Post; D-Day, the Longest day

tomtom22 · June 11th, 2008

June 6th

1940: In the West, 7. Panzerdivision (Rommel). advancing W of Amiens, penetratees 20 miles into French territory. U-46 (Kptlt. Sohler) sinks the British armed merchant cruiser Carinthia off the west coast of Ireland.
1941: Hittler issues a directive for the implementation of the Kommissarbefehl (Commissar Order) which calls for the summary execution of all Soviet political commissars attached to the Red Army; this order is tacitly disobeyed by most German army and corps commanders who deem it contrary to German military custom and tradition.
1944: D-DAY. - In the early morning hours, the Allied Expeditionary Force of American, British, Canadian, Polish, and Free French troops begins Operation Overlord, the long-awaited invasion of 'Fortress Europe', as the Germans call it. After an intensive naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of 5 divisions (156,115 men) are landed at designated beaches in Normandy named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, preceded by some 12,000 paratroopers of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions behind the German lines on the Cotentin peninsula and the British 6th Airborne Division near Caen. These forces are supported by 1,213 warships, including 7 battleships and 23 cruisers, 1,600 auliary ships, and 4,126 landing craft, as well as several Allied air forces flying 14,674 sorties. Opposing them in their bunkers on the beaches are 5 lowgrade German infantry divisions with about 50,000 men and 100 tanks and assault guns. Despite some heavy casualties, especially at Omaha Beach, the German defenders, stunned and surprised by the massive onslaught, are progressively overwhelmed, and most of the Allied objectives are reached and secured by nightfall. There is little opposition from the Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine.
source: http://www.feldgrau.com/june.html

1942: Battle of Midway ends - The battle of Midway was the first decisive defeat inflicted on Japan by America in the Second World War. The battle shifted the balance of sea power in the Pacific towards the Allies and forced Japan to abandon plans for advances on New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa and delayed their offensive in New Guinea.
1969: Battle of Binh Ba, South Vietnam - Binh Ba, located five kilometres north of the Australian base at Nui Dat was the site of a battle between a combined force of Viet Cong guerillas and North Vietnamese Army troops after they occupied the village. They were driven off after more than a day's fighting. This was the last large-scale clash in Phouc Tuy.
source: http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/thismonth/index.asp

1513: Battle of Novara. Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis de la Tremoille, forcing the French to abandon Milan. Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.
1813: Battle of Stoney Creek - A British force of 700 under John Vincent defeat an American force three times its size under William Winder and John Chandler.
1862: Battle of Memphis - Union forces capture Memphis, Tennessee, from the Confederates.
1918 - Battle of Belleau Wood begins .
1982 - 1982 Lebanon War begins: Forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon in their "Operation Peace for the Galilee," eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June 6

1944: Normandy France - D-DAY: Operation Overlord's 60-mile front opens a new campaign in western Europe as about 14,000 Canadian soldiers join in the landing on Juno beach between Courseulles and St-Aubin-sur-Mer. RCN minesweepers help clear the lanes in, and RCAF bombers and fighters help soften up the German defenses. The main task of the Canadian Army is to push through the gap between Bayeux and Caen. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion red berets were part of the advance landing during the night, capturing a bridge near Caen with the British. At about 7:40 am, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd and 3rd Armoured, under Major-General R. F. L. Keller, start landing in rough seas. The 8th Brigade capture Bernières-sur-Mer [in the picture] by 9:30 am but mines and German anti-tank guns hold up the advance inland, creating a traffic jam in the village streets; they take Bény by evening. The 7th Brigade captures Courseulles, Ste-Croix and Banville, with heavy losses. The 9th Brigade make it through Bény to Villons-les-Buissons, less than four miles from Caen, and nearly at their goal - Carpiquet airport. Canadian casualties that day are less than expected - 715 wounded, 359 dead.
source: http://www1.sympatico.ca/cgi-bin/on_...mth=Jun&day=06

1972: South Vietnamese forces drive out all but a few of the communist troops remaining in Kontum. Over 200 North Vietnamese had been killed in six battles in and around the city. The city had come under attack in April when the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive, a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the blow that would win them the war. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. In addition to Kontum, the other main North Vietnamese objectives were Quang Tri in the north and An Loc farther to the south.
source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?

