When I retired as a gift to myself, my wife and I went to Europe for a month. It was a military quest and a lot of shopping for the wife. We visited: Luxembourg, Bastogne, Normandy and ended in England seeing the tank museum in Bovington. We spent 3 days at Nornandy and words can't say what we saw and felt. I am retired USAF and a WW2 buff. It was a trip I will never forget and I have the pictures to prove it. I could have spent weeks on the beaches alone. So much history. The cemeteries are without words. I wish I could shake every one of their hands. RIP and thank you.
I've been there last February with my Grandpa and both of us being ex-combat Marines we both held each other and had a cry together. Special moment in my life. RIP Grandpa!!!!!
I fully understand your feelings. My dad landed on Omaha that morning with the 147th combat engineers, 6th engineers special brigade. He told me many stories about WW2 when i was too young to understand the magnitude of what he & the world went through. He passed at the age of 90 in 2013. When he was alive I'd buy him a bottle of good Irish whiskey every june 6th. Now I can only put a flag on his grave every june 6th. You & I have much to be proud of.🇺🇸🇺🇸
I visited this exact location at low tide ten years back and walked out as far as I could, then back, thinking of the hell those men went through. Then visited some of the wrecked pillboxes and was surprised to find what appeared to be a French High School class of about forty kids being lectured by an instructor in the period uniform of a US Army Second Lieutenant. They were exceptionally respectful as he told the stories of that day. In the various locales around Normandy you'll find the French people very appreciate of what the Allies did back then, especially the Americans. Whereas in Paris they may still act like snots, in the Normandy area the French still remember and respect what was done to ensure their freedom.
I had a very similar experience. We ran into a French family at the bunkers below the American cemetery. The father talked to us about the veterans that he'd met over the years and told us that we are always welcome there. It's quite the place. Thanks for watching and for the extra insight.
@@TheHistoryUnderground ...thank you for creating this channel. In my opinion, WWII is the most important event in World History and you've inspired me to travel to these destinations to see history with my own eyes. I'm praying my wife will want to come along as well.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Experiences may differ ofcourse, but if you'd look up the bombing campaign leading up on D-day, you'd understand that some people who were there could have mixed emotions. Estimations of up to 50000 civilians casualties leading upto and after Normandy campaign.
Yes they do remember, and still have not forgotten the sacrifices that were made to liberate the French people from the tyranny of the German Occupation. I was privileged enough to have been a soldier with the 29th infantry division from 1989-2009, and walked along that very stretch of beach for the 60th anniversary of D-Day, it truly was a day that I will never forget.
@@dutchdelights unfortunately the civilian casualties were high due to the fact that no warnings of ANY kind could be given for obvious reasons. It has been said, and is true. The cost of freedom does not come cheap, a sacrifice in blood must be paid. The only prevention is the eternal vigilance of a people to never allow their freedom to be compromised by anyone from their own land or from another. Compromise now will be paid in blood at a later date. This is why it is so very important to honor and remember the events and sacrifice made by millions to stop the evil that descended upon Europe, and the world during WW2. As happens all to often with history, if it is forgotten we as a people will be DOOMED to repeat it. And in this case that can not be allowed to ever happen. As it would spell the end of civilization as we know it today.
Here we are, on the eve of D-Day 2020... my grandfather went ashore at Arrowmanches on Sword Beach. I was lucky enough to visit Normandy several times with him before he died. He always used to say "we had it easy". When you see the expanse of open beach at Omaha at low tide, and the cliffs at Point du Hoc, it just blows your mind. They were all so incredibly brave, and we all owe them so much.
Your grandfather must've been some guy I have been visiting the area since 2012 and still find things that amaze me and the courage and bravery of all the allied soldiers. You earn so much respect for their sacrifices and I have been very lucky to meet the veterans who took part the 75th Anniversary was something else 💕
@@PaulSpencerImages2012 Thank you, Paul. He was amazing, and I miss him so much. I must say that every time we visited France we were treated like royalty by the locals too, despite the carnage and their own losses involved in June '44, and often found our money was useless. I'll never forget parking up out little Golf convertible almost under the Eiffel Tower, and a Gendarme coming to move us on. Dad explained he was a D-Day vet, and he couldn't have been any more welcoming and gracious! I think we could've parked on the grass there that day! LOL
My grandfather and his two brothers all fought in WW2, all 3 fought on Normandy as well. My grandfather dropped in the 5th with 101st Abn, the middle brother was in the French Army as a volunteer in the Legion. The youngest of the three was taken from the family farm and pressed/drafted into the Wehrmacht and was in the 12 SS PanzerGrenadiers shooting at Gold Beach. 3 strong men that all cried and hugged each other when they saw Saving Private Ryan.
The music makes my soul ache. I cried thinking of those boys dying so far from home. Though they saved the world, they left many mothers hearts crying for an eternity
Im a Canadian but theres still something about that beach that draws my soul to it. Ive read “The Bedford Boys” and i dont know why but for some reason whenever i hear or see anything about D-Day i think of Taylor N Fellers, the Captain of Company A/116. Maybe its because he was only 6 days younger than my Grandfather and luckily my Grandpa was able to survive the war (he was in the RCAF) but it always breaks my heart to know that Captain Fellers and all those young men saw their last sights, and heard their last sounds at a place like that. Beautiful in its present form, but absolute hell on earth as the sun rose on June 6, 1944. RIP
I'm Canadian as well. My dad's cousin James Machan was born in Saskatchewan but they moved to Washington state. He became a US Ranger and died at the Omaha area at Point du Hoc on DDay. So there was at least one Canadian born soldier that died in the Omaha section.
Really sobering to see such locations and think about what those men went through. In the midst of the worst conditions they had the courage to move forward against incredible odds. This makes one realize how easy most of us have day to day life now. You are doing a great service to their memory. Videos like this need to be mandatory in every high school. Thank you.
Thank you. That really does mean a lot. The original purpose of me doing these videos was to connect high school students with these historic places. Like you said, the experience is really sobering. Especially when you see families enjoying themselves on the beach and knowing what those men did in 1944 to allow that to happen.
I have studied the D-Day landings all my life, coming from Roanoke VA, and currently living in Bedford VA, I have gained a much larger appreciation for the sacrifice these men made for our country, and the freedom of the world. I have to admit, this has got to be one of the best tribute videos to date that anyone has ever done of the Normandy beaches. Like you it is a dream of mine to hopefully one day visit Omaha beach, and the rest of Normandy and all the historic land marks in the region. Your footage, history references, and music were incredibly put together, very respectful, and very much appreciated. One day I will fulfill the number one on my bucket list to visit, and pay homage to those giants who went before us and defeated tyranny In the name of freedom. Thank you so much for your incredible work putting these together!
I can't express enough how much I appreciate ALL of your videos on WWII. They are beautiful even though this is a tough subject. I am so grateful to the brave men and women who fought and died on those beaches so we could be free today. My concern is that The Greatest Generation will be forgotten. You help to make sure that doesn't happen. Thank you.
My uncle was there that day. I listen.when my mom would tell how traumatized uncle Tom was afterwards and how the littlest things would affect him. What those men went through must have been awful, obviously, I can't even fathom. One of our local residents, Robert Burgett, has written books about his time and experiences. I was honored to have been able to meet him at his home and hear the stories and have him autograph the books. True heros. I hope to one day.visit there.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Hey , you add some goods tunes to your vids , maybe you could give the track names in the description ., cheers , great work , keep keeping on ...
Been to Normandy about 5or 6 times. Honored to have been there and have talked to veterans. One of the best moments was when we were in that sector, a bus of Canadian veterans stopped. That was in 2004. I don't know how much there were. 30 at least I guess. I shook all of their hands, looked them in the eye and thanked them for our freedom. It was moving for me, and moving for them and moving for my friends who saw what I was doing. It still tears me up when I think of that moment. Eventually in my life I was lucky enough to befriend some WW2 veterans... Sadly there aren't much left now. It is up to us, and you with your fantastic video's here, to continue to tell their story. Thank you Sir.
