That’s The Longest Day (1962) starring John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton and Henry Fonda. Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Red Buttons and Sean Connery also appeared in it. Maj. Werner Pluskat: [on the phone again] You know those five thousand ships you say the Allies haven’t got? Well, they’ve got them!
The Longest Day was also a military simulation board game (of the d-day invasion) published by Avalon Hill in the ’80ies. It was one of their “monster games” with probably 1000s of counters and 100+ rulebook. Loved those games back then…
My dad was on the Nevada (BB-36), in the crows nest, making sure they weren’t making smoke before the start of the bombardment.
As he told it to me in one of the few times he related pieces of his three and a half year hitch, “When the start time came, they lit off a broadside of all 10 (14 inch) guns. She listed so far, that I thought she was going over and I was holding on for dear life. Thank God they didn’t do that again. About 5 minutes after that, tracers were coming in from the beach and I figured they’d found us and I didn’t have to watch for smoke and ducked behind the plating."
Are you aware of what the “D” in “D-Day” means? It just means “day”. Therefore “D-Day” becomes “Day-Day”. The invasion was actually called “Operation Overlord” D-Day was the day the invasion commenced. My father was part of it. He flew a Lancaster.
And yet 75 tears…years later that same kind of mind set that started the war is rising now. from Hungary to the USA even to Brazil and Austria. Russia is helping it along to grow and fester. Don’t forget why they fought. It is happening again.
Does anyone know where to get the score for the only background music on the film (at the end), preferably Mitch Miller’s arrangement used in the movie. We have been trying since the movie came out to find it. The French Canadian regiment at Juno has a straight march arrangement as one of their official regimental marches, but they did not answer my inquiry and I didn’t trust my ability writing French enough to use their language. We wanted it while there were still veterans of Overlord in the audience, but would still like to have it, even if a bit late.
My favorite scene is where Sean Connery and his mates are holding a bridge but are about to be over run and they are waiting for reinforcements . Things get pretty dicey and then you hear a bagpipe and here comes the Scots marching in formation , playing their bagpipes and they march right through all the bombs and bullets like they are on parade .
No, that was the first Star Trek movie, otherwise known as “The Motionless Picture.”
And if you think “The Longest Day” movie was long, try living through that day, or one like it. That’s why the movie has that name. If you lived through it, it was an eternity.
Charlton Heston actively sought the role of Lt. Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort, but the last-minute decision of John Wayne to take the role prevented Heston’s participation. At 55, Wayne was 28 years older than Vandervoort at the time of action (and 10 years older in real life). All the other major actors accepted $25,000 as payment, but Wayne insisted on $250,000 to punish Zanuck for referring to him as “poor John Wayne” regarding Wayne’s problems with his lavish film The Alamo.
I do like this comic—-touching and genuine, but this missed the mark. With the first four waves suffering over 50% casualties, and the first taking 90%, it was very much indeed a Longest Day. And no movie can ever capture it all.
As I walked across the yard looking at all the dandelion puffballs that had popped up, I thought, “These are endless.” Yet they don’t compare to the rows and rows of crosses in the cemeteries at Normandy.
I watched the coverage of the ceremonies this morning. Very moving. Many of the veterans in their 90’s there today probably won’t be there for the 80th. God bless them. Many of them saluted when the presidents walked on stage and tried to rise when the anthems were played. XOX
Husband’s dad had been drafted, gone through basic training and it was time to be assigned to go and fight. The family story is that they stopped the line at him. Those in front of him went to D-Day. He and the fellows (at least immediately) after him went to India.
My dad was on the young end. He was a “voluntary draftee”. Meaning that he was in the draft, but got tired of waiting and volunteered. He was sent down south for basic training and then assigned to some special program back here in NYC. (It also existed at other locations, well at least one other location – VMI.) It was beyond Officer’s training. We never got complete details, but it was some sort of engineers training and supposedly for men too valuable to be sent overseas. (Not sure if that was just his mother’s opinion of him.) However the war ended before his training did so the question of where he would be serving never came up. Decades later (and after dad died) we went to the Spy Museum in DC. As we walked around I kept pointing at things and saying to husband things like “Dad had that!” “Dad knew how to do that!” and the like – makes me wonder if he was in spy training.
baddawg1989 almost 5 years ago
That’s The Longest Day (1962) starring John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton and Henry Fonda. Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Red Buttons and Sean Connery also appeared in it. Maj. Werner Pluskat: [on the phone again] You know those five thousand ships you say the Allies haven’t got? Well, they’ve got them!
Clotty Peristalt almost 5 years ago
The Longest Day was also a military simulation board game (of the d-day invasion) published by Avalon Hill in the ’80ies. It was one of their “monster games” with probably 1000s of counters and 100+ rulebook. Loved those games back then…
amethyst52 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
“In Flanders field the poppies blow, between the crosses row on row…”
jarvisloop almost 5 years ago
“The Longest Day” is one of my favorite movies of all time, as is the book. Ambrose’s book is an extremely close second.
jarvisloop almost 5 years ago
For me, this day is both profoundly stirring and depressing.
jarvisloop almost 5 years ago
Final comment: I suggest reading today’s Peanuts.
joedon2007 almost 5 years ago
Thanks and prayers for all those who participated today – 75 years ago.
assrdood almost 5 years ago
Longest movie – Clever!
formathe almost 5 years ago
It was longer for those that participated. Trust me.