June 11th, 2008
tomtom22 Chief Engineer Gear	Post; D-Day, the Longest day June 6th 1940: In the West, 7. Panzerdivision (Rommel). advancing W of Amiens, penetratees 20 miles into French territory. U-46 (Kptlt. Sohler) sinks the British armed merchant cruiser Carinthia off the west coast of Ireland. 1941: Hittler issues a directive for the implementation of the Kommissarbefehl (Commissar Order) which calls for the summary execution of all Soviet political commissars attached to the Red Army; this order is tacitly disobeyed by most German army and corps commanders who deem it contrary to German military custom and tradition. 1944: D-DAY. - In the early morning hours, the Allied Expeditionary Force of American, British, Canadian, Polish, and Free French troops begins Operation Overlord, the long-awaited invasion of 'Fortress Europe', as the Germans call it. After an intensive naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of 5 divisions (156,115 men) are landed at designated beaches in Normandy named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, preceded by some 12,000 paratroopers of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions behind the German lines on the Cotentin peninsula and the British 6th Airborne Division near Caen. These forces are supported by 1,213 warships, including 7 battleships and 23 cruisers, 1,600 auliary ships, and 4,126 landing craft, as well as several Allied air forces flying 14,674 sorties. Opposing them in their bunkers on the beaches are 5 lowgrade German infantry divisions with about 50,000 men and 100 tanks and assault guns. Despite some heavy casualties, especially at Omaha Beach, the German defenders, stunned and surprised by the massive onslaught, are progressively overwhelmed, and most of the Allied objectives are reached and secured by nightfall. There is little opposition from the Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine. source: http://www.feldgrau.com/june.html 1942: Battle of Midway ends - The battle of Midway was the first decisive defeat inflicted on Japan by America in the Second World War. The battle shifted the balance of sea power in the Pacific towards the Allies and forced Japan to abandon plans for advances on New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa and delayed their offensive in New Guinea. 1969: Battle of Binh Ba, South Vietnam - Binh Ba, located five kilometres north of the Australian base at Nui Dat was the site of a battle between a combined force of Viet Cong guerillas and North Vietnamese Army troops after they occupied the village. They were driven off after more than a day's fighting. This was the last large-scale clash in Phouc Tuy. source: http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/thismonth/index.asp 1513: Battle of Novara. Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis de la Tremoille, forcing the French to abandon Milan. Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored. 1813: Battle of Stoney Creek - A British force of 700 under John Vincent defeat an American force three times its size under William Winder and John Chandler. 1862: Battle of Memphis - Union forces capture Memphis, Tennessee, from the Confederates. 1918 - Battle of Belleau Wood begins . 1982 - 1982 Lebanon War begins: Forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon in their "Operation Peace for the Galilee," eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June 6 1944: Normandy France - D-DAY: Operation Overlord's 60-mile front opens a new campaign in western Europe as about 14,000 Canadian soldiers join in the landing on Juno beach between Courseulles and St-Aubin-sur-Mer. RCN minesweepers help clear the lanes in, and RCAF bombers and fighters help soften up the German defenses. The main task of the Canadian Army is to push through the gap between Bayeux and Caen. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion red berets were part of the advance landing during the night, capturing a bridge near Caen with the British. At about 7:40 am, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd and 3rd Armoured, under Major-General R. F. L. Keller, start landing in rough seas. The 8th Brigade capture Bernières-sur-Mer [in the picture] by 9:30 am but mines and German anti-tank guns hold up the advance inland, creating a traffic jam in the village streets; they take Bény by evening. The 7th Brigade captures Courseulles, Ste-Croix and Banville, with heavy losses. The 9th Brigade make it through Bény to Villons-les-Buissons, less than four miles from Caen, and nearly at their goal - Carpiquet airport. Canadian casualties that day are less than expected - 715 wounded, 359 dead. source: http://www1.sympatico.ca/cgi-bin/on_...mth=Jun&day=06 1972: South Vietnamese forces drive out all but a few of the communist troops remaining in Kontum. Over 200 North Vietnamese had been killed in six battles in and around the city. The city had come under attack in April when the North Vietnamese had launched their Nguyen Hue Offensive, a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces designed to strike the blow that would win them the war. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. In addition to Kontum, the other main North Vietnamese objectives were Quang Tri in the north and An Loc farther to the south. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do? __________________ "It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." - Norman Schwarskopf, Commander of Desert Storm Operations