To those who wake up every morning and complain about having to go to work. Take a moment and think what those men had to think about that morning when they went to work.
My son turns 18 on Sunday and so many folks in my very upper middle class suburb are beside themselves that their kids won’t be able to have a graduation ceremony due to the lockdown this year, completely losing all perspective. I keep reminding my son what those 18 year olds had to miss out on to free Europe and, thankfully, he agrees that he is very lucky.
Yeah, but you also have to think of how some of the freedom they fought for has been lost to corporate greed and fear of terrorism. My father who was part of the greatest generation complained in his dieing days about how things are in this country, how there are no unions anymore, how almost everything is made in China, how the rich have gotten so rich, how there are so many homeless (many of them veterans which I sometimes helped on my lunch break at a veterans center near my former job) and how the government has been eavesdropping on all of our phone conversations since 9/11 due to the "Patriot" Act. All of this from a man who never complained and always told me to not complain, but instead work towards making things right. Which I continue to do despite taking some of my fathers complaints to heart, because I feel as though I have in some way failed to prevent some of these things from happening by not joining or starting a union, or not writing my Congressmen or President enough. Sorry if this was kind of long, but I feel strongly about how American workers are being taken advantage of, and the middle class seems to be disappearing especially with many right now being furloughed or laid off because of COVID 19, but still having to pay their mortgages which in many states UI does not pay enough to cover. Fortunately my father taught me to be a saver, because of what he went through during the Great Depression so I am personally getting by just fine.
I had the privilege of working an internship at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia where the men from Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division were from and it was a very moving experience to hear their stories and see various artifacts and belongings in the archives. It was also when I read The Bedford Boys for the first time and one line always sticks out whenever I read it: “In a matter of minutes, a couple of German machine guns had broken the town’s heart.” 19 men from Bedford County died on D-Day with three more later on if I remember correctly and the town has embraced and honored their legacy very well. It’s a dream of mine to visit places in Europe like Normandy one day and I hope to get there soon. Thank you for this video.
I traveled all around Normandy a few years ago and i had such an eye opening experience that words can't really describe, my sense of love for history is similar to yourself and it still amazes me how fortunate we are today for the loss of the lives and sacrifices our ancestors made to give us hope for a better future. I will one day hope to travel back to Normandy and revisit the beaches and the resting place of the fallen.
In 2014 myself and another teacher took 50 HS students to France/Belgium/Germany on a WW2 History trip. One of the most amazing trips I've ever taken. We are blessed to have the Army's 1st Infantry Division Museum here locally and they were a FANTASTIC partner in holding informative after school programs for the students to get them ready to fully appreciate the trip. We did it again in 2018. I need to go back without students and really dive deep into the area. I'm a Marine Officer and my interests probably lay a little deeper than the kid's interest in the tactics and strategy. Nonetheless, the kids totally "ate it up"...I still get graduates coming back and referencing that trip. Thank you for all your videos. I'm going to start posting them for my students to see.
Your channel is off the charts good! I live 10 miles from Gettysburg & have been going there everyday for 14 years for work & had no idea they have a museum for anything but things related to the Civil War other than Eisenhower's farm. I had the privilege of getting to see Bob Slaughter speak at Eisenhower's farm in September of 2005 for the WW2 encampment. I was standing in line to meet him but it looked like he was getting tired so i reluctantly went on my way out of respect for a great man who endured things people today can't even begin to imagine even happened.
This brought tears to my eyes. You mentioned A-Company, 116th Regiment, 29th Division! You remembered!!! I deeply appreciate!!!! As I mentioned, my great Uncle Carl survived that hell and made it all the way to the occupation of Germany after the surrender. He was then put on a ship headed to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan. The A-bombs took care of that, however. He was my Fathers' Uncle, and would only talk about his experience with my Dad, and then me when I was old enough to understand and began my interest and studies of WWII. I'm an offspring of that generation. My parents' aunts, uncles, cousins.....Someday....someday I'll land at the place my great Uncle Carl landed. Thank you for these!!!! I'm sure there are many who had someone there that day and I believe I speak for all of them in extending to you our deepest appreciation.
SLA Marshall had an article in The Atlantic, November 1960 titled “First Wave at Omaha Beach “. Awesome read. About Able and Baker companies, 116 Infantry, 29th Division.
I visited Normandy exactly a year ago from the UK. It's somewhere I've always wanted to see. All the beaches, all the landing grounds, all the cemeteries. The entire area has an atmosphere of sadness yet a feeling of great deeds done. I've walked all the beaches and left small poppies for the tide to wash away, walked Pegasus Bridge, stood in the rain on Pointe-Du-Hoc, and shed a silent tear at Coleville cemetery. The new British memorial on Gold beach is simply beautiful and long overdue. My overriding thought though is that most of the "men" who took part are around my sons age of 21. The whole region has a feeling of a beautiful sadness.
Absolutely amazing. Although war should never be celebrated, the sacrifice of those who served should be remembered. This is definitely on my bucket list of places to visit.
Great video and thank you. I visited with my family back in 2014, and my kids were small but old enough to understand. The place is truly surreal, all those years reading about it in school, history books, movies, etc.. and then to stand on that hallowed ground. I agree, a must for any American to visit and see what those men had to run across and endure that hellish fire from the Germans. Thanks again - RIP
I appreciate your videos. I’ve always wanted to experience the Normandy landings and see the memorials. My grandfather was in Europe and eventually in Germany as part of the U.S. Army hospital admin staff during WWII. I’ve seen pictures he shared with me but your videos bring it all to life. The Greatest Generation! In addition, I am a 7th generation American and my family originated in Normandy so the views are even more special to me. Thank you!
Thank you for uploading this. My Dad landed on Omaha on D+3. He was 20 years old (an old man) attached to an artillery unit.Eisenhower once said:"It shows you what free men will do rather than be slaves."
I just finished reading The Bedford Boys yesterday. What a moving and emotional book. Those Brave young men in Company A were all heroes. As was every other soldier who stormed the beaches at Normandy that day. I can't even imagine. That Greatest Generation sacrificed so much so that we are all free today, Lest We Forget. It's a lifelong dream of mine to visit and pay my respects. I hope I can make it there one day. Thank you for bringing this to life for all to see.
I know I would be in tears the entire time I was walking along those beaches in France. My uncle served in the 1st WW and I had 2 husband's who were both military as well as myself. These men, and women, gave so much. Those who lived were never the same. Rest in peace my dear precious American soldiers!
All who served and died on all lands need to be remembered. Also, those who serve to protect us today need to be respected. Thank you if you do, screw you who disagree. TSG (ret)" Frenchy" Marquis.
Frenchy, brave smart German soldiers should have turned their gunsights on the subhuman filth known as hitler. Only then would they have been honorable to me.
My Dad came ashore with the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division “C” company, and was wounded immediately. Evacuated to hospital in England and rehabilitated, 6 weeks later back on the front line. Omaha was his 3rd amphibious landing. N.Africa, Sicily, Omaha.
Visited the beaches and cemeteries in 2005. Unforgettable and emotional experience. It is a trip that everyone should make if they get a chance. This video is well done
My wife and I were there for the 75th anniversary of D Day. My father was a rifleman in the 29th division. He came ashore on D plus 1. I walked that sector, Dog Green. 300 yards from the bluffs to the water's edge. Amazing anyone got off of there alive on D Day.
Been there 2 weeks ago, it is incredible the vibe of the place, such an emotional experience, almost a presence felt everywhere. It was my intention to also enjoy a day at the beach, but I just couldn't, it felt disrespectful... Brave men, may they rest in peace.
I greatly appreciate the respect you show to the place and the sacrifice that occurred there. My uncle and namesake was in Co. C of the 2nd Ranger Btn and was KIA in front of the Vierville Draw. Thank you for honoring these men.
