i cant ask him at this point.

Yes, without doubt and without hessitation. I would have done it becuase I know that if I didn't, then someone else would have to and that if I didn't, then who'd do it for the guy next to me.
I'm 37 and served during Just cuase, Desert storm, and alot of the little things that went on in between. I stood nex to the guy that stood next to me and we did it to make sure that every thing we did was to make sure we both got back home when it was over.
You know you're about to get shot at, you know you're about to shot at someone. That's what happens when you wear the uniform of your country, that's just what's expected.

When I was seventeen I enlisted in the Marine Corps, 53 years ago.

Now that my life is about over it would be a privilege to finish it in the company of those men.

I know I would step off the ramp in the first wave.

How I would perform, only God knows. I hope I would do my best and that it could have somehow been as good as all those fine young men did.

I got a question how many of the " THR Warrior Class" would ride into the Alamo W/ Crockett?

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Crockett, and many others there were Freemasons. I'll stand beside a brother mason any time I believe he's in the right.

and FYI--If I get my way, I'll be enlisting in the Marine Corps later this year or early next year. Just need to make the wife understand.

Look guys I'm sorry if I'm offending you all but ( and this is strictly my opinion) taken at face value, would I travel 64 years back in time to risk my life in a battle in which my particicaption is likely to affect no one but me? the question is preposturous, sorry but it is ( remember this is my OPINION and I'm entitled to it) to deliberately endanger my life to no good end isn't brave its foolish bravado.

That said I AM a combat vet ( sorry to those who wanted it otherwise) went to Desert Storm as a Cannon Cocker. So I assume that had I been of sufficient age in 1941 I would have joined the Army. Had I survived until June of 1944 AND been assigned to the landings I'd had no choice & I'd of gone. All things being equal though I'd have probably been artillery & wouldn't have been in the first wave.

And for those REALLY enquiring minds I have a bone deep phobia of water I can't see through so I probably wouldn't have made it off the boat unless pushed & had the water been more than 5 feet deep I'd have drowned before I ever made the beach

Hell no.

If I had lived back then, sure. They were fighting for a cause.

If you think that charging into organized defended positions is romantic, it isn't. You have probably never seen combat, never seen people you know die or get horribly injured. You don't want to be on the receiving end of a bullet, or shrapnnel.

It's not romantic at all. It's not a videogame where there's a reset button.