Plods with ...™ almost 5 years ago
My dad was on the Nevada (BB-36), in the crows nest, making sure they weren’t making smoke before the start of the bombardment.
As he told it to me in one of the few times he related pieces of his three and a half year hitch, “When the start time came, they lit off a broadside of all 10 (14 inch) guns. She listed so far, that I thought she was going over and I was holding on for dear life. Thank God they didn’t do that again. About 5 minutes after that, tracers were coming in from the beach and I figured they’d found us and I didn’t have to watch for smoke and ducked behind the plating."
david_42 almost 5 years ago
In one of my ROTC classes, I was assigned D-Day logistics. “How much toilet paper will be needed?”
soap12 almost 5 years ago
Thanks to all who served in WW II and thanks to all who served at other times.
DaveQuinn almost 5 years ago
Are you aware of what the “D” in “D-Day” means? It just means “day”. Therefore “D-Day” becomes “Day-Day”. The invasion was actually called “Operation Overlord” D-Day was the day the invasion commenced. My father was part of it. He flew a Lancaster.
Zapbessacarr almost 5 years ago
I’m watching it as well.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault almost 5 years ago
Some spent a lifetime that day.
JohnDough almost 5 years ago
If you think the movie is long, you should have been there.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] almost 5 years ago
And yet 75 tears…years later that same kind of mind set that started the war is rising now. from Hungary to the USA even to Brazil and Austria. Russia is helping it along to grow and fester. Don’t forget why they fought. It is happening again.
Hippogriff almost 5 years ago
Does anyone know where to get the score for the only background music on the film (at the end), preferably Mitch Miller’s arrangement used in the movie. We have been trying since the movie came out to find it. The French Canadian regiment at Juno has a straight march arrangement as one of their official regimental marches, but they did not answer my inquiry and I didn’t trust my ability writing French enough to use their language. We wanted it while there were still veterans of Overlord in the audience, but would still like to have it, even if a bit late.
special k almost 5 years ago
My favorite scene is where Sean Connery and his mates are holding a bridge but are about to be over run and they are waiting for reinforcements . Things get pretty dicey and then you hear a bagpipe and here comes the Scots marching in formation , playing their bagpipes and they march right through all the bombs and bullets like they are on parade .
scaeva Premium Member almost 5 years ago
No, that was the first Star Trek movie, otherwise known as “The Motionless Picture.”
And if you think “The Longest Day” movie was long, try living through that day, or one like it. That’s why the movie has that name. If you lived through it, it was an eternity.
Daeder almost 5 years ago
I thought he was watching “An Hour Too Far”.
cosman almost 5 years ago
Charlton Heston actively sought the role of Lt. Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort, but the last-minute decision of John Wayne to take the role prevented Heston’s participation. At 55, Wayne was 28 years older than Vandervoort at the time of action (and 10 years older in real life). All the other major actors accepted $25,000 as payment, but Wayne insisted on $250,000 to punish Zanuck for referring to him as “poor John Wayne” regarding Wayne’s problems with his lavish film The Alamo.
foxmike6513 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I do like this comic—-touching and genuine, but this missed the mark. With the first four waves suffering over 50% casualties, and the first taking 90%, it was very much indeed a Longest Day. And no movie can ever capture it all.
well-i-never almost 5 years ago
As I walked across the yard looking at all the dandelion puffballs that had popped up, I thought, “These are endless.” Yet they don’t compare to the rows and rows of crosses in the cemeteries at Normandy.
amethyst52 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I watched the coverage of the ceremonies this morning. Very moving. Many of the veterans in their 90’s there today probably won’t be there for the 80th. God bless them. Many of them saluted when the presidents walked on stage and tried to rise when the anthems were played. XOX
mafastore almost 5 years ago
Husband’s dad had been drafted, gone through basic training and it was time to be assigned to go and fight. The family story is that they stopped the line at him. Those in front of him went to D-Day. He and the fellows (at least immediately) after him went to India.
My dad was on the young end. He was a “voluntary draftee”. Meaning that he was in the draft, but got tired of waiting and volunteered. He was sent down south for basic training and then assigned to some special program back here in NYC. (It also existed at other locations, well at least one other location – VMI.) It was beyond Officer’s training. We never got complete details, but it was some sort of engineers training and supposedly for men too valuable to be sent overseas. (Not sure if that was just his mother’s opinion of him.) However the war ended before his training did so the question of where he would be serving never came up. Decades later (and after dad died) we went to the Spy Museum in DC. As we walked around I kept pointing at things and saying to husband things like “Dad had that!” “Dad knew how to do that!” and the like – makes me wonder if he was in spy training.