I just found your channel last night and I’m absolutely hooked! I love WW2 history and it has been my life long dream to visit these places and you are able to bring that to life for me. Thank you for everything you are doing!
I’ve been to the memorial of the ‘Bedford Boys’ and spoke to a lot of the community there. It’s absolutely astounding at how many lives were lost from that one community, seeing you in/near the place where they launched is so eye opening to how exposed those men were. I’ve just discovered your channel in the last few days, but I can’t thank you enough to share these locations. I’m only 21 and my grandfather fought in these exact locations, he landed on these beaches and fought his way to an allied victory. He died when I was only 5 years old so it makes me sad not being able to ask him those questions about the war and just being able to understand what it took for a man to storm the beaches of Normandy, but seeing you here and illustrating what took place here has driven me to look deeper into the past and really understand what these men went through! Thank you! Edit: I suggest you take a trip to Bedford Virginia and really see how much of a sacrifice a single community went though for the greater good of freedom for the world
Bedford is actually quite high on my list of places to visit. I loved the book The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw and have wanted to visit ever since. Glad that you enjoyed the video and that it filled in some gaps for you :)
Christpher R Fritz no they were the ones which revived the only medal for conspicuous gallantry they were the only regiment that saw their entire force hit Normandy by beach or gliders also the same men who fought Sicily silerno and monte casino
THX for your videos, and their attention to detail. No spin, just the truth. Your videos should be mandatory viewing in all American school systems. Well Done.
man i have to say i recently found your channel a few weeks back and iv been binge watching your channel. im a history buff at heart and seeing someone get to travel to these places and live my dream is awesome! keep doing you man you got the support of an entire community that has your back!
@@TheHistoryUnderground love your videos btw. I hope to go back someday and explore a bit more in depth. I feel like we are walking in the footsteps of giants at places like these. It is hard to describe. The Huertgen is my ultimate goal.
@@ericharmon7163 - Thanks. I really do appreciate that. Especially coming from a fellow history enthusiast. And yes, I'm really hoping to get to the Huertgen someday myself.
I visited in October 2022. Extremely moving and just walking the beach was an incredible experience. There were no words to be said and simply walked the beach and ended up at WN 73. I am going back in the near future for sure.
I’ve been there before for the 60th anniversary of D-Day but at Easy red sector. It had a very unusual energy to it, peaceful but haunting. All in all it’s an extremely humbling experience. Looking at it now, such a beautiful peaceful place it’s hard to think it was the site of such a ferocious and horrible battle. The Same when you pass through the Somme. It’s just miles and miles of beautiful countryside, farmers fields and the occasional small town. Rewind 100 years ago it was the site of one of the most bloody battles in Human history. How time heals! God bless them all. Great video and thank you for sharing
The sites seen so very lovely... Though memories remains... A very very legendary one.. Marked as unforgettable one... To all the gallant n brave liberators.... Tnx for your service... 🙏..❤❤.. We will not forget you all...!!😢 God bless
I can’t thank you enough for your videos. I have always had a heart for soldiers and have had soldiers in our family who went through so much I can’t even imagine. It’s wonderful that you and your wife can share in this experiences by Filming you. God bless you both.
I was at that very spot last July. Seemed strange to see children playing on the beach where once soldiers fought and died for freedom from Nazism. Keep up the excellent work with your videos. I think you'd make a brilliant documentary filmmaker btw
My mom's uncle was in one of the following waves to storm the beach...he never really wanted to talk about some of the things he saw...always respected him so much.
Simply Brilliant Video again. The Emotion that must run through you must be overwhelming... Walking the same foot steps, standing on the same grains of sands that once held souls of your forefathers. Thank you for honoring their memory. Rest In Love Brave Soldiers
I was there in 2015 and did the entire D-Day beaches, museum, towns (Bayeux, Carentan, Ste-Maire-Eglise, Oradour, Coleville etc.) seeing this brings so much memories. Thank you !
Wow! It still amazes me that these guys stormed the beaches successfully. Those bluffs were so incredibly advantageous for the Germans. Seems like it would be impossible to attack it
The History Underground Total respect for the Allied invasion. However, I’ve often wondered if we could have landed at a less fortified location a mile or so either way than at Omaha Beach. We knew that certain beach areas were less heavily defended than others. We knew in advance Omaha was going to be the worst area.
Idk why I've never seen your channel before?!! I'm a massive WW2 buff, and it blows me away that I haven't seen your videos until now! All of these videos are unbelievable! Thank you for sharing these with us!
Thanks for doing this video. I am the son of a man who was a sargeant in the 29th infrantry division. I did not know much about the War because my dad would not talk about it with me because I was young, I guess. I learned much from my older brother. He told me that dad was wounded on Omaha beach from shrapnel in his leg. He continued in the War to the end. He died in 1968, and is buried in Arlington National cemetery.
We were there on the 12th March 2020. It is an amazing but awful place and feels haunted by the ghosts of so many. We can never adequately express thanks or repay the debt that we owe them. May humanity never forget their sacrifice in the hope that we never repeat it.
The History Underground Yes, it’s a terrible place, but beautiful physically and spiritually. The best and worst of humankind encapsulated in a few grains of sand. Whenever I visit the beaches, I just cannot take it all in, most especially the bravery, horror and sacrifice. I doubt that I would have met the challenge...
I’ve often wondered just how many of these brave souls ever pondered what they accomplished on that first day of D-Day. Even after all my years in the military, I still can’t. Great job on trying to convey in your humble way just how these men saw the challenge.
I've noticed in more than a few videos you admit speechlessness. I thought, he should do some prep writing, but then immediately dismissed the idea as it would eliminate the genuine feeling you so expertly express in your videos. Your mastery of delivering the absolute weight of history, dragging out the emotion and feeling of an area, is simply superb.
Ok so I've been playing a videogame Hell Let loose, and when they said that they painstakingly recreated Omaha beach to the finite detail, they weren't kidding! Like holy crap dog green is a one to one including those dam bunker's.
Thank you for these vlogs. After watching them I feel as if I have actually been there. You are a very gifted documentarian. Ken Burns comes in second to you on your realism and passion. Thank you again.
Wow, thank you! That's some pretty high praise but I think that you might have Ken Burns and I ranked upside down :) Glad that you are enjoying the videos.
A fabulous vid.......For all who gave their lives, for all who came back, all our vets. For anyone who gives for their community. For the soldiers, airman and sailors (and first responders) who continue today......
I got to go to this two weeks ago. I can’t wait to go back. This was for me one of the most humbling places I’ve ever been. I’m taking my dad next time.
Great job with the video. Just this past year my 2 brothers and I stayed at an Air bnb right near the 1st American cemetery, with a view of the beach. As you said, words can’t describe. Thanks for keeping this brave history alive.
Sean - That is the primary reason why I created this channel in the first place. My main goal was and is to provide a resource for history teachers and students. Thanks.
This video gave me goosebumps. Why? Because I was there this past June with Russell Pickett, who was in Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Myself as a photographer, our videographer and historian Paul Woodage went back to the very spot on Dog Green where Russell landed with Company A and was promptly wounded. He was armed with a flamethrower that morning and his objective was to silence an MG-42 nest that was protecting a captured Russian artillery piece that the Germans were using. We stood below that bunker, just a bit further west from where you stopped at the casement. We stood there and watched him travel back in time to that morning 75 years ago. We stood there and cried with him. It completely changed my life.
The History Underground yes sir, a small clip was included in our 75th Anniversary video. Search “Best Defense Foundation” and click the video that is titled “48 of my Comrades are buried there”. It features a small snapshot of a handful of the veterans we had with us and Russell is towards the end 👍🏼
@@mccuenoirfilms - Yes! I've actually seen that before. Gosh, what an amazing experience that must have been. I've been trying to get as many of these stories on film while we still can. Amazing what these men did.
