D-Day

[ArlyA]

A fellow we knew who was a machinist for Allis-Chalmers* in Milwaukee WI when the war broke out, or at least when the USA officially joined in..... He said he worked daily for Allis for the wars duration. That's a long stint...

*farm machines was a tinny portion of this manufacturer.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dad is on left standing. He said they traveled in box cars sometimes...

 

[3930dave]

Not that long ago, I was looking through some archival photos (Kodak collection?) of WWII. One was of a Cadillac factory, that was converted to tank production. Start of conversion to rolling tanks out, in some crazy short period; something like 40 days.

In recent years, a D-Day commemorative film was being made. A D-Day veteran was flown to France, to perform as a consultant on the film. Once on-location, he became worked up about the actors they chose, saying they shouldn't be using "children". The actors showed him their real-life personal IDs..... the veteran said it was only on that day it really sunk in, how young they all were, back when.

D-Day: 1 things you might not know about the Normandy invasion - BBC News

Rgds, D.

 

[Molalla1]

Not that long ago, I was looking through some archival photos (Kodak collection?) of WWII. One was of a Cadillac factory, that was converted to tank production. Start of conversion to rolling tanks out, in some crazy short period; something like 40 days.

In recent years, a D-Day commemorative film was being made. A D-Day veteran was flown to France, to perform as a consultant on the film. Once on-location, he became worked up about the actors they chose, saying they shouldn't be using "children". The actors showed him their real-life personal IDs..... the veteran said it was only on that day it really sunk in, how young they all were, back when.

D-Day: 1 things you might not know about the Normandy invasion - BBC News

Rgds, D.

Dave, how well I know this . . . I was a old man in SEA at the time.

 

[ovrszd]

Dad is on left standing. He said they traveled in box cars sometimes...View attachment 608266

Yep. My Dad rode a boxcar train to the East coast.

 

[ArlyA]

That had to be the worlds worst form of transportation.

Yep. My Dad rode a boxcar train to the East coast.

 

[ovrszd]

That had to be the worlds worst form of transportation.

Then he boarded the Queen Mary (if I remember correctly) luxury liner bound for England. It was gutted and packed full of soldiers. Slept on the floor in rows. Toe to toe. Vomit sloshed on the floor. Said he would do anything to get off that ship.

 

[Molalla1]

War it was . . .

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dad went over on Queen Elizabeth. They packed thousands on it. From new york to scotland, zigzagging the whole way to avoid german subs.
The QE could not go all the way to dock, they ferried them off on smaller boats, then got on a train the night they arrived and went to central england.

 

[Molalla1]

Dad went over on Queen Elizabeth. They packed thousands on it. From new york to scotland, zigzagging the whole way to avoid german subs.
The QE could not go all the way to dock, they ferried them off on smaller boats, then got on a train the night they arrived and went to central england.

My Dad was in the navy on minesweepers in fact the vessel he was on was commissioned just months before I was born . . . buckeyefarmer :drink: your Dad is a hero . . . .