OT: June 6, 1944

[billybud]

My dad was shot down near St. Mere Eglese on D Day...while being fired upon from across a field, he hid in the ditch until he could meet up with troopers from the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment...eventually he got back to England.

His co pilot was dragged into the ditch with a broken back and the troopers got him to a field hospital...I talked to the co pilot as a kid...guest of the family...and have never forgotten that this man, in his mid 20's, had to live the rest of his life without legs....these guys deserve whatever Uncle Sam can give them.

 

[Nostical]

Over 600,000 people died in the Civil War, an appalling number.

Was it worth it?

 

[gopher2]

Was it worth it?

Apparently a majority of those who lived in that era believed that it was, north and south. That's why they kept at it for 4 long years.

 

[Palatine]

Twice as many soldiers died of disease as died from combat in the Civil War. Sanitation was not as well understood as it is now. It remains one of the deadliest conflicts ever fought by humans.

 

[tiger8mush]

Was it worth it?

Imagine what your Boneyard avatar would look like if you were born in Georgia 150 years sooner with darker colored skin. That should answer the question.

 

[Exit 4]

Imagine what your Boneyard avatar would look like if you were born in Georgia 150 years sooner with darker colored skin. That should answer the question.

Hmmmm, I'm pretty sure you have misunderstood his point.

 

[tiger8mush]

Hmmmm, I'm pretty sure you have misunderstood his point.

quite possible. He quoted a post saying 600k people died fighting the civil war, and he asked if it was worth it.

 

[Guapo]

quite possible. He quoted a post saying 600k people died fighting the civil war, and he asked if it was worth it.

The country, and the world, is better off because the North won.

Simple as that.

 

[BlueandOG]

The 29th and 1st army divisions assaulted Omaha Beach, the toughest of the day. I served in the 29th when Saving Private Ryan was released. I was very proud, by association, when watching that opening scene. However, it also gave me pause. I hoped I would have had the mettle to do what my division mates did that day. True courage.

 

[buckley503]

Twice as many soldiers died of disease as died from combat in the Civil War. Sanitation was not as well understood as it is now. It remains one of the deadliest conflicts ever fought by humans.

Touring the Battle of Fredericksburg site, it was explained how the soft lead musket ball was designed to go through the first soldier and into the next behind him. This would carry dirty cloth, bacteria, and other junk into him for the goal to wound and then eventually kill from disease.

 

[CL82]

Touring the Battle of Fredericksburg site, it was explained how the soft lead musket ball was designed to go through the first soldier and into the next behind him. This would carry dirty cloth, bacteria, and other junk into him for the goal to wound and then eventually kill from disease.

I'm reading Chris Kyle's American Gun. Not surprisingly it talks about the gun technology and the Civil War (among other things.) Lincoln actually had a shooting range behind the WH and used to try out guns. He had ordered better guns for the North but was resisted and delayed by head of procurement, apparently because he believed that ease of loading would cause soldiers to use too many bullets! Kyle believes that the CW could have been over years earlier if the better technology had gotten to Union soldiers. Based on your comment above, you might enjoy the book.