The History Underground Agreed! I have some great of photographs from the time at Dog Green with Russell Pickett and I’ll cherish them forever! Actually in the video when it goes to black and white I’m the gentleman with the baseball cap on kneeling down next to Russell!
The History Underground and it was... hmmm... I have no words. Like I said, we all cried standing there at Dog Green listening to him share with us what happened that day and how he felt. It was absolutely heart wrenching. It was an honor to stand there with him.
This, as well of all your videos are so well done. From the breaches to the cemeteries you show us a piece of history with the upmost respect to the "Greatest Generation"...Kudo's to you sir!
That was one of my favorite movies and books! I've gotten my husband to watch a few episodes with me. And my daughter who wants to be a history teacher may eventually watch some. I totally want to watch Band of Brothers again and go on a road trip to civil war spots. 2 of the most fascinating eras.
When it comes to Trump, his family, administration and supporters, it's an entirely appropriate word. If you can't see what he and his family are for, you have no business being a fan of history if can't learn from it.
@nvillamena He may not identify with the word "nazi," but his tactics are right out of early Hitler's play book. Trump is obviously all for fascism and his fan base loves it.
I made a similar comment on another one of these videos. My dad landed on Omaha beach near dog green that morning. He was with the 147th combat engineers, 6th engineers special brigade. He was in Coast Guard LCI US 91. It struck a mine as it neared the beach and was pummeled by german 88's. I've looked into info online about it and it said it struck a mine in dog white sector. He went back to the beach after the war ended and he took a pic of the badly damaged US 91. It was still in the same spot. He also took a picture of a bunker, on it he wrote a caption that said "we landed 100' from here". Damn I wish he was still here. I should have recorded the stories he told me when I was young.
@@jameslezemore5276: I agree. I'm ashamed of what this country has turned into after all the accomplishments and sacrifices that great generation made.
From one traveling historian to another, I would really appreciate it if you left GPS coordinates of some places either in the video or just in the description. Love the content!
One thing that strikes me looking out from those defences and really taking in the scale of what happened, is that although our guys clearly had a hard time of it, fending off the advance as a German soldier must have seemed equally daunting. I don't know what the accuracy of MG42s was like but over those distances and with that many guys on the beach gunning for you, it must have been pretty damn surreal. Truly an horrific time for all and hopefully something never to be seen again. What also strikes me is the beauty and stillness of the beaches.
I am a subscriber of your channel, and I love the content, the history, the story and the feelings that you put in to every single video that you make, today I have watched Ep. 46, 47, now on 48 and each one have super great music that you have added, the songs you have used in the videos is amazing and works well with these videos. I am a former 29th Div member, ‘93-‘13, and love hearing my Divisions history in your videos. Thank you very much for your hard work.
I enjoy your videos very much. I had the opportunity to visit Normandy, and may other places back in 2004. “TRIP OF A LIFETIME” for me as I traveled with a tour group that was accompanied with Two veterans from Easy Company 101 Airborne Div. “Bill Guarnere & Babe Heffron”. It was like traveling with Rock Stars to say the least . We started trip from England traveled across the channel on ferry and traveled by “Following the Footsteps of Easy Company” traveling the various places that Easy Company did. Saints-Mere-Eglise, Sainte-Marie-du-mont, Bastogne, Bois Jacques Forest, Foy and on upward to Eindhoven (operation market garden) and to the end where we visited Hitler’s Eagles Next outside of Obersaizberg, Germany. Final place we visited was where Easy Company did there occupation duty and the wars end in Zell am see, Austria. It was an unforgettable trip. Lots of pictures and memories. (
Visited this exact spot on a tour in 2012. Didn't realize this was the point of landing portrayed in Saving Private Ryan until I looked for Dog One years later. Thanks for the video.
When I retired as a gift to myself, my wife and I went to Europe for a month. It was a military quest and a lot of shopping for the wife. We visited: Luxembourg, Bastogne, Normandy and ended in England seeing the tank museum in Bovington. We spent 3 days at Nornandy and words can't say what we saw and felt. I am retired USAF and a WW2 buff. It was a trip I will never forget and I have the pictures to prove it. I could have spent weeks on the beaches alone. So much history. The cemeteries are without words. I wish I could shake every one of their hands. RIP and thank you.
Now that is one heck of a retirement gift. Good call!
Is it easy to drive around that area? Which is the best town/ village for a base?
thank u for ur service
Thank you for your service!
Make sure you get back there again before the time passes. I try and go most yesrs, besutoful part of the world and I absolutely love it there.
I've been there last February with my Grandpa and both of us being ex-combat Marines we both held each other and had a cry together. Special moment in my life. RIP Grandpa!!!!!
Thank you! My father landed with the 29th. It touches me to be able to see this! He’s been gone 50 years but still brings a tear to my eyes!
Oh wow. Hopefully this video could provide a few visuals to go with the stories.
Thank you for your families service. Yes it is hallowed ground.
Godspeed to your father.
I fully understand your feelings. My dad landed on Omaha that morning with the 147th combat engineers, 6th engineers special brigade. He told me many stories about WW2 when i was too young to understand the magnitude of what he & the world went through. He passed at the age of 90 in 2013. When he was alive I'd buy him a bottle of good Irish whiskey every june 6th. Now I can only put a flag on his grave every june 6th. You & I have much to be proud of.🇺🇸🇺🇸
I visited this exact location at low tide ten years back and walked out as far as I could, then back, thinking of the hell those men went through. Then visited some of the wrecked pillboxes and was surprised to find what appeared to be a French High School class of about forty kids being lectured by an instructor in the period uniform of a US Army Second Lieutenant. They were exceptionally respectful as he told the stories of that day. In the various locales around Normandy you'll find the French people very appreciate of what the Allies did back then, especially the Americans. Whereas in Paris they may still act like snots, in the Normandy area the French still remember and respect what was done to ensure their freedom.
I had a very similar experience. We ran into a French family at the bunkers below the American cemetery. The father talked to us about the veterans that he'd met over the years and told us that we are always welcome there. It's quite the place. Thanks for watching and for the extra insight.
@@TheHistoryUnderground ...thank you for creating this channel. In my opinion, WWII is the most important event in World History and you've inspired me to travel to these destinations to see history with my own eyes. I'm praying my wife will want to come along as well.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Experiences may differ ofcourse, but if you'd look up the bombing campaign leading up on D-day, you'd understand that some people who were there could have mixed emotions. Estimations of up to 50000 civilians casualties leading upto and after Normandy campaign.
Yes they do remember, and still have not forgotten the sacrifices that were made to liberate the French people from the tyranny of the German Occupation. I was privileged enough to have been a soldier with the 29th infantry division from 1989-2009, and walked along that very stretch of beach for the 60th anniversary of D-Day, it truly was a day that I will never forget.
@@dutchdelights unfortunately the civilian casualties were high due to the fact that no warnings of ANY kind could be given for obvious reasons. It has been said, and is true. The cost of freedom does not come cheap, a sacrifice in blood must be paid. The only prevention is the eternal vigilance of a people to never allow their freedom to be compromised by anyone from their own land or from another. Compromise now will be paid in blood at a later date. This is why it is so very important to honor and remember the events and sacrifice made by millions to stop the evil that descended upon Europe, and the world during WW2. As happens all to often with history, if it is forgotten we as a people will be DOOMED to repeat it. And in this case that can not be allowed to ever happen. As it would spell the end of civilization as we know it today.
Here we are, on the eve of D-Day 2020... my grandfather went ashore at Arrowmanches on Sword Beach. I was lucky enough to visit Normandy several times with him before he died. He always used to say "we had it easy". When you see the expanse of open beach at Omaha at low tide, and the cliffs at Point du Hoc, it just blows your mind. They were all so incredibly brave, and we all owe them so much.
Yes the beaches were huge and far apart. Brave day.
