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[This message has been edited by Cold Warrior]

I shedded my uniform and headed for the Syrian catholic church of our lady of Deliverance. Church was packed, everyone in their Sunday best, service was by archbishop Matoka in Aramaic. I didn’t understand a thing but it was nice to hear what Jesus would have sounded like. The Presbyterian church of pastor Mehanni had an armed guard during their service, they were afraid of suicide bomb attacks like those that occurred against Christians in Pakistan after the US went into Afghanistan. Some marines gave the pastor an AK-47 to protect himself, which he reluctantly accepted. Well, like my grandfather used to say in WW2….praise God and pass the ammo.

Some of you guys have asked what went wrong at Omaha beach in WW2.Two things, first the aerial bombardment (that was supposed to destroy the German defences and make some foxholes on the beach) was off course about 2 miles. Second, most of the DD Sherman tanks were launched 3 miles out and sunk. I think Omar Bradley messed up here, he should have pulled out or waited for some tanks to make it ashore.

If any of you guys go to France be sure to check out the Memorial at the Normandy American National Cemetery at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer which overlooks Omaha Beach. There are over 9,000 graves, the most famous  there is of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Next to him lies his youngest brother Lt. Quentin Roosevelt. He was a World War I pilot who died in France and was reburied there when the cemetery was made. The son of Theodore Jr..Quentin Roosevelt II, was also on Utah beach on D-Day.

... in response to Easter in Baghdad, posted by Cold Warrior on Apr 21, 2003

on the problems at Omaha Beach - sans 'The History Channel.'

It certainly is comforting to see Christians in harmony - in the Middle-east, of all places.

And, yes, the distiction between the composition of our armed forces from 1914 to today. This, if only in the %'s of congressional 'children' involved today vs yesteryear.

God Bless, Vaughn

... in response to Easter in Baghdad, posted by Cold Warrior on Apr 21, 2003

They were the floating type, and were in 3-5 choppy seas, thus the floats were designed for smooth sailing - not chop.

Also, the drivers had no inclination about driving a boat, into a wave verse going against the wave sideways, thus toppling the tank over and sinking it with the crew inside to a 30' grave.

... in response to Re: They had plenty of Sherman tanks, posted by wsbill on Apr 22, 2003

The DD (duplex-drive) Sherman had a canvas camouflage outside and was only visible a few feet above water. The drivers were off-course and tried to turn and use a church steeple as landmark, unfortunately they hit the waves broadside and were swamped.

... in response to Right, posted by Cold Warrior on Apr 22, 2003

story as I did. LOL.

... in response to You must have seen the same history chan..., posted by wsbill on Apr 22, 2003

I met an old french diver in Normandy about 4 years back. he had 2 Shermans in his back yard and had seen some more on the seabed. we were trying to figure out what went wrong with the landing, according to British military records the tank drivers were instructed to look for the the church steeple as a landmark. What did they say on the History channel?

... in response to French Diver, posted by Cold Warrior on Apr 22, 2003

But some guys with I think the national geographic society is mapping the bottom of the beach front.   Was using side scan radar.  JSTARs for under water.