{"id":2308,"date":"2009-06-06T20:02:57","date_gmt":"2009-06-07T00:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/?p=2308"},"modified":"2011-04-12T23:21:22","modified_gmt":"2011-04-13T03:21:22","slug":"day-of-days-june-6-1944","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/06\/06\/day-of-days-june-6-1944\/","title":{"rendered":"Day of Days: June 6, 1944"},"content":{"rendered":"

65 years ago today 160,000 American, British, Canadian and Free French troops landed on the beaches of Normandy<\/a>, France. It was the single largest amphibious assault ever undertaken. It was a Day of Days:<\/p>\n

General Eisenhower’s letter to the troops sums up the importance of the Normandy invasion better than I can:<\/p>\n

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!<\/p>\n

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.<\/p>\n

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.<\/p>\n

But this is the year I944 ! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of I940-4I. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned ! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!<\/p>\n

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!<\/p>\n

Good Luck ! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.<\/p>\n

Signed\u2026.Dwight D. Eisenhower<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On related note while the focus is understandably on the D-Day commemorations lets also take a moment to remember the Battle of Midway<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Battle of Midway was fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway between June 4-7, 1942. It is considered the decisive battle of the war in the Pacific. Before Midway the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout Asia and the Pacific. After the battle they’re were on defensive.<\/p>\n

The Japanese planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base for an invasion of the Hawaiian islands in 1943, they also planned to use the Midway attack to draw the U.S. Pacific Fleet into decisive battle that would have crippled American naval power in the Pacific.<\/p>\n

Because of successes in intercepting and breaking Japanese radio codes, the U.S. Pacific Fleet was able surprise the Japanese forces and sink the four Japanese carriers that had attacked Pearl Harbor only six months earlier., The U.S. Pacific Fleet lost one aircraft carrier during the battle.<\/p>\n

Winston Churchill said of the Battle of Midway, “this memorable American victory was of cardinal importance, not only to the United States but to the whole Allied cause… At one stroke, the dominant position of Japan in the Pacific was reversed.”<\/p>\n

It’s very likely that without the American victory at Midway the war would have taken far different course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

65 years ago today 160,000 American, British, Canadian and Free French troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. It was the single largest amphibious assault ever undertaken. It was a Day of Days: General Eisenhower’s letter to the troops sums up the importance of the Normandy invasion better than I can: Soldiers, Sailors and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[252],"tags":[713,712,1375],"class_list":["post-2308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-lest-we-forget","tag-battle-of-midway","tag-d-day","tag-lest-we-forget","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfpI7-Be","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2520,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/07\/16\/lest-we-forget-darrell-c-shifty-powers\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":0},"title":"Lest We Forget: Darrell C. “Shifty” Powers","author":"Jeff","date":"July 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Staff Sergent Darrel C. \"Shifty\" Powers passed away at his home in Virginia on June 17, 2009. Staff Sergent Powers was a veteran of World War Two having served with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He received two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lest We Forget"","block_context":{"text":"Lest We Forget","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/lest-we-forget\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ShiftyPowers","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/ShiftyPowers.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":967,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2008\/11\/11\/lest-we-forget-happy-veterans-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":1},"title":"Lest We Forget: Happy Veterans Day","author":"Jeff","date":"November 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday we celebrated the 233rd Birthday of the Marine Corps, today we pause to remember all those who have served this nation in peace and war. Thank You and God Bless You.","rel":"","context":"In "Lest We Forget"","block_context":{"text":"Lest We Forget","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/lest-we-forget\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/marine-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3350,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2010\/05\/30\/lest-we-forget-memorial-day-2010\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":2},"title":"Lest We Forget – Memorial Day 2010","author":"Jeff","date":"May 30, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the my second Memorial Day without my father, he passed away last year just a few days shy of 87th birthday. He was a veteran of the Second World War, having served in Europe with 709th Military Police Battalion and the 351st\u00a0Engineer Regiment. Much like last year my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lest We Forget"","block_context":{"text":"Lest We Forget","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/lest-we-forget\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/memorial_day-300x199.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4440,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/27\/lest-we-forget-memorial-day-2012\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":3},"title":"Lest We Forget: Memorial Day 2012","author":"Jeff","date":"May 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day.\u00a0 I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lest We Forget"","block_context":{"text":"Lest We Forget","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/lest-we-forget\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/flag-and-medal-214x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":99,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2008\/05\/23\/lest-we-forget-memorial-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":4},"title":"Lest We Forget… Memorial Day","author":"Jeff","date":"May 23, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"To every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine... Thank you and may God bless you and keep you safe.","rel":"","context":"In "Life"","block_context":{"text":"Life","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/life\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/flag-and-medal-214x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1073,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/07\/lest-we-forget-67-years-ago-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":2308,"position":5},"title":"Lest We Forget: 67 Years Ago Today","author":"Jeff","date":"December 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"It was a peaceful Sunday morning 67 years ago today that the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Empire of Japan. The attack killed approximately 3,000 military personal and civilians and wounded approximately 1,300. Something you may not know the first shot in anger that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lest We Forget"","block_context":{"text":"Lest We Forget","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/lest-we-forget\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}