Your grandfather must've been some guy I have been visiting the area since 2012 and still find things that amaze me and the courage and bravery of all the allied soldiers. You earn so much respect for their sacrifices and I have been very lucky to meet the veterans who took part the 75th Anniversary was something else 💕
@@PaulSpencerImages2012 Thank you, Paul. He was amazing, and I miss him so much. I must say that every time we visited France we were treated like royalty by the locals too, despite the carnage and their own losses involved in June '44, and often found our money was useless. I'll never forget parking up out little Golf convertible almost under the Eiffel Tower, and a Gendarme coming to move us on. Dad explained he was a D-Day vet, and he couldn't have been any more welcoming and gracious! I think we could've parked on the grass there that day! LOL
I had an uncle who got shot in the back there on D day. Lived to be 88 years old. Love your productions on your videos.
Wow. Imagine the stories that he must've had. Thanks!
My grandfather and his two brothers all fought in WW2, all 3 fought on Normandy as well. My grandfather dropped in the 5th with 101st Abn, the middle brother was in the French Army as a volunteer in the Legion. The youngest of the three was taken from the family farm and pressed/drafted into the Wehrmacht and was in the 12 SS PanzerGrenadiers shooting at Gold Beach. 3 strong men that all cried and hugged each other when they saw Saving Private Ryan.
The music makes my soul ache. I cried thinking of those boys dying so far from home. Though they saved the world, they left many mothers hearts crying for an eternity
Pretty hard when you put yourself I. Their shoes. Must’ve been a tough time.
Im a Canadian but theres still something about that beach that draws my soul to it. Ive read “The Bedford Boys” and i dont know why but for some reason whenever i hear or see anything about D-Day i think of Taylor N Fellers, the Captain of Company A/116. Maybe its because he was only 6 days younger than my Grandfather and luckily my Grandpa was able to survive the war (he was in the RCAF) but it always breaks my heart to know that Captain Fellers and all those young men saw their last sights, and heard their last sounds at a place like that. Beautiful in its present form, but absolute hell on earth as the sun rose on June 6, 1944. RIP
I'm Canadian as well. My dad's cousin James Machan was born in Saskatchewan but they moved to Washington state. He became a US Ranger and died at the Omaha area at Point du Hoc on DDay. So there was at least one Canadian born soldier that died in the Omaha section.
I would feel so incredibly overwhelmed just by standing on that beach.
Thank you for this great video.
Really sobering to see such locations and think about what those men went through. In the midst of the worst conditions they had the courage to move forward against incredible odds. This makes one realize how easy most of us have day to day life now. You are doing a great service to their memory. Videos like this need to be mandatory in every high school. Thank you.
Thank you. That really does mean a lot. The original purpose of me doing these videos was to connect high school students with these historic places. Like you said, the experience is really sobering. Especially when you see families enjoying themselves on the beach and knowing what those men did in 1944 to allow that to happen.
I went to Omaha Beach last year, it gave me goose bumps the whole time I was there. So much history
Very much so!
I have studied the D-Day landings all my life, coming from Roanoke VA, and currently living in Bedford VA, I have gained a much larger appreciation for the sacrifice these men made for our country, and the freedom of the world. I have to admit, this has got to be one of the best tribute videos to date that anyone has ever done of the Normandy beaches. Like you it is a dream of mine to hopefully one day visit Omaha beach, and the rest of Normandy and all the historic land marks in the region. Your footage, history references, and music were incredibly put together, very respectful, and very much appreciated. One day I will fulfill the number one on my bucket list to visit, and pay homage to those giants who went before us and defeated tyranny In the name of freedom. Thank you so much for your incredible work putting these together!
Ethan Walton - Bedford is pretty high on my list of places to go.
I can't express enough how much I appreciate ALL of your videos on WWII. They are beautiful even though this is a tough subject. I am so grateful to the brave men and women who fought and died on those beaches so we could be free today. My concern is that The Greatest Generation will be forgotten. You help to make sure that doesn't happen. Thank you.
My uncle was there that day. I listen.when my mom would tell how traumatized uncle Tom was afterwards and how the littlest things would affect him. What those men went through must have been awful, obviously, I can't even fathom. One of our local residents, Robert Burgett, has written books about his time and experiences. I was honored to have been able to meet him at his home and hear the stories and have him autograph the books. True heros. I hope to one day.visit there.
Thanks for those words. Can't imagine what it must've been like.
I made a mistake, Donald Burgett, not Robert
there is a reason they are "the greatest generation"...
Amen
@@TheHistoryUnderground Hey , you add some goods tunes to your vids , maybe you could give the track names in the description ., cheers , great work , keep keeping on ...
Wayne andrews - Thanks! I’ve had a small but vocal minority that seems to hate my music choices 😅. I’ll start posting the track names in the future.
@@TheHistoryUnderground not everyone has taste , you see , thanks , take it easy & stay safe , cuz ...
@@TheHistoryUnderground I second the comment Wayne made..the music is awesome may have to go back with Shasam and get them that way. 🙂
Been to Normandy about 5or 6 times. Honored to have been there and have talked to veterans. One of the best moments was when we were in that sector, a bus of Canadian veterans stopped. That was in 2004. I don't know how much there were. 30 at least I guess. I shook all of their hands, looked them in the eye and thanked them for our freedom. It was moving for me, and moving for them and moving for my friends who saw what I was doing. It still tears me up when I think of that moment. Eventually in my life I was lucky enough to befriend some WW2 veterans... Sadly there aren't much left now. It is up to us, and you with your fantastic video's here, to continue to tell their story. Thank you Sir.
Wow. Thank you for sharing that. Must have been something else.
To those who wake up every morning and complain about having to go to work. Take a moment and think what those men had to think about that morning when they went to work.
It does give some perspective. Thanks.
My son turns 18 on Sunday and so many folks in my very upper middle class suburb are beside themselves that their kids won’t be able to have a graduation ceremony due to the lockdown this year, completely losing all perspective. I keep reminding my son what those 18 year olds had to miss out on to free Europe and, thankfully, he agrees that he is very lucky.
Yeah, but you also have to think of how some of the freedom they fought for has been lost to corporate greed and fear of terrorism. My father who was part of the greatest generation complained in his dieing days about how things are in this country, how there are no unions anymore, how almost everything is made in China, how the rich have gotten so rich, how there are so many homeless (many of them veterans which I sometimes helped on my lunch break at a veterans center near my former job) and how the government has been eavesdropping on all of our phone conversations since 9/11 due to the "Patriot" Act. All of this from a man who never complained and always told me to not complain, but instead work towards making things right. Which I continue to do despite taking some of my fathers complaints to heart, because I feel as though I have in some way failed to prevent some of these things from happening by not joining or starting a union, or not writing my Congressmen or President enough. Sorry if this was kind of long, but I feel strongly about how American workers are being taken advantage of, and the middle class seems to be disappearing especially with many right now being furloughed or laid off because of COVID 19, but still having to pay their mortgages which in many states UI does not pay enough to cover. Fortunately my father taught me to be a saver, because of what he went through during the Great Depression so I am personally getting by just fine.
Well said
I hated workimg until I became a multi millionaire
I had the privilege of working an internship at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia where the men from Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division were from and it was a very moving experience to hear their stories and see various artifacts and belongings in the archives. It was also when I read The Bedford Boys for the first time and one line always sticks out whenever I read it: “In a matter of minutes, a couple of German machine guns had broken the town’s heart.” 19 men from Bedford County died on D-Day with three more later on if I remember correctly and the town has embraced and honored their legacy very well. It’s a dream of mine to visit places in Europe like Normandy one day and I hope to get there soon. Thank you for this video.
I traveled all around Normandy a few years ago and i had such an eye opening experience that words can't really describe, my sense of love for history is similar to yourself and it still amazes me how fortunate we are today for the loss of the lives and sacrifices our ancestors made to give us hope for a better future. I will one day hope to travel back to Normandy and revisit the beaches and the resting place of the fallen.
