It's D-Day. Who Remembers a Hero?

James Flanagan jumped into Normandy with the 101st, and went on to fight in Bastogne. He was a personal friend of mine, and he passed away a few years ago.​

In his signature gruff voice, he often derogatorily referred to me as "college boy" and poke me in the ribs with his fingers. It felt like being stabbed with rebar. I pity the Nazis who faced him.

When we in in bars during the Reno Air Races over 20 years, my buddies and I would watch in awe as this old man worked his magic with the ladies. He was amazing.

He's they guy holding the flag here in Ravenoville, France.

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Great story here:
http://www.historynet.com/world-war...rborne-trooper-james-flanagan-about-d-day.htm​

Who else knows someone who was there?​

Hats off to Jimmy and all our heroes in Normandy. ​

 

Good thread Dick

 

Yeah, it's been pretty busy in here...

 

I personally met South Caroilina Senator Strom Thurmond twice in person (in D.C.). He was part of the D day invasion. My great uncle was in the pacific campaign and was island hopping fighting the Japenese. I was lucky to have known them both.

 

OK Im a day late. Scott my dad was Sarg. when the war started, he went in the Army in 1932. He hit the beach in Normandy with 24 men. After chasing the nazis all the way back to the mother land. They got orders to stand down in Austria just S. of Munich. After 3 years they were thinking they might get to go home. Then they were sent to N. Africa. The boys ran the nazis all the way to Tripoli took a bunch as POW. When they got the orders they were going home there were 4 of the 24 that he landed with. He never said much about the war but I do know he did not think much of the men of Europe Something to do with the color yellow. He went to Korea as a warrant officer for 2 years. He got out in 1959 as a Capt.. He was what I call old School hard ass. He passed away from lung cancer in 1985 and not a day goes by I do not think of Him. He did something that I think is rare anymore, He had a life that stood up for something bigger then he was. Thanks to all the old ones here and gone you were something in your time,,,,,,,,,,,,, Jim

 

My grandfather, T/Sgt Jack Marshall was a top turret gunner on a B-17 in the European Theater of Operations. He flew 25 missions over occupied Europe into Germany in preparation for Operation Overlord. He is credited with two aerial victories against Fockewulfe 190 fighters while conducting combat operations. When the war ended in Europe, he returned to Northern California and became a teacher and eventually principal of a school in the farming town of Corning. My Grampy passed away in 1991 due to severe skin cancer that invaded his whole body. Even on his death bed, he was one of the strongest most brave men I've ever met.

R.I.P. T/Sgt Jack Marshall, you are with us always.

 

Dudes a badass. Thanks for your service, Jimmy.

 

not a d-day vet, and sorry im late, but the above quote instantly reminded me of my purple heart, korean war vet great uncle. he's in his 80's and still strong as an ox. his hugs and handshakes have brought me to tears of pain before haha.

thanks to all the vets that have done so much for this awesome country, hat's off to you.

 

Nice posts, guys, keep them coming. I know a lot of them aren't around anymore, and many simply don't want to, or never did, talk much about it, because it can be too painful to recall and bring all the old emotions up again.

But they are still among us from this and many other campaigns. Every time I see an old guy in public, I always think, I have no idea what this man may have been through in his life. It makes me pause and reminds me to be patient and respect my elders. Hell, he might turn around and kick my ass.

God, Jimmy used to love crushing hands. I learned to stop shaking his hand after a while. It was a trap. He worked aircraft sheetmetal for decades, and his hands were like vises.

 

the greatest generation

 

Bump/repost in prep for tomorrow.

James Flanagan. Jumped with the 101st. Personal friend of mine, may he rest in peace.

Great story http://www.historynet.com/world-war...rborne-trooper-james-flanagan-about-d-day.htm

 

I had a great-uncle; he wasn't part of the D-Day invasion but he came later and was captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. He was a POW until the war ended.

 

Jeez look at the mitts on that guy. I'm glad he was on our side.

 

My uncle was a Seabee and deployed to the South Pacific theater. He never spoke much of it. He passed on years ago but I'll never forget the look in his eyes when asked about the war. I have some pictures of him I will share as soon as I get home. I can't imagine 18 year old kids of this day and age storming the beaches. We'd be doomed.
My hat's off to the American, British and Canadian men that stormed the beaches of Juno, Gold, Sword, Utah and Omaha. We'll always be indebted to you.

My Mom took the image below on her trip to Normandy in 2008. Hopefully I'll get to visit one day.

 

Jimmy was in the Battle of the Bulge, too. Trapped in Bastogne. I can't even imagine. Any chance you ever met your great uncle or know some of his stories?

Dude, he was well suited for a career of beating the shit out of Nazis and decades as an Aircraft sheetmetal worker. Refer to my older post:

Yeah, it seems a lot of guys did not/do not want to talk about it. Who can blame them. It makes it all the more important to keep any stories we do have alive, so following generations can understand what true horror and true heroism is. And when war is no just political bullshit, but truly a social and just cause for preserving humanity.

Looking forward to your pictures. I wish I had some electronic images of my wife's grandfather. He was a surgeon at Anzio. He was not known as a happy man. That's about all I know, and probably all I need to say about that.

I can't imagine either. Might get their iPhones messy when trying to post picture of their guts spilling out onto the sand on Facebook. Saw this yesterday.


I really wished I could have made the 70th anniversary. I hope to make a future one with my son. Planning a trip to the UK when he is 5, which will be 2020. Another factor in all this is that my parents are both English, and were kids during the war. Many stories there, but this invasion marked the end of nightly bombings by the Nazis and knowing they are 20 miles across the water waiting to invade and kill you. In a way, if it weren't for this invasion, who knows if I'd even be alive? Who's to say.

 

The Nazis would no doubt perform experiments on them to find out how they got so retarded.

 

I like to think that I'm old school in many ways, but I'm no match for a MAN like that.

 

Yes, indeed. He made a lot of men around him feel pretty much like loosely assembled labia.