VE DAY TODAY

[Ben_Rumson]

VE DAY TODAY Just saying

[jeepnik]

I had to stop and think about 30 minutes ago. I saw a flight of 5 AT-6's fly over the harbor and right about where the USS Iowa is moored, they performed an missing man maneuver. Then I remembered what to day is.

My dad was the only one of his generations to serve in the USA. Every one else was in the USN and spent their time in the Pacific. Dad spent time in North Africa, Sicily, and went from France to Germany.

VE day is pretty much the day he figured he'd survive the war. Ronsons had a bad habit of burning when hit with an 88. Good thing he did survive, or I sure as heck wouldn't be here to remember this day.

[GonnePhishin]

Yes, Blessings to all those who are left of that generation who won the war.
Yes, we won that war only to now have ultimately lost the country.

[JohndeFresno]

Yes, Blessings to all those who are left of that generation who won the war.
Yes, we won that war only to now have ultimately lost the country.

When I saw the above listed subject line, that's the first thing that popped into my mind. But then...

It is true that our country has some major problems - and I don't want to say anything more that will shove this into the Politics subforum - but were it not for the sacrifices of our veterans, and even those at home, our country would not have been free for as long as it has been, to prosper and share freedom with the rest of the world.

To put it another way, we could be worse off, now, were it not for the patriots who bled and sacrificed for us in the past. It's up to us to step up and do what we need to do to fix this generations problems to preserve what our forefathers struggled and died for.

What we need to do is totally apparent to me, but that would again shove this thread into another forum dealing with politics and even religion. Suffice to say that we need to get serious about doing the right thing - each of us individually.

[CowboyTutt]

I have been following this a lot actually since I am a first generation Ukrainian-American and I have been to Ukraine 2 times now. It is such hypocrisy that Russia makes such a big deal about a victory over fascism when the current Russian government resembles Mussolini's government in Italy or Hitler's reign in Germany. I am hoping and praying we elect a stronger President in the U.S. than we have now, whose very foreign policies have created more instability than even Putin has done, quite frankly. If America does not lead, no one does.

I sure celebrate those who were there, are still alive, and fought so bravely. Seeing those still alive with scars from bullet holes, it is very sobering......

-Tutt

[Griff]

That was my Dad's war... I used to call him every VE Day and thank him. Now I'm saved the phone call, but a prayer for him and all his compatriots is 1st on the day's agenda now.

[claybob86]

Ronsons had a bad habit of burning when hit with an 88.

If the Ronson's in your pocket when the 88 hits it, does that matter?

Anyway, God bless the folks who won that war. Regardless of the present condition of this country, the world is still a far better place than it would have been otherwise!

[GonnePhishin]

If the Ronson's in your pocket when the 88 hits it, does that matter?

I believe that posting was in regard to the Sherman's we used being hit by a German 88 artillery piece compared to a Ronson lighter.
The Sherman being very prone to exploding when hit by the incoming shell.

[claybob86]

Thanks!

[JohndeFresno]

Y'all are pretty close:
1) Yup, our British allies first called our Shermans "Ronson's" when they flamed up when hit by 88's, and -

2) The 88 shells that ate our tanks for breakfast were usually fired from the dreaded German Panzers. Their main 88mm gun was a better penetrator and out reached the range of our best tanks. Our 75mm tank shells bounced off their thicker armor unless we placed a perfect, straight on shot to a certain area of their war wagon (don't remember exactly where).

3) Our tank victories, and many others, were generally won by outproducing the German war machine, and outmaneuvering them by hit and run techniques and superior numbers.. We cranked out many more tanks than they could produce; and their Panzers were indeed expensive and scarcer than is represented in most war movies.

Many tank warriors were killed or wounded; we tend to overlook that and concentrate on the bomber crews that didn't return. The best illustration of how our tank crews suffered is perhaps portrayed in the recent war movie, "Fury."

[jeepnik]

Yep, Ronson was the nickname given to the Sherman. Gasoline fueled.

They weren't, individually, a match for the German tanks. But, we did the same thing the North did to the South. We had more.

There were over 49,000 Shermans built. Total German tank production was also just over 49,000. But, we had other models besides the Sherman. Some had names like Lee, Grant, Pershing & Stuart (the tank corps seem to like Civil War generals). Add to that some other light and heavy tanks, and we simply overwhelmed them.

[JohndeFresno]

Sorry, Jeepnik - I was editing my entry when you were working on yours, and it looks like you are just repeating what I said, even though you weren't. We both agree, of course, based upon what history has recorded.

[jeepnik]

Sorry, Jeepnik - I was editing my entry when you were working on yours, and it looks like you are just repeating what I said, even though you weren't. We both agree, of course, based upon what history has recorded.

What's the old saying, great minds think alike.

[Ben_Rumson]

Chalk it up to gallows humor...Ronson made cigarette lighters which they advertised “would light on the first strike”.

[Ysabel Kid]

I marked it!

[gamekeeper]

VE Day celebrations have been going on all weekend here in the UK.
I thank the USA and the Commonwealth countries for making that possible.