June 6, 1944
- Thread starter Rocky
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Hear! Hear! That is spot on. Because of the Greatest Generation, we live in freedom today and still speak the languages of our respective countries. My dad plus six of my nine uncles fought in WWII. A big SALUTE to those who fought on D-Day and who fought in each of the three theaters.
Let us never forget these brave men that gave it all.
Fox News is carrying the ceremonies live. Some of it is quite moving - especially the 21 gun salute and Taps.
I watched the ceremonies this morning too 
My father fraught in WWII also, they were truly the greatest generation!
A few years ago I bought a remembrance tool from the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) a M1 Garand. It’s a 1941 manufacture and I think of those who carried it every time I take it to the range. (Please strike this post if inappropriate. I thought about sharing a pic, but I was not sure of the policy here being a motorcycle forum.)
No worries about your post. Brief comments like that are no problem. Many of us here are shooters, but we don't get into debating gun topics or guns in general because of the political nature it can turn into.
Many of us are historians to some degree so these comments are bound to come up.
In general, we like to stick to motorcycles, but many here are long-time forum friends so it's also a bit of a social forum at times that strays off topic. No problem with that at all.
The important thing is that you come here and join in.
I actually qualified with the M1 Garand (Expert) when I first joined the Army. Just a couple of weeks later we were issued M14s and i qualified Expert with it. I really like the M14 and I hated to give it up for the M16. I do own an M14.
A a retired Service member myself, I WILL remember the sacrifice our Brothers and Sisters in arms made on that day and the many days after to defeat tyranny.
I Thank our veterans for their sacrifices they made to achieve their missions.
I Thank our veterans for their sacrifices they made to achieve their missions.
And Steve, thank you for your service!
And you for your service, Carl.
If there are any other Veterans and retired Military on here, I thank you for your service.
If there are any other Veterans and retired Military on here, I thank you for your service.
Ditto!
There is very little military service in my family. My British grandfather served in WWI and survived that - or I wouldn't be here 
One uncle served in WWII in the Medical Corps tending to the wounded who were shipped back to Canada.
I had teenage ambitions of joining the Air Force, but peace-time requirements for air crew were very high and I wasn't accepted.
My life turned out very well and I have no regrets about not being accepted.
I salute everyone who has served and is serving now.
One uncle served in WWII in the Medical Corps tending to the wounded who were shipped back to Canada.
I had teenage ambitions of joining the Air Force, but peace-time requirements for air crew were very high and I wasn't accepted.
My life turned out very well and I have no regrets about not being accepted.
I salute everyone who has served and is serving now.
My father serve between the Wars of 1 and II in the RAF, then was called up in 1938 to get organised for the war that was coming.There is very little military service in my family. My British grandfather served in WWI and survived that - or I wouldn't be here
One uncle served in WWII in the Medical Corps tending to the wounded who were shipped back to Canada.
I had teenage ambitions of joining the Air Force, but peace-time requirements for air crew were very high and I wasn't accepted.
My life turned out very well and I have no regrets about not being accepted.
I salute everyone who has served and is serving now.
Served a lot of time in the Far East at that time.
Never wanted to talk about it and wasn't going to let any of his Sons join the services.
I only ever met one Uncle and he lived a poor life full of Shrapnel in his body all his life.
We all owe a great service to those who fought.
Chris
90-Year-Old WWII Veteran’s Song About Normandy Beats Out Popular Artists on Amazon Music Charts
By Noel Marquis
Published June 10, 2019 at 9:33am
In 2019, it’s hard to imagine that a historical ballad might be more popular than a pop song by Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran. However, one 90-year-old’s heart-wrenching account of D-Day just topped Amazon’s singles chart.
The successful artist is Jim Radford, World War II veteran and the youngest known survivor of D-Day. Radford first wrote “The Shores of Normandy” in 1969 for the 25th anniversary of D-Day, but just recently released a new edition for the 75th anniversary.
The song was “a powerful recollection,” Radford said in a statement on the Normandy Memorial Trust website.
In the ballad, Radford invites listeners to visit the morning of June 6, 1944. At merely 15 years old, Radford was a galley boy with the Merchant Navy. On D-Day, he had a hand in constructing Mulberry Harbor on Gold Beach, which played a key role in transporting supplies and vehicles.
Most boys weren’t permitted to join the British Navy until age 16. However, the rule didn’t apply to his position as a tugboat sailor, making him one of the youngest boys to serve the Navy on D-Day. Once he joined, he had no idea what was immediately in store for him.
