One of the joys of my military career was a chance to do a “staff ride” of Normandy shortly after we got back from our year in Iraq. A dozen of us got a German bus and went over for a four day tour of the beaches and the other areas troops took in that initial wave. - ThreadSky

joshmanning.bsky.social • 10 days ago

One of the joys of my military career was a chance to do a “staff ride” of Normandy shortly after we got back from our year in Iraq. A dozen of us got a German bus and went over for a four day tour of the beaches and the other areas troops took in that initial wave.

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joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

The first thing that hits you is the enormity of what the troops faced when the hit the edge of the ocean. At low tide there is a decent half mile if not more of beach all the way to a massive wall of rock along the coast. It’s daunting even sixty years later.

joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

Add in bullets and mortars from the huge guns at the tops of the rock walls … my god. Plus you come direct from the water, clothes wet, seasick, carrying all that gear. It’s amazing they were able to move forward at all.

Our guides for the staff ride were professionals who worked most of the year.

joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

They would find veterans of Normandy on some of their trips and spend their time walking the areas with them. The thing that sticks with me this year is that I can remember radio calls and others moments from twenty years ago when I was in Iraq like it was yesterday.

joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

Fifty years removed from Normandy, and the guides would show us where the cross street was where one guy remembered getting ambushed. He could even remember where the trees and bushes were. Many still there. The things veterans carry are not just the kit but our memories of being in mortal danger.

joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

For the last day, we went to the cemetery pictured in the quoted tweet. Like the beach, you don’t expect the enormity of it. Crosses as far as you can see. All of them died on those beaches or finding an edge to get up that fucking rock wall.

All those soldiers and resistance fighters did that day

joshmanning.bsky.social•10 days ago

We have to carry that forward.

I was in the First Infantry Division at the time, the Big Red One. Lots of experience in Europe for WWII (and I).

The division motto is:
No sacrifice too great
No mission too difficult
Duty first!

Normandy showed how that motto got carried out under fire.

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