Celebrating the 60th anniversary of D-Day (from 2004) this month, we wanted to honor the men and women that risked their lives on a day that will live within the annuals of history forever. For those of us that were not there, we will never be able to imagine or understand the visual, physical and emotional horrors endured by so many brave individuals.
Reunions
From Bill Chatel
What is the correct side for the American Flag patch to be worn on a military uniform?
By: Dr. Zoe L. Simmons
To my amazement, living in a military town, every soldier I asked, had a different answer to this question.
Milton Long on his 1940 Indian Chief
By Milton Long
Wooster, Ohio was no different than any other small city in 1941. People were getting over the depression and were able to buy cars and motorcycles.
Coming from a motorcycle family, it wasn’t unusual that I purchased my first motorcycle in 1937 at the age of 14. It was a 1935 sidecar job that I paid $125.00 for. It was a big improvement over the motor scooter I had owned before.
By Howard A. Ellis
Really, this isn’t a story so much as a brief meeting I experienced today between myself and an Army veteran of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944.
I was in the armed forces from 1942 until retiring in 1965, and was a 19-year-old USAAF staff sergeant assigned to the 877th Signal Service Co., 16th Air Depot Group when D-Day erupted.
Dr. Zoe Simmons
I haven’t ever been the type to stop at a yard sale, but this particular sale caught my attention as I drove by. There on on a rack were uniforms of a deceased WW II soldier. As I walked through and glanced at the items, pictures were being sold, letters, the uniforms and even the man’s medals were gone in minutes. I paused in disgust and I assumed with the expression on my face was the reason the young lady come over to me.
The Staff of US Legacies would like to wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nations Civil War dead by decorating their graves. Many cities and states lay claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. The true origin of Memorial Day is unknown.
War vs Chess
Fighting a war is like playing a chess game. The perfect chess game has never been played and the perfect war has never been fought.
In Iraq, Sadam has advisors whispering in his ear, pointing out any suspected weakness they see in the coalition game plan.
In England, Blair has advisors whispering in his ear, pointing out any suspected weakness they see in the coalition game plan.
Andy Rooney and Gen Patton
From Jim Franklin
In the Feb issue there was a letter from Tom stating that Andy Rooney made a remark that astonished me, that Gen Patton was not a good General, and did not do that much in the victory of Germany, and got a lot of credit for things he didn’t do, but gave most of the credit to Omar Bradley who I think is a great General. Andy Rooney didn’t think Patton was or did what they all said he did.
It happened in April
Lee Surrendered
April 9, 1865
"It would be useless and therefore cruel, to provoke the further effusion of blood," said Confederate General Robert E. Lee, "and I have arranged to meet with General Grant with a view to surrender." After four years of fighting the Civil War, Lee knew it was time to put an end to the fighting. Do you know where General Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to the Union Army?