“They gave me a job straight away, but I didn’t know when I went that my first trip was going to be the invasion of Europe,” Radford told ABC. “As my song says, ‘In the cold gray lights of the sixth of June, we set sail for Normandy.'”
Radford was inspired to compose the song when he returned to the infamous beach years after D-Day. The image he saw there was such a stark contrast to the scene he had witnessed in 1944 that he felt compelled to write about it.
“It wasn’t until I went back, saw the children playing on the beach, that I was sort of overwhelmed with recollection of what I’ve seen and moved to tears by the contrast, as a lot of veterans were,” Radford said in his statement for the Normandy Memorial Trust.
The harrowing violence on D-Day has remained with Radford for 75 years. Listen as he recalls the events of what became a turning point of World War II:
Proceeds earned from downloads of “The Shores of Normandy” will be donated to the Normandy Memorial Trust. The funds will be used to support the British Normandy Memorial, which was inaugurated in Normandy on June 6, 2019.
“It’s very important to me and other veterans that there should be a place like this where people can come and reflect because we’re not going to be around for much longer to tell the story, and the story needs to be told because people need to learn lessons from it,” Radford said, according to KDVR.
The veteran was as shocked as everyone else to see his song rise in popularity.
“I’m obviously delighted and extremely surprised to be No. 1 on this particular chart, and I hope it does well because the more copies are downloaded, the more money we’ll have to pay for this wonderful memorial we’re building here,” Radford said.
“The song is really to honor and remember all those brave lads who didn’t come back,” Radford told ABC.
You can support the building of the British Normandy Memorial by downloading “The Shores of Normandy” on iTunes, Amazon and other music streaming sites.
By Noel Marquis
Published June 10, 2019 at 9:33am
In 2019, it’s hard to imagine that a historical ballad might be more popular than a pop song by Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran. However, one 90-year-old’s heart-wrenching account of D-Day just topped Amazon’s singles chart.
The successful artist is Jim Radford, World War II veteran and the youngest known survivor of D-Day. Radford first wrote “The Shores of Normandy” in 1969 for the 25th anniversary of D-Day, but just recently released a new edition for the 75th anniversary.
The song was “a powerful recollection,” Radford said in a statement on the Normandy Memorial Trust website.
In the ballad, Radford invites listeners to visit the morning of June 6, 1944. At merely 15 years old, Radford was a galley boy with the Merchant Navy. On D-Day, he had a hand in constructing Mulberry Harbor on Gold Beach, which played a key role in transporting supplies and vehicles.
Most boys weren’t permitted to join the British Navy until age 16. However, the rule didn’t apply to his position as a tugboat sailor, making him one of the youngest boys to serve the Navy on D-Day. Once he joined, he had no idea what was immediately in store for him.
“They gave me a job straight away, but I didn’t know when I went that my first trip was going to be the invasion of Europe,” Radford told ABC. “As my song says, ‘In the cold gray lights of the sixth of June, we set sail for Normandy.'”
Radford was inspired to compose the song when he returned to the infamous beach years after D-Day. The image he saw there was such a stark contrast to the scene he had witnessed in 1944 that he felt compelled to write about it.
“It wasn’t until I went back, saw the children playing on the beach, that I was sort of overwhelmed with recollection of what I’ve seen and moved to tears by the contrast, as a lot of veterans were,” Radford said in his statement for the Normandy Memorial Trust.
The harrowing violence on D-Day has remained with Radford for 75 years. Listen as he recalls the events of what became a turning point of World War II:
Proceeds earned from downloads of “The Shores of Normandy” will be donated to the Normandy Memorial Trust. The funds will be used to support the British Normandy Memorial, which was inaugurated in Normandy on June 6, 2019.
“It’s very important to me and other veterans that there should be a place like this where people can come and reflect because we’re not going to be around for much longer to tell the story, and the story needs to be told because people need to learn lessons from it,” Radford said, according to KDVR.
The veteran was as shocked as everyone else to see his song rise in popularity.
“I’m obviously delighted and extremely surprised to be No. 1 on this particular chart, and I hope it does well because the more copies are downloaded, the more money we’ll have to pay for this wonderful memorial we’re building here,” Radford said.
“The song is really to honor and remember all those brave lads who didn’t come back,” Radford told ABC.
You can support the building of the British Normandy Memorial by downloading “The Shores of Normandy” on iTunes, Amazon and other music streaming sites.
Just imagine being a part of all that at that age.
Yes, he "grew up" too soon.
In the old days this was always a huge thing our side but these days you don't even hear about it anymore 
A whole lot of young men grew up too fast!!!
