"THE HOPES & PRAYERS OF LIBERTY-LOVING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE MARCH WITH YOU"

JUNE 6:  D-DAY* 75TH ANNIVERSARY 

Normandy, France (JFK+50) On June 6, 1944, "the largest amphibious invasion in world history" took place on the beaches of Normandy.  Combat soldiers of the United States, Great Britain and Canada, supported by thousands of ships and aircraft, came ashore to free Europe from Nazi control.

The Allies put across the English Channel "the greatest armada in world history" composed of nearly 7000 vessels from 8 navies, 1200 plus combat ships, over 4000 landing craft, and 700 plus support craft.  In the air were more than 8000 airplanes including 3455 heavy bombers and 3824 fighters.

156,155 men made the landing and in less than one week 326,547 men and 54,186 vehicles were ashore.  The U.S. First Army, including airborne troops, attacked Omaha and Utah beaches.  Gold, Juno and Sword beaches were hit by the British Second Army which included airborne troops, the Canadian 3rd infantry and French commandos.**

Even with this massive war machinery, it took the efforts of some very brave men to win the day.  Dr. Rob Citno, senior historian at the National WWII Museum argues...

"It wasn't weaponry...the difference was a small number of brave GIS and officers who refused to knuckle under to catastrophe.  Men who refused to admit defeat."

Tom Brokaw appropriately refers to these men as "the Greatest Generation." 

General Dwight D. Eisenhower was supreme commander of Allied Forces for Operation Overlord.  On the eve of the invasion he spoke these words to his army...

"You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade.  The eyes of the world are upon you.  The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you."

*D stands for day, the beginning of a military operation.  Each day that follows is designated in numerical order, D+1, D+2, D+3, etc.  Just after midnight on June 6 1944, thousands of paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines in France.  Air & naval bombardment began just before 6 a.m.  Allied infantry began landing at 6:30 a.m.   By midnight, all five beaches were securely held by the Allies.

**The landings, although successful, were not without cost.  It is estimated that 2499 Americans & 1914 other Allies paid the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of liberty.

SOURCE

'ARMS AND THE MAN':  REMEMBERING D-DAY, by Rob Citino, USA TODAY, Subscriber-Exclusive Special Section, June 2, 2019.

U.S. LCVP Landing Craft

Approaching Omaha Beach

June 6, 1944

US Army Signal Corps Collection

National Archives Photo

THE "GREAT CRUSADE" BEGINS!

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1972

D-DAY WAS 72 YEARS AGO TODAY

Normandy, France (JFK+50) Seventy-two years ago today, June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops from the decks of 5,000 ships took part in the largest amphibious assault in world history.

The landings, which were made in Normandy on the northern coast of France, were preceded by airborne assault landings by 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French troops.

A beachhead was established along a fifty mile stretch of beach divided into five sections code named... Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

The Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, said in a radio address to the troops before the historic day began...

"Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the American Expeditionary Force:
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months.  The eyes of the world are upon you.  The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you."

D Day Landing

 Photo by Robert F. Sargent, USCG

RFK DIED 48 YEARS AGO 

Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) Forty-eight years ago today, June 6, 1968, New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy died at the Good Samaritan Hospital here in Los Angeles.

The Senator was pronounced dead at 1:44 a.m. more than 25 hours after he was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel* following a speech celebrating his California primary victory. 

Doctors operated on Senator Kennedy for 3 hours and 45 minutes but were pessimistic due to the extent of bullet and bone fragments they found scattered through the brain.

RFK had been walking through the hotel kitchen pantry and was shaking hands with some employees when 24 year old Sirhan Sirhan** opened fire.  The assassin fired 8 shots from a 22 caliber Iver Johnson pistol.  3 shots hit RFK.  

Five other people were struck by bullets but all survived.  They included...
Elizabeth Evans, Ira Goldstein, Paul Schrade, Irwin Stroll and William Weisel.
With the Senator at the time of death were his wife Ethel, sister-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy, brother Ted, Peter Lawford and Steven Smith.

    
*The Ambassador Hotel (1921-1989) was located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.  Designed by Myron Hunt and offering 500 rooms, it was frequented by many Hollywood celebrities.  Six Academy Award ceremonies were held there.  The hotel was the home of the famous Coconut Grove night club.  It closed in 1989 and was demolished in 2005.

**Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was born in Jerusalem in 1944 and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12.  Described as a Palestinian Christian with Jordanian citizenship, he was tried for the murder of RFK in 1969

SBS was convicted and sentenced to death but received a commutation to life imprisonment in 1972. He has been held in solitary confinement at the Pleasant Valley State Prison in Colinga since Oct 2009.