It really is an amazing place. Hope to get back there someday myself.
In 2014 myself and another teacher took 50 HS students to France/Belgium/Germany on a WW2 History trip. One of the most amazing trips I've ever taken. We are blessed to have the Army's 1st Infantry Division Museum here locally and they were a FANTASTIC partner in holding informative after school programs for the students to get them ready to fully appreciate the trip. We did it again in 2018. I need to go back without students and really dive deep into the area. I'm a Marine Officer and my interests probably lay a little deeper than the kid's interest in the tactics and strategy. Nonetheless, the kids totally "ate it up"...I still get graduates coming back and referencing that trip. Thank you for all your videos. I'm going to start posting them for my students to see.
Thank you for providing such great detail, and keeping the memory of those who fought there, alive.
Watching through your entire series. Incredibly well done. These are profound, sacred sites - being speechless is appropriate.
Thanks. I really appreciate that. It is definitely humbling to stand in those places. Hope to go back someday.
That was excellent. Thank you
You do a great service to all of the historic spots you allow us to virtually visit with you. Thank you sir!
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Your channel is off the charts good! I live 10 miles from Gettysburg & have been going there everyday for 14 years for work & had no idea they have a museum for anything but things related to the Civil War other than Eisenhower's farm. I had the privilege of getting to see Bob Slaughter speak at Eisenhower's farm in September of 2005 for the WW2 encampment. I was standing in line to meet him but it looked like he was getting tired so i reluctantly went on my way out of respect for a great man who endured things people today can't even begin to imagine even happened.
Oh wow! Thanks!
This brought tears to my eyes. You mentioned A-Company, 116th Regiment, 29th Division! You remembered!!! I deeply appreciate!!!! As I mentioned, my great Uncle Carl survived that hell and made it all the way to the occupation of Germany after the surrender. He was then put on a ship headed to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan. The A-bombs took care of that, however. He was my Fathers' Uncle, and would only talk about his experience with my Dad, and then me when I was old enough to understand and began my interest and studies of WWII. I'm an offspring of that generation. My parents' aunts, uncles, cousins.....Someday....someday I'll land at the place my great Uncle Carl landed. Thank you for these!!!! I'm sure there are many who had someone there that day and I believe I speak for all of them in extending to you our deepest appreciation.
Those guys are legends. Glad that the video was able to connect. I hope that your family enjoys it as well.
@@TheHistoryUnderground The Bedford Boys, as they have been called, 1-116th 29th Division. "29 Let's Go!"
SLA Marshall had an article in The Atlantic, November 1960 titled “First Wave at Omaha Beach “. Awesome read. About Able and Baker companies, 116 Infantry, 29th Division.
Everyone is an offspring of that generation
I wonder if he knew Russell Pickett! The only remaining member of Company A and a dear friend of mine!
I visited Normandy exactly a year ago from the UK. It's somewhere I've always wanted to see. All the beaches, all the landing grounds, all the cemeteries. The entire area has an atmosphere of sadness yet a feeling of great deeds done. I've walked all the beaches and left small poppies for the tide to wash away, walked Pegasus Bridge,
stood in the rain on Pointe-Du-Hoc, and shed a silent tear at Coleville cemetery. The new British memorial on Gold beach is simply beautiful and long overdue.
My overriding thought though is that most of the "men" who took part are around my sons age of 21. The whole region has a feeling of a beautiful sadness.
Thank you so much for all you do. Its so nice to see fellow Americans that care about our history and the men who made it. It is so very important
Absolutely amazing. Although war should never be celebrated, the sacrifice of those who served should be remembered. This is definitely on my bucket list of places to visit.
Of any place that I've ever been, it's my favorite. So much weight there.
@@usernn9891 huh?
Great video and thank you. I visited with my family back in 2014, and my kids were small but old enough to understand. The place is truly surreal, all those years reading about it in school, history books, movies, etc.. and then to stand on that hallowed ground. I agree, a must for any American to visit and see what those men had to run across and endure that hellish fire from the Germans. Thanks again - RIP
I appreciate your videos. I’ve always wanted to experience the Normandy landings and see the memorials. My grandfather was in Europe and eventually in Germany as part of the U.S. Army hospital admin staff during WWII. I’ve seen pictures he shared with me but your videos bring it all to life. The Greatest Generation! In addition, I am a 7th generation American and my family originated in Normandy so the views are even more special to me. Thank you!
Thank you for uploading this. My Dad landed on Omaha on D+3. He was 20 years old (an old man) attached to an artillery unit.Eisenhower once said:"It shows you what free men will do rather than be slaves."
Went there last summer with my dad, an amazing place, thank you so much each and every one of you..........
Pretty amazing place
Was there in 2016. Thanks so much for taking me back again. Words do not describe it. Lest We Forget 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇫🇷
Glad that the videos could rekindle some good memories. It’s quite the place. Thanks 🙏🏼
I just finished reading The Bedford Boys yesterday. What a moving and emotional book. Those Brave young men in Company A were all heroes. As was every other soldier who stormed the beaches at Normandy that day. I can't even imagine. That Greatest Generation sacrificed so much so that we are all free today, Lest We Forget. It's a lifelong dream of mine to visit and pay my respects. I hope I can make it there one day. Thank you for bringing this to life for all to see.
Outstanding book. Glad that I could share the experience.
I know I would be in tears the entire time I was walking along those beaches in France. My uncle served in the 1st WW and I had 2 husband's who were both military as well as myself. These men, and women, gave so much. Those who lived were never the same. Rest in peace my dear precious American soldiers!
All who served and died on all lands need to be remembered. Also, those who serve to protect us today need to be respected. Thank you if you do, screw you who disagree. TSG (ret)" Frenchy" Marquis.
Very much so. That’s part of why this channel exists.
Gary Marquis I visited the Dday landing beaches in 2015 with my dad. He isn’t with us anymore and I’m so glad we did it.
Frenchy, brave smart German soldiers should have turned their gunsights on the subhuman filth known as hitler. Only then would they have been honorable to me.
My Dad came ashore with the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division “C” company, and was wounded immediately. Evacuated to hospital in England and rehabilitated, 6 weeks later back on the front line. Omaha was his 3rd amphibious landing. N.Africa, Sicily, Omaha.
Dang! He sure saw some things then. Wow.
thank you...pass a great thank you to your dad if alive
Vance D. High Died 6/2004, at age 81.
@@johnmorris7209 sounded like a great guy
Visited the beaches and cemeteries in 2005. Unforgettable and emotional experience. It is a trip that everyone should make if they get a chance. This video is well done
🙏🏼
My wife and I were there for the 75th anniversary of D Day. My father was a rifleman in the 29th division. He came ashore on D plus 1. I walked that sector, Dog Green. 300 yards from the bluffs to the water's edge. Amazing anyone got off of there alive on D Day.
Been there 2 weeks ago, it is incredible the vibe of the place, such an emotional experience, almost a presence felt everywhere.
It was my intention to also enjoy a day at the beach, but I just couldn't, it felt disrespectful... Brave men, may they rest in peace.
I greatly appreciate the respect you show to the place and the sacrifice that occurred there. My uncle and namesake was in Co. C of the 2nd Ranger Btn and was KIA in front of the Vierville Draw. Thank you for honoring these men.
Can't help but to be humbled when walking those places. Thanks for the kind words.
I just found your channel last night and I’m absolutely hooked! I love WW2 history and it has been my life long dream to visit these places and you are able to bring that to life for me. Thank you for everything you are doing!
Thanks! Glad that the videos could add an extra layer to what you already know. Always glad to share the experiences with a fellow history buff.
Why would anybody give this video a negative comment? Thanks for sharing this with us. Without remembering our history we are doomed to repeat it.
🤷🏻♂️ Thanks!
