First Soldier On Omaha Beach Describes The Horror Of D-Day | Remember WW2
2023 ж. 5 Мау.
308 085 Рет қаралды
This is the account of a D-DAY FRONTLINE VETERAN shares HIS experiences 79 Years AGO TODAY
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I need you all to step up please to get these WWII veterans on camera. They saved the world and deserve basically to live forever on camera. Please help me continue to interview these WWII Heroes. Please sponsor a future interview at www.rememberww2.org. Thanks and GOD BLESS THE WWII HEROES!
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This old gentleman is still sharp as a tack
Thank you for doing these interviews , my dad was on Omaha beach that morning and he was a Brit part of an RAF unit that got almost wiped out .
Pppa00
Bro youre such a scumbag lmaoo exploiting these heros for profit, paying them NOTHING for their time & service, then BEGGING and guilting the audience into paying for something that is entirely your responsibility (and is covered 50x over) by your content revenue. Tech support scamming would be more moral than what you do🤡
My Uncle was in the first Negro Battallion to actually see combat under Patton in the Battle of The Bulge. His name was Leo Journet from St Martinville Louisiana. He had light skin and blue eyes but was more than 1% black. Same for my father. We're Creole and spoke Creole French as our first language. They changed Patton's mind about the fighting capabilities of "Negro" soldiers. He never ever talked about it. Always changed the subject to fishing and such. My Aunt Marie showed me his box of medals once. There was a purple heart medal she let me wear for just a moment before my uncle came home. He didn't like to show those medals. Called it showing off. We fished a lot. It was very quiet and peaceful fishing with him. I worshiped that man.
Wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
Your uncle was a great man. Thank you!!
God bless him!
I'm from Louisiana and know exactly where St.Martinville is. That's a wonderful memory and I wish Patton would have gave every soldier the same equivalent respect as a warrior should be honored by.
@@whydahell3816 "given"
This is my great grandfather
"It isn't hard to remember, it's hard to tell." Wow... that just hit me
My dad was a Fighter/Bomber pilot in the South Pacific he never talked about it,either.
Sir, there isn't any way that I could respect you more.
One real American here, if only half of our country would share his values and patriotism. What an honor to hear the courage and sacrifice so many gave for our Freedom. Bless this man.
And will never go to war again.
Yep!!
War is wonderful, lets sing a song.
What's sad are legal immigrants standing up for our flag and freedoms; while citizens born here don't appreciate our CONSTITUTIONAL Freedom and GOD given rights. In Glendale CA, folks of Armenian descent are standing up for our flag and freedoms. They are questioning the school board about teaching K-3d grade about transgenderism and sexual preferences. Suddenly ANTIFA showed up to "back" members of the LGBTQ community pushing back against these families having the gumption to question them. One gentleman if Armenian descent was holding an American flag. A member of ANTIFA and the LGBTQ community wanted to destroy the American flag and chanting about injuring those who had the balls to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The Armenian gentleman asked why they wanted to destroy the American flag but protecting the gay pride flag. This infuriated them especially when he told them no one was taking the American flag from him. The Armenian won. Where is this hatred for our country, values, constitutional freedoms and GOD given rights coming from? Why was a group of children singing the NATIONAL ANTHEM inside the Capitol Building in DC told to stop? They had permission to be there and perform. The Capitol Building Police declared our NATIONAL ANTHEM as a "song of protest". This is egregious and shameful. May GOD bless America. More importantly, may God bless GOD while we still can.