SOURCE

 "RFK assassination witness willing to testify for Sirhan Sirhan's lawyers," by Brad Johnson and Michael Martinez, www.cnn.com/. 

Robert F. Kennedy on Campaign

Photo by Evan Freed (1968)

RFK DIES IN LOS ANGELES

BOB KENNEDY DIED 47 YEARS AGO

Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy died forty-seven years ago this morning, June 6, 1968, at the Good Samaritan Hospital here in Los Angeles.

The Senator's death at 1:44 a.m. came more than 25 hours after he was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel* following a speech celebrating his California primary victory.  Doctors operated on Senator Kennedy for 3 hours and 45 minutes but were pessimistic due to the extent of bullet and bone fragments they found scattered through the brain.

RFK had been walking through the hotel kitchen pantry and was shaking hands with some employees when 24 year old Sirhan Sirhan** opened fire.  The assassin fired 8 shots from a 22 caliber Iver Johnson pistol.  3 shots hit RFK.  

Five other people were struck by bullets but all survived.  They included...
Elizabeth Evans, Ira Goldstein, Paul Schrade, Irwin Stroll and William Weisel.
With the Senator at the time of death were his wife Ethel, sister-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy, brother Ted, Peter Lawford and Steven Smith.

SOURCE

 "RFK assassination witness willing to testify for Sirhan Sirhan's lawyers," by Brad Johnson and Michael Martinez, www.cnn.com/. 

Robert F. Kennedy on Campaign

Photo by Evan Freed (1968)

"Bobby is now in the realm of legend and myth, and even in death inspires an effort to improve the lot of humanity."

                                   William J. Eaton, 1969
     
*The Ambassador Hotel (1921-1989) was located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.  Designed by Myron Hunt and offering 500 rooms, it was frequented by many Hollywood celebrities.  Six Academy Award ceremonies were held there.

The hotel was the home of the famous Coconut Grove night club.  It closed in 1989 and was demolished in 2005.

The Ambassador Hotel

Los Angeles, California (2004)

**Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was born in Jerusalem in 1944 and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12.  Described as a Palestinian Christian with Jordanian citizenship, he was tried for the murder of RFK in 1969

Sirhan was convicted and sentenced to death but received a commutation to life imprisonment in 1972. He has been held in solitary confinement at the Pleasant Valley State Prison in Colinga since October 2009.  

INVASION!
JUNE 6 1944

London, U.K. (JFK+50) More than 160,000 Allied troops from the decks of 5,000 ships took part in the largest amphibious assault in history seventy-one years ago today, June 6, 1944.

 The landings, which were made in Normandy on the northern coast of France, were preceded by airborne assault landings by 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French troops.

A beachhead was established along a 50 mile stretch of beach divided into five sections code named... Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

The Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, said in a radio address to the troops before the historic day began:

"Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the American Expeditionary Force:
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months.  The eyes of the world are upon you.  The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you."

D Day Landing

 Photo by Robert F. Sargent, USCG

D DAY JUNE 6 1944

D-DAY INVASION 70 YEARS AGO 

London, U.K. (JFK+50) More than 160,000 Allied troops from the decks of 5,000 ships took part in the largest amphibious assault in history 70 years ago today, June 6, 1944.

 The landings, which were made in Normandy on the northern coast of France, were preceded by airborne assault landings by 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French troops.

A beachhead was established along a 50 mile stretch of beach divided into five sections code named...

Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

The Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, said in a radio address to the troops before the historic day began:

"Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the American Expeditionary Force:

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months.  

The eyes of the world are upon you.  The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you."

 D Day Landing

 Photo by Robert F. Sargent, USCG

RFK DIED 46 YEARS AGO 

Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy died 46 years ago this morning, June 6, 1968, at the Good Samaritan Hospital here inn Los Angeles.

The Senator's death at 1:44 a.m. came more than 25 hours after he was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel* following a speech celebrating his California primary victory.

Doctors operated on RFK for 3 hours and 45 minutes but were pessimistic due to the extent of bullet and bone fragments they found scattered through the brain.

Senator Kennedy had been walking through the hotel kitchen pantry and was shaking hands with some employees when 24 year old Sirhan Sirhan** opened fire.

The assassin fired 8 shots from a 22 caliber Iver Johnson pistol.  3 shots hit RFK.  One entered at point blank range behind the right ear while the other two entered behind RFK's right armpit.

Five other people were struck by bullets but all survived.  They included...

Elizabeth Evans
Ira Goldstein
Paul Schrade
Irwin Stroll
William Weisel

With the Senator at the time of death were his wife Ethel, sister-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy, brother Ted, Peter Lawford and Steven Smith.

Robert F. Kennedy was 42 years old.