I’ve been to the memorial of the ‘Bedford Boys’ and spoke to a lot of the community there. It’s absolutely astounding at how many lives were lost from that one community, seeing you in/near the place where they launched is so eye opening to how exposed those men were. I’ve just discovered your channel in the last few days, but I can’t thank you enough to share these locations. I’m only 21 and my grandfather fought in these exact locations, he landed on these beaches and fought his way to an allied victory. He died when I was only 5 years old so it makes me sad not being able to ask him those questions about the war and just being able to understand what it took for a man to storm the beaches of Normandy, but seeing you here and illustrating what took place here has driven me to look deeper into the past and really understand what these men went through! Thank you!
Edit: I suggest you take a trip to Bedford Virginia and really see how much of a sacrifice a single community went though for the greater good of freedom for the world
Bedford is actually quite high on my list of places to visit. I loved the book The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw and have wanted to visit ever since. Glad that you enjoyed the video and that it filled in some gaps for you :)
My granda stormed the beaches on dday part of the Irish rangers
Amazing what those men accomplished 🇮🇪
Amazing what those men accomplished 🇮🇪
Yea.. weren't they the ones that 'walked' out onto the beach and had a smoke🤔
Christpher R Fritz no they were the ones which revived the only medal for conspicuous gallantry they were the only regiment that saw their entire force hit Normandy by beach or gliders also the same men who fought Sicily silerno and monte casino
Respect.
THX for your videos, and their attention to detail. No spin, just the truth. Your videos should be mandatory viewing in all American school systems. Well Done.
That’s the main reason that I make them. Would appreciate any help in spreading the word !
man i have to say i recently found your channel a few weeks back and iv been binge watching your channel. im a history buff at heart and seeing someone get to travel to these places and live my dream is awesome! keep doing you man you got the support of an entire community that has your back!
I appreciate that. Glad you are enjoying the videos!
The scale and distance is only something you can grasp when you are there
Exactly. I have another video where I get up on the bluffs and overlook the entire beach from the eastern side. The scale is unbelievable.
@@TheHistoryUnderground love your videos btw. I hope to go back someday and explore a bit more in depth. I feel like we are walking in the footsteps of giants at places like these. It is hard to describe. The Huertgen is my ultimate goal.
@@ericharmon7163 - Thanks. I really do appreciate that. Especially coming from a fellow history enthusiast. And yes, I'm really hoping to get to the Huertgen someday myself.
Yes I agree. The distance between the beaches were quite staggering. You wouldn’t know unless you actually visited.
So true
It's so awesome of you to work so hard and share these places and experiences. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
I visited in October 2022. Extremely moving and just walking the beach was an incredible experience. There were no words to be said and simply walked the beach and ended up at WN 73. I am going back in the near future for sure.
This is such a coincidence, I literally just finished watching Saving Private Ryan and when I opened UA-cam this video was the first video on my feed
Ha! Well I’m glad it worked out that way. Thanks for watching.
Same here
Not a coincidence your phone spied on you
I’ve been there before for the 60th anniversary of D-Day but at Easy red sector. It had a very unusual energy to it, peaceful but haunting. All in all it’s an extremely humbling experience. Looking at it now, such a beautiful peaceful place it’s hard to think it was the site of such a ferocious and horrible battle. The Same when you pass through the Somme. It’s just miles and miles of beautiful countryside, farmers fields and the occasional small town. Rewind 100 years ago it was the site of one of the most bloody battles in Human history. How time heals! God bless them all. Great video and thank you for sharing
Well said. Thank you.
The sites seen so very lovely... Though memories remains... A very very legendary one.. Marked as unforgettable one... To all the gallant n brave liberators.... Tnx for your service... 🙏..❤❤.. We will not forget you all...!!😢 God bless
Profoundly moving. Thank you so much. Freedom is worth fighting for.
I can’t thank you enough for your videos. I have always had a heart for soldiers and have had soldiers in our family who went through so much I can’t even imagine. It’s wonderful that you and your wife can share in this experiences by Filming you. God bless you both.
I was at that very spot last July. Seemed strange to see children playing on the beach where once soldiers fought and died for freedom from Nazism.
Keep up the excellent work with your videos. I think you'd make a brilliant documentary filmmaker btw
Thanks. Probably an average documentary filmmaker at best though :)
The fact that children are playing there now is a fitting tribute to the tremendous sacrifices made by all the soldiers!
My mom's uncle was in one of the following waves to storm the beach...he never really wanted to talk about some of the things he saw...always respected him so much.
A lot of those guys carry heavy burdens their entire lives. Can’t even imagine.
Thank for the men who fought and you for making these videos
Thank you!
Simply Brilliant Video again. The Emotion that must run through you must be overwhelming... Walking the same foot steps, standing on the same grains of sands that once held souls of your forefathers. Thank you for honoring their memory. Rest In Love Brave Soldiers
Definitely a humbling experience. Thanks so much for the kind words.
I was there in 2015 and did the entire D-Day beaches, museum, towns (Bayeux, Carentan, Ste-Maire-Eglise, Oradour, Coleville etc.) seeing this brings so much memories. Thank you !
Wow! It still amazes me that these guys stormed the beaches successfully. Those bluffs were so incredibly advantageous for the Germans. Seems like it would be impossible to attack it
Hard to believe, isn't it?
The History Underground Total respect for the Allied invasion. However, I’ve often wondered if we could have landed at a less fortified location a mile or so either way than at Omaha Beach. We knew that certain beach areas were less heavily defended than others. We knew in advance Omaha was going to be the worst area.
No one took into account the courage of free men that day
Thank you for doing these films. They are so well done and are incredibly moving. Take care.
Thank you! It's my pleasure.
Idk why I've never seen your channel before?!! I'm a massive WW2 buff, and it blows me away that I haven't seen your videos until now! All of these videos are unbelievable! Thank you for sharing these with us!
Thanks! Feel free to share with any other WWII buffs that you may know 🙂
Who actuallly dislikes content such as this?!?
Your videos are consistently outstanding.
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Thanks for doing this video. I am the son of a man who was a sargeant in the 29th infrantry division. I did not know much about the War because my dad would not talk about it with me because I was young, I guess. I learned much from my older brother. He told me that dad was wounded on Omaha beach from shrapnel in his leg. He continued in the War to the end. He died in 1968, and is buried in Arlington National cemetery.
We were there on the 12th March 2020. It is an amazing but awful place and feels haunted by the ghosts of so many. We can never adequately express thanks or repay the debt that we owe them. May humanity never forget their sacrifice in the hope that we never repeat it.
Oh wow. We missed each other by just a few weeks. Quite the humbling place.
The History Underground
Yes, it’s a terrible place, but beautiful physically and spiritually. The best and worst of humankind encapsulated in a few grains of sand. Whenever I visit the beaches, I just cannot take it all in, most especially the bravery, horror and sacrifice. I doubt that I would have met the challenge...
Thank you for your series. Your videos are educational and respectful.
Thank you! That's my goal with each one.
I’ve often wondered just how many of these brave souls ever pondered what they accomplished on that first day of D-Day. Even after all my years in the military, I still can’t. Great job on trying to convey in your humble way just how these men saw the challenge.
First, thank you for your service. Second, I cannot fathom what went through their heads approaching those beaches.
I've noticed in more than a few videos you admit speechlessness. I thought, he should do some prep writing, but then immediately dismissed the idea as it would eliminate the genuine feeling you so expertly express in your videos. Your mastery of delivering the absolute weight of history, dragging out the emotion and feeling of an area, is simply superb.
Ok so I've been playing a videogame Hell Let loose, and when they said that they painstakingly recreated Omaha beach to the finite detail, they weren't kidding! Like holy crap dog green is a one to one including those dam bunker's.
that 88 flanking the beach is just brutal. Sad, but also a great strategy. War is hell.
