OT: WWII picts discovered

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Ok this has nothing to do with hunting or shooting but its pretty facinating. Someone bought a used book at a library and these WWII photos were stuck inside. The photos are of Cologne Germany as flown over by reconissence.

www.flickr.com/photos/...ts/112384/

The Cologne cathedral standing there amidst the rubble is amazing.

-DallanC

A17Shooter · Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: OT: WWII picts discovered

Looking out at that sky full of flak would make the old heart go pitter-patter.

A17Shooter

calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

My brother was in WWII commencing with the Normandy invasion. His group, the 29th. Div. Blue and Gray, was part of the first wave in. The members used to hold annual reunions each year. The guys wouldn't talk about it much until they were fairly tanked then they'd open up. Some guys always had scrap books and photo album. I was just a kid but fascinated by it. By the time they reached St. Lo they were so decimated it was one of the few divisions ever disbanded. It was easier to scatter the remainders among other regiments and not try to restock the entire division again. It's one of the few divisilns ever disbanded in clombat. It was amazing how many never made it out alive. My brother survived but was shot up pretty bad by scraphnel. It'll really convince you that there's nothing glorious about war. We really owe all those guys so much. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

tbox61 · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: OT: WWII picts discovered

Cal,
Can't agree with you more about owing those guys a debt of gratitude! They did not call them the Greatest Generation for nothing! I came along later in life to my mom and dad in 1961, and my dad was a veteran of WWII. He landed at Normandy late on June 6th or early June 7th. The battle toward St. Lo must have been hell.

He was injured by a mortor during the liberation of St. Lo on July 10th, and spent all but 2 weeks of the next 15 months in the hospital. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to visit with him about his experiences, as he died in 1977 when I was 15. Now, I wish I had taken some time to sit with him, but like you said, I doubt if he would have said much. Those that saw the most action were least likely to open up.

An interesting book that just came out is Bob Dole's book, One Soldier's Story. He is from my home town, and one of our local heros. Gives a good account of what being injured during that war was like.

Take care!
Tim

calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

I just finished re-reading a book by Cornelius Ryan called "The Last Battle"
about the taking of Berlin by the Russians in WWII. The Russians, under Gen Koniev and Gen. Zhukov has an army of over 3 million men. I think the Germans had about a half million defenders, but can you imagine how any must have died in something like that, one battle? I've never heard how many dies. The numbers are probably too horrific to release. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal