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Norman D. Landing


bilko1
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1 hour ago, doyler said:

 

 

Ken.

 

Happy to add something of interest. There are other pictures in the series and show a side to the war not often seen. These men did a difficult job to say the least and had to have had memories that never faded. Was speaking with a very good friend the other day and he shared a stroy or two of his father who was a WW2 combat engineer who was at the Bulge. Were were talking about the cold here and I mentioned I dont see how the soldiers were able to survive in such conditions and much like the homeless we have here that cannot find shelters. He said his father didnt mind the snow as it covered the dead and you wouldnt have to see then in the morning.

Your posts here and elsewhere are always of interest. But that's probably because I know so little compared to many of you around here. 

 

As for soldiers living and fighting through all kinds of weather, I was thinking the same thing looking at Bulge photos a couple of weeks ago.

 

Mikie

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3 hours ago, BryanJ said:

The story of those little girls, dressed for the ceremony, and the rest, really struck home with me.  She’s about the age of my granddaughter.  I hope the lessons of WWII, appeasement, loss, etc., are not forgotten, ever.

Years ago I was reading about the U.S. Civil War siege of Atlanta. The very first Union shell fired at the city killed a little girl crossing a street with her parents. The parents right next to her were not hurt. That shook me badly since my daughter was just a baby at the time. 

I fear we have learned nothing from any of it. 

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16 hours ago, General Apathy said:

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Hi Kat,

 

Sorry I should have made it more clear this was one of the flower girls in the square, here's another shot of more of the young girls, and a couple more images from the square.  Note in the final photo the direction plaque on the wall was paid for by the Citroen car company their double chevron logo can be seen under the arrow, and Citroen at the very bottom of the plaque.

 

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Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 11  2022.

 

.

 

 

 

On a lighter note: whenever I see people make the reversed V sign I can't help but smile.  I'm sure they weren't aware what it meant but I think British troops may often have

wondered.

  slide_4.jpg.aba61e6a291187d8b246208f30e4b6d0.jpg

 

But then again....they were in good company.

 

0_V-Sign.jpg.a7542c7db8336a96d0aba0bf03e27633.jpg

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25 minutes ago, Dogsbody said:

 

On a lighter note: whenever I see people make the reversed V sign I can't help but smile.  I'm sure they weren't aware what it meant but I think British troops may often have

wondered.

  slide_4.jpg.aba61e6a291187d8b246208f30e4b6d0.jpg

 

But then again....they were in good company.

 

0_V-Sign.jpg.a7542c7db8336a96d0aba0bf03e27633.jpg

Is it twice as offensive as a one-finger salute in the US?  

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35 minutes ago, mikie said:

Is it twice as offensive as a one-finger salute in the US?  

 

There is an element of defiance in it's use; I've always thought Churchill used it correctly, especially in the ealry years of the War. The V-sign was properly applied at Arnhem by a captured Para too:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-49494617

 

Also, a belated Happy New year to you all, I was away.

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Simon Lerenfort
On 1/9/2022 at 11:15 PM, Burning Hazard said:

Hi Lewis and Simon,

 

Have any of you visited Henri-Chapelle in Belgium? There is one interesting WWII location there that quite surprised me.

 

Pat

No visit to the battlefield is complete without visiting the cemeteries. 

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Johan Willaert

A while ago a friend collector gave me this WW2 campaign map showing the 2nd Armored Division’s war route from 1942 through 1945. The Hell on Wheels Division fought in North Africa and Sicily before landing in Normandy on June 9th and went on to liberate large parts of Belgium in September 1944.

I have a couple ID’d 2AD items in my collection, so this map enhances my Hell on Wheels corner..

 

Framed it today and it is now mounted on the War Building wall…

 

 

B9C4696C-C9CC-488A-AD26-05DCCFEC774E.jpeg

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3 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

A while ago a friend collector gave me this WW2 campaign map showing the 2nd Armored Division’s war route from 1942 through 1945. The Hell on Wheels Division fought in North Africa and Sicily before landing in Normandy on June 9th and went on to liberate large parts of Belgium in September 1944.

I have a couple ID’d 2AD items in my collection, so this map enhances my Hell on Wheels corner..

 

Framed it today and it is now mounted on the War Building wall…

 

 

B9C4696C-C9CC-488A-AD26-05DCCFEC774E.jpeg

Very nice! I would love to see more of that "wall"! Looks like you have some great pictures.