Thank you for these vlogs. After watching them I feel as if I have actually been there. You are a very gifted documentarian. Ken Burns comes in second to you on your realism and passion. Thank you again.
Wow, thank you! That's some pretty high praise but I think that you might have Ken Burns and I ranked upside down :)
Glad that you are enjoying the videos.
Powerful stuff. Your videos are much needed these days. The perfect remedy for the boredom of being stuck indoors! Be safe everyone.
Thanks. That means a lot. Hopefully this can serve as a positive during a difficult time.
The 88 on the beach was taken out by a cruiser early on as a known priority target. That action saved some lives at least.
Very much so. Those things were vicious.
A fabulous vid.......For all who gave their lives, for all who came back, all our vets. For anyone who gives for their community. For the soldiers, airman and sailors (and first responders) who continue today......
Well said. Thanks for the kind words.
Another incredible episode. To those young men that day, the beach must have been a mile deep. God Bless those that landed that day.
Amen to that.
I got to go to this two weeks ago. I can’t wait to go back. This was for me one of the most humbling places I’ve ever been. I’m taking my dad next time.
Great job with the video. Just this past year my 2 brothers and I stayed at an Air bnb right near the 1st American cemetery, with a view of the beach. As you said, words can’t describe. Thanks for keeping this brave history alive.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching. I figure that all of us who are participating on this channel are helping to keep history alive.
The subject and lessons learned from these videos should be part of the National Curriculum for all students.
Sean - That is the primary reason why I created this channel in the first place. My main goal was and is to provide a resource for history teachers and students. Thanks.
I wonder how many bullet casing's and other things are still buried in the sand. It's just fascinating
Hard to say. I'll bet that it's a bunch.
There's nothing to be found there now. It's been totally cleaned up years ago.
@natesway34 one day I hope to go and see for myself.
This video gave me goosebumps. Why? Because I was there this past June with Russell Pickett, who was in Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Myself as a photographer, our videographer and historian Paul Woodage went back to the very spot on Dog Green where Russell landed with Company A and was promptly wounded. He was armed with a flamethrower that morning and his objective was to silence an MG-42 nest that was protecting a captured Russian artillery piece that the Germans were using. We stood below that bunker, just a bit further west from where you stopped at the casement. We stood there and watched him travel back in time to that morning 75 years ago. We stood there and cried with him. It completely changed my life.
Interesting! Is that video available anywhere? Or an interview?
The History Underground yes sir, a small clip was included in our 75th Anniversary video. Search “Best Defense Foundation” and click the video that is titled “48 of my Comrades are buried there”. It features a small snapshot of a handful of the veterans we had with us and Russell is towards the end 👍🏼
@@mccuenoirfilms - Yes! I've actually seen that before. Gosh, what an amazing experience that must have been. I've been trying to get as many of these stories on film while we still can. Amazing what these men did.
The History Underground Agreed! I have some great of photographs from the time at Dog Green with Russell Pickett and I’ll cherish them forever! Actually in the video when it goes to black and white I’m the gentleman with the baseball cap on kneeling down next to Russell!
The History Underground and it was... hmmm... I have no words. Like I said, we all cried standing there at Dog Green listening to him share with us what happened that day and how he felt. It was absolutely heart wrenching. It was an honor to stand there with him.
Thank you so much for these videos and maintaining the memories of these brave men.
This, as well of all your videos are so well done. From the breaches to the cemeteries you show us a piece of history with the upmost respect to the "Greatest Generation"...Kudo's to you sir!
Thank you very much!
These DDay videos are awesome. I am learning so much! Thank you for your time and detail to bring this to us.
Awesome. Marvelous presentation, History Underground. As always. Cannot thank you enough for your work. It has such powerful impact.
🙏🏼
That was one of my favorite movies and books! I've gotten my husband to watch a few episodes with me. And my daughter who wants to be a history teacher may eventually watch some. I totally want to watch Band of Brothers again and go on a road trip to civil war spots. 2 of the most fascinating eras.
Thank you for sharing as a Combat Vet this means a lot ...God Bless America
Well thank you. It means a lot to me for you to say that. 🇺🇸
@@TheHistoryUnderground keep up the great work ... 11B 4 life
Ted Wong 👊🏻 🥾
Sadly today, people throw the word "Nazi" around carelessly.
Drives me insane.
and the people who use that word today would be just as hated by the nazis as everyone else was
When it comes to Trump, his family, administration and supporters, it's an entirely appropriate word. If you can't see what he and his family are for, you have no business being a fan of history if can't learn from it.
BonOrbitz oh shut up
@nvillamena He may not identify with the word "nazi," but his tactics are right out of early Hitler's play book. Trump is obviously all for fascism and his fan base loves it.
On those beaches heroes changed not only the fate of a war but the course of history itself the worlds darkest hour became their finest
I made a similar comment on another one of these videos. My dad landed on Omaha beach near dog green that morning. He was with the 147th combat engineers, 6th engineers special brigade. He was in Coast Guard LCI US 91. It struck a mine as it neared the beach and was pummeled by german 88's. I've looked into info online about it and it said it struck a mine in dog white sector. He went back to the beach after the war ended and he took a pic of the badly damaged US 91. It was still in the same spot. He also took a picture of a bunker, on it he wrote a caption that said "we landed 100' from here". Damn I wish he was still here. I should have recorded the stories he told me when I was young.
Every man who landed in Normandy that day was a hero
@@jameslezemore5276:
I agree. I'm ashamed of what this country has turned into after all the accomplishments and sacrifices that great generation made.
Fantastic video! Visited this area and the other beaches in 2006. I will never forget the feeling of walking those beaches. Thank you from Canada!
From one traveling historian to another, I would really appreciate it if you left GPS coordinates of some places either in the video or just in the description. Love the content!
I've had that idea. Need to get a website up and running :)
One thing that strikes me looking out from those defences and really taking in the scale of what happened, is that although our guys clearly had a hard time of it, fending off the advance as a German soldier must have seemed equally daunting. I don't know what the accuracy of MG42s was like but over those distances and with that many guys on the beach gunning for you, it must have been pretty damn surreal. Truly an horrific time for all and hopefully something never to be seen again. What also strikes me is the beauty and stillness of the beaches.
German soldiers should have been plotting and succeeding to assassinate the subhuman filth known as hitler. Then they would have been real heroes.
I am a subscriber of your channel, and I love the content, the history, the story and the feelings that you put in to every single video that you make, today I have watched Ep. 46, 47, now on 48 and each one have super great music that you have added, the songs you have used in the videos is amazing and works well with these videos. I am a former 29th Div member, ‘93-‘13, and love hearing my Divisions history in your videos. Thank you very much for your hard work.
New to this channel and loving it.. I’ve wanted to visit these locations for a while... Great job!
I enjoy your videos very much. I had the opportunity to visit Normandy, and may other places back in 2004. “TRIP OF A LIFETIME” for me as I traveled with a tour group that was accompanied with Two veterans from Easy Company 101 Airborne Div. “Bill Guarnere & Babe Heffron”. It was like traveling with Rock Stars to say the least . We started trip from England traveled across the channel on ferry and traveled by “Following the Footsteps of Easy Company” traveling the various places that Easy Company did. Saints-Mere-Eglise, Sainte-Marie-du-mont, Bastogne, Bois Jacques Forest, Foy and on upward to Eindhoven (operation market garden) and to the end where we visited Hitler’s Eagles Next outside of Obersaizberg, Germany. Final place we visited was where Easy Company did there occupation duty and the wars end in Zell am see, Austria. It was an unforgettable trip. Lots of pictures and memories.
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I STAND to Honor those American and Allied forces who died and fought hard to secure our freedom~USAF Vet
Amen to that.
Visited this exact spot on a tour in 2012. Didn't realize this was the point of landing portrayed in Saving Private Ryan until I looked for Dog One years later. Thanks for the video.
My pleasure! Kind of cool to see that actual site of the landing.