Haven’t had anything to post in a while…thought I’d post this today.
Victory At Sea - D Day
[video=youtube_share;K75yDdY-fGQ]http://youtu.be/K75yDdY-fGQ[/video]
As always, I wish to thank you with the greatest appreciation for all of us here who have reverence for those of the “greatest generation” who accomplished feats none of us here today can ever hope to come close to replicating in fighting “the Good War”
I myself have often wondered many times about Overlord and what the allies could have done differently to give the landing forces better chances to succeed and not be cut to ribbons by machineguns? As it was, Omaha Beach was a very close shave and we almost didn’t capture it in the end although Utah, Sword, Juno and Gold were never in any real doubt. One of the turning points for Omaha was the destroyer USS EMMONS which literally came into critically shallow waters to give point blank supporting fire to take out German firing positions on the bluffs overlooking the beach. Many soldiers later said it was EMMONS that turned the landing from a horrible defeat to the victory it ultimately was. Why didn’t the allies come up with citadel ships which would have driven up onto the beaches ahead of the landing craft, armed to the teeth with cannon and machineguns to directly face the enemy fire and take the brunt of it off of the troops below? Certainly some form of vessel could have been developed that would never have to come free again. Hell even an LSD just covered with 5"/38’s would have been a huge help even though the crews on them likely would not make it for long.
Thanks again bc9930!