 

...Kat

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22 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

A while ago a friend collector gave me this WW2 campaign map showing the 2nd Armored Division’s war route from 1942 through 1945. The Hell on Wheels Division fought in North Africa and Sicily before landing in Normandy on June 9th and went on to liberate large parts of Belgium in September 1944.

I have a couple ID’d 2AD items in my collection, so this map enhances my Hell on Wheels corner..

 

Framed it today and it is now mounted on the War Building wall…

 

 

B9C4696C-C9CC-488A-AD26-05DCCFEC774E.jpeg

Looks good. You'll probably know this but in case you don't: there are two 2nd AD campaign maps. One you have on your wall and the other you can see being admired by some 2nd AD members in this photo.16996261_621928227991165_597717856863637365_n.jpg.3679bd927b3053621abdb98964b4eff6.jpg

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Johan Willaert
3 hours ago, Dogsbody said:

Looks good. You'll probably know this but in case you don't: there are two 2nd AD campaign maps. One you have on your wall and the other you can see being admired by some 2nd AD members in this photo.


Yes, that is the 1944 version of the map, the one I have is the 1945 version which also shows the German campaign.

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1 hour ago, Dogsbody said:

Here no gum was needed and the mirror was used for its original intention. 😉

 

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Great picture! I see another musical case in the foreground. Any information on the picture?

 

..Kat

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On 1/10/2022 at 9:55 AM, General Apathy said:

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one of the most amazing documentary film clips to come out of WWII.

 

This half hour film shows the UK factory that made US ' American-cans ' ( Jerrycans )during WWII, a complete factory of US machinery was set up in the UK to receive flat steel and parts to stamp, fold, weld and paint to finish American petrol cans, every part of the process is shown in detail.

 

If only every other manufacturing process had been filmed like this it would have been an unparalleled documentation of WWII manufacturing, Oh how I would love to have seen the production of Jeeps filmed like this . . . . . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 10  2022.

 

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I loved this Ken! Total respect to the actual can, and the many operators who created them! I especially loved the final application of OD paint. Having restored some, I know how many angles there are to spray paint them all over!! The poor lady spraying the primer had no mask - lead based paint maybe? A few woodbines at break time would sort it out I am sure!!

A wonderful record of mass production. Many thanks for sharing! Cheers Graham

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Salvage Sailor
2 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

Great picture! I see another musical case in the foreground. Any information on the picture?

 

..Kat

 

Trombone

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4 hours ago, Dogsbody said:

Here no gum was needed and the mirror was used for its original intention. 😉

 

12359843_1690859547826701_1767903647009846793_n.jpg.6010b9e0f0b0c18dfc0076805390d9b5.jpg

I'd fret about shaving using that mirror on a guitar while its being played. 

 

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12 minutes ago, mikie said:

I'd fret about shaving using that mirror on a guitar while its being played. 

 

 

One slip and hes singing a different tune

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4 hours ago, Salvage Sailor said:

 

Trombone

Sorry to confuse. I didn't mean is there any information on the instrument in the picture. I meant the entire picture. Since there are multiple instruments, was this a military band? Doesn't seem likely given the surroundings but maybe. 

 

...Kat

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11 hours ago, Dogsbody said:

Here no gum was needed and the mirror was used for its original intention. 😉

 

12359843_1690859547826701_1767903647009846793_n.jpg.6010b9e0f0b0c18dfc0076805390d9b5.jpg

Ok, all you people who regularly spot details that I'd never notice in a hundred years, is that a WWI style flat-lid mess kit on top of the stump? 

Mikie

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On 1/16/2022 at 6:00 PM, cutiger83 said:

Great picture! I see another musical case in the foreground. Any information on the picture?

 

..Kat

Hi Kat, unfortunately I don't have any info on that photo. Like you at first I was thinking about a military band getting ready for a performance but the only instruments visible are the trombone and guitar. To me there aren't any more instruments visible so who knows. 

 

To continue in a military music vein: how about this photo. Anyone hazard a guess who those men in the boxcar are? And why they are being 'serenaded'?

 

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On 1/16/2022 at 10:57 AM, Dogsbody said:

Here no gum was needed and the mirror was used for its original intention. 😉

 

12359843_1690859547826701_1767903647009846793_n.jpg.6010b9e0f0b0c18dfc0076805390d9b5.jpg

The photo looks like soldiers on maneuver in the US.

 

By the looks of all the empty crates they probably belong to a motorized unit which would help in transporting the trombone.

 

Im assuming they are taking a moment to rest and clean up 

 

 

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On 1/17/2022 at 10:44 AM, Dogsbody said:

Hi Kat, unfortunately I don't have any info on that photo. Like you at first I was thinking about a military band getting ready for a performance but the only instruments visible are the trombone and guitar. To me there aren't any more instruments visible so who knows. 

 

To continue in a military music vein: how about this photo. Anyone hazard a guess who those men in the boxcar are? And why they are being 'serenaded'?

 

12341500_1690860841159905_8491043346466380164_n.jpg.20ec95be8ef42833fe4803366fab1a22.jpg

I have no idea what this is all about.  I just hope another train didn't  come along that track before they finished playing. 

Mikie

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Simon Lerenfort
On 1/17/2022 at 6:44 PM, Dogsbody said:

Hi Kat, unfortunately I don't have any info on that photo. Like you at first I was thinking about a military band getting ready for a performance but the only instruments visible are the trombone and guitar. To me there aren't any more instruments visible so who knows. 

 

To continue in a military music vein: how about this photo. Anyone hazard a guess who those men in the boxcar are? And why they are being 'serenaded'?

 

12341500_1690860841159905_8491043346466380164_n.jpg.20ec95be8ef42833fe4803366fab1a22.jpg

Poor guy on the left in the carriage appears to be sticking a finger in his ear!

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On 1/17/2022 at 1:44 PM, Dogsbody said:

Hi Kat, unfortunately I don't have any info on that photo. Like you at first I was thinking about a military band getting ready for a performance but the only instruments visible are the trombone and guitar. To me there aren't any more instruments visible so who knows. 

 

To continue in a military music vein: how about this photo. Anyone hazard a guess who those men in the boxcar are? And why they are being 'serenaded'?

 

12341500_1690860841159905_8491043346466380164_n.jpg.20ec95be8ef42833fe4803366fab1a22.jpg

 

That was an interesting WWII band photo, which sparked my recollection about my experience with the 101st Airborne Division Band during Desert Storm.  My best friend from high school was a trumpet player in the 101st Airborne Division Band.  Before the air/ground war began, the 101st band and the entire division, was in this massive tent city, in the desert near a Saudi airbase.  Well, through some imaginative wheeling and dealing (another story) our MP Battalion was in a very nice compound not too far away, performing security for a large Medical unit.  When I say nice, I’m talking, hard buildings, air conditioning, tennis courts, pool, and catered meals.  Well, I looked up my buddy, saw how they were living (i.e., tents, 110 degree heat, no showers, MRE’s, etc.) and made a proposition, we’d put the band up for a day or so at our compound, let them shower, eat some really good chow, enjoy the pool, tennis facilities, etc., if they’d come over to our compound and put on a private show for us and the medical unit.  Needless to say, they were all over that deal faster than I could say Band of Brothers!  Well, when you think of a military band, you’re probably thinking military marches, John Phillips Sousa, oh no.  They broke out the rock band version, showing just what a bunch of talented musicians they really were, baby, I’m talking Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, best of Motown, you name it, they played it.  They were so damn grateful to get out of that tent city where they were living, they put on a by-god killer concert.  Well, that night in our Saudi Arabian compound, a dance broke out, and it’s amazing to recall just how much smuggled liquor actually made it into country (another story), but heck, we couldn’t get rid of that band after that.  For sure, a good time was had by all for a couple of days.  But, sometime after that, we all moved to the desert, Iraq, doing real military stuff, etc.  But that concert was a hell-of-a time that I’ll never forget.  Below are a few photos of the 101st band in military mode, backing up Bob Hope (the photos of our concert were confiscated (with the exception of a few I kept). I’m sending a link of this post to my high school buddy, with a special thanks for a good party 31 years ago!

 

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General Apathy

.

Hi Everyone,

 

Really pleased to see that the conversations and images continued to be posted since I last added anything here. Apologies I have a lot going on off-line currently to deal with . . . . . . . . .

 

However I made this comparison shot this morning as I was passing through Carentan.

 

Note the two enamelled road-signs on the wall at the rear of the half-track, the one on the left points in the direction of Valognes & Cherbourg, the one on the right in the direction of St. Lo & Paris.

 

I faded the colours on my comparison as the buildings now have quite garish paintwork. 

 

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Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 20  2022.

 

.

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