Just as in the JFK and MLK assassinations, there has been discussion about the possibility of a conspiracy in the killing of RFK.

Last year, as reported by Brad Johnson and Michael Martinez of CNN, eyewitness Nina Rhodes-Hughes, who was standing a few feet behind RFK when he was shot, offered to testify at the next parole hearing that she heard 12 to 14 shots.

SOURCE:  "RFK assassination witness willing to testify for Sirhan Sirhan's lawyers," by Brad Johnson and Michael Martinez, www.cnn.com/. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/08/justice/california-rfk-second-gun

       Robert F. Kennedy on Campaign
           Photo by Evan Freed (1968)

"Bobby is now in the realm of legend and myth, and even in death inspires an effort to improve the lot of humanity."

                                                                                    William J. Eaton, 1969
     
*The Ambassador Hotel (1921-1989) was located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.  Designed by Myron Hunt and offering 500 rooms, it was frequented by many Hollywood celebrities.  Six Academy Award ceremonies were held there.

The hotel was the home of the famous Coconut Grove night club.  It closed in 1989 and was demolished in 2005.

                     The Ambassador Hotel
             Los Angeles, California (2004)

**Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was born in Jerusalem in 1944 and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12.  Described as a Palestinian Christian with Jordanian citizenship, he was tried for the murder of RFK in 1969

Sirhan was convicted and sentenced to death but received a commutation to life imprisonment in 1972. He has been held in solitary confinement at the Pleasant Valley State Prison in Colinga since October 2009.  

     

BOB KENNEDY DIES 25 HOURS AFTER SHOOTING

June 6, 1968


BOB KENNEDY DIES 25 HOURS AFTER SHOOTING


New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy died at 1:44 a.m. at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, California.


Death came more than 25 hours after the Senator was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel.


Doctors operated on RFK for 3 hours & 45 minutes but were pessimistic due to the extent of bullet & bone fragments they found scattered through the brain.


Senator Kennedy had just completed a victory speech in the hotel ballroom & was proceeding to walk through the kitchen to reach a service elevator when Sirhan Sirhan fired a pistol at the Senator from point blank range.


With the Senator at the time of death were his wife Ethel, sister-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy, brother Ted, Peter Lawford & Steven Smith.


Robert F. Kennedy was 42 years old.

       Robert F. Kennedy on Campaign
           Photo by Evan Freed (1968)


"Bobby is now in the realm of legend & myth & even in death inspires an effort to improve the lot of humanity.  A foundation was created to raise $10 million as a memorial.  The funds are to be used to attack the nation's most serious social problems.  Action....was an approach Bobby would have liked."


"A Man of Action & Compassion" 
          by William J. Eaton
    World Book Yearbook (1969) 


RFK Words to Remember


"Our GNP measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country.  It measures everything....except that which makes life worthwhile.  And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."
                                                                 
Speech at the University of Kansas

RFK Greets Young Americans


June 6, 1944


ALLIES MAKE LANDINGS AT NORMANDY


More than 160,000 Allied troops from the decks of 5,000 ships took part in the largest amphibious assault in history today in Normandy on the northern coast of France.


The landings were preceded by airborne assault landings by 24,000 British, American, Canadian & Free French troops.


A beachhead was established along a 50 mile stretch of beach divided into 5 "code-named" sections:  Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno & Sword.


The Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, said in a radio address to the troops before "D-Day" began:

"Soldiers, sailors & airmen of the American Expeditionary Force:  You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months.  The eyes of the world are upon you.  The hopes & prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you."

                     "D Day Landing"
    Photo by Robert F. Sargent, USCG


June 6, 1961


JFK SPEAKS TO THE NATION AFTER TRIP TO EUROPE


President John F. Kennedy spoke to the American people tonight on live television.


JFK said:


"The people of Paris, of Vienna, of London, were generous in their greeting.  They were heartwarming in their hospitality.  We knew that the crowds & the shouts were meant....for the country that we represented which is regarded as the chief defender of freedom."


"The Soviets & ourselves....have wholly different views of right & wrong...&...different concepts of where the world is & where it is going."


June 6, 1962


JFK SPEAKS AT WEST POINT


President Kennedy gave the commencement address today to the graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.


The President said: 


"The demands that will be made upon you in the service of your country...will be...more challenging than ever before in history (but) above all you will have a responsibility to deter war as well as fight it."

       Cadet Chapel at West Point
        Photo by Ahodges7 (2008)


June 6, 1963


JFK SPEAKS AT SAN DIEGO STATE


President Kennedy said today at San Diego State University:


"There is no greater asset in this country than an educated man or woman."

 San Diego State University Campus
      Photo by Nehrgms2020 (2006)