June 06, 2004

Pointe du Hoc

On the 40th anniversary of D-Day, Ronald Reagan recounted the story of the Rangers who fought at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy.

WE stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon.

At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers - the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing.

Read the entire speech here.

U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc

View of the coastline from Pointe du Hoc

Remnants of a German bunker at Pointe du Hoc
Compliments of naval artillery fire

Comments:

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And to think that out of those 225 Rangers, only 90 walked away uninjured.

Posted by: Jakester at June 7, 2004 08:48 AM

1942-The Army Air Force called Reagan to active duty and assigned Lt. Reagan to the 1st Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, California, where he made over 400 training films.

July 22, 1943-The Army honorably discharged Capt. Reagan.

1945-1965-Reagan resumed his acting career after the war. Reagan made fifty-three motion pictures and one television movie.

Posted by: Jakester at June 7, 2004 10:13 AM

How did he make captain in a year? Why was he in uniform for only a year? What did he do for the last two years of the war while others fought and died?

Posted by: The Token Librul at June 7, 2004 12:34 PM

Many people have served their country many ways. How much do you think he should have done? What about the guys who refueled planes or fixed vehicles or served in chow lines back in the States? Was that enough? Did they have to go to France to have actually served their country in a way that would suit you?

Posted by: Jakester at June 7, 2004 01:57 PM

You didn't answer anything. When everyone else was in "for the duration," how did Dutch get away with spending only one year in uniform in the middle of a world war? (No wonder AWOL w thinks so highly of Dutch...neither finished his tour of duty during a war.)

Posted by: The Token Librul at June 7, 2004 03:36 PM

1937-Reagan enlisted in the Army Reserve as a Private but was soon promoted to 2nd lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the Cavalry

He had served previously as well. He was 32 when he was Honorably discharged. The army obviously thought he had served his country. I was just trying to imagine exactly how many lives he saved through 400+ training videos. 400! Shown to thousands of men heading into combat. Later, he was elected as Governor of California. Then, won a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter. He then served his country for 8 more years.

Posted by: Jakester at June 8, 2004 07:43 AM