@Nelson Vecchione . The purpose of our military is to protect our country from attack and defend our CONSTITUTIONAL freedoms and GOD given rights. This oath includes attack from an outside force or from within (tyranny on the part of our own government). As Teddy Roosevelt said America should walk quietly but carry a big stick. Meaning: we will leave folks alone but don't push our buttons. Eisenhower tried warning of the military (Pentagon types) colluding with defense contractors (supported by media to spread the "right information") which isn't the purpose of our military. Our military is to be feared. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to Eisenhower. Now we have a single source defense contractor charging $400,000 per Stinger missile. When we had 2/3 contractors trying to make them, these same weapon systems cost $25,000. That's quite a difference. We have Generals retiring who are to wait 5 yrs before getting high paying positions with defense contractors. They receive a waiver instead allowing them to take these jobs. Their insight from the Pentagon makes them a much wanted employee. Or they become lobbyists for these contractors. Once again, their connections at the Pentagon make them invaluable. No waivers should be granted. Return our military into a fighting machine and we'll equipped. Forget the WOKE LGBTQ climate change BS. Their role is to protect and if necessary fight to win. Why are we in Ukraine? We have zero insight into the billions of dollars funneled there. Nothing was done to Russia when they invaded during the Obama yrs.
twenty years ago while in church, that Sunday was on the 6th of June, one of the older members interrupted the preacher and asked if he could speak, it was 11:00 am, he said at this very time on June 6th, 1944 I was a driver of a landing craft and dropped my first load of soldiers on Omaha Beach, the hardest part for me was going back for the next group after seeing all the first killed on the beach
Oh this hit me like a load of bricks and couldn’t breath for a few trying not to cry. God, I want to hug this veteran so badly. Really, what else could he have done??? These were his orders and there was a job to do, a huge one. What we ask of our soldiers seems like too much sometimes for any human to take.
I hope he found peace that’s a ruff thing to live with
Being cannon fodder is what we agree to do as a soldier. We go onto battlefield already accepting we are going to die, that's the mindset you have. And you're okay with that
@@shable1436lemme tell you like an old Marine told me. "War isn't about dying for country.. it's about making the other SOB die for his"
I am a doc and had the honor of taking care of one of these landing craft pilots from D-day.... He told me about having to drive over American soldiers to deliver his soldiers onto the beach... He had never told anyone about having had to do that. Today's youth and older have no appreciation for what these men did.
What a great interview. I'd like him to know there are still people who appreciate what they did.
There are millions here in Europe. I live in the Netherlands and we have waiting lists to care for fallen heroes’ graves. My son and I regularly bring cans of Heineken to the graves of a bomber-crew that crashed in our village.
79 years ago and this soldier remembers like it was yesterday. Amazing!
No disrespect to his service that helped give me the freedom I have enjoyed all my life but, the first V1 (buzz bomb) fired in anger was against London on June 13th 1944. ???
Did this guy say he shot Hitler though? Idk man. That memory might be a little suspect. Also hard to believe he was the first guy on the beach... what are the odds? Also why would there have been so much blood already if he was the first on the beach? Why would he say their were dead bodies everywhere when he stepped out if he was the first on the beach?
@@TheMapman01 He said he'd shot a chalk figure of Hitler that he thought was an actual person at the time and that his buddies kidded him about shooting Hitler from then on.
@@TheMapman01He said that was when he looked back later
@@TheMapman01, I’m not trying to confirm or disprove his story, but lots of guys got hit in the landing craft before they ever got to the beach. Some went over the side of the L.C.’s and got shot while trying to get to the beach. That would explain why the water was red and the bodies were washing in, especially if the tide was coming in. 🤷🏻♂️
These men are so precious. They are a treasure to our nation.
To the free world.
well said!
Just to see what everything has come to. I feel disgusting to have them see what they all died for. For nothing
@@jessestinson9252it wasn’t for nothing, concentration camps were liberated and helped stopped the Führer from actually possibly succeeding on his plan of world dominance. Don’t think they were really thinking of todays degenerates..
This soldier is a national treasure. I could listen to him forever.
Thank you for your service Bill. A true hero of mine. My Great Grandfathers brother John Michaels, served as a rifleman in Co. A, 1st Bn., 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. On June 6th, 1944, my Uncle John was in the 1st Assault wave at Dog Green sector. Though he survived he’d be killed at the battle of St. Lo, on July 11th, 1944. Am greatly appreciative to hear Bills story. May God bless
my great uncle was killed at St. Lo too
Thank you, Sir, for my freedom.
Nothing will scare this Gentleman. Humble, brave, hero, true American.
It’s not about being not afraid or scared. It’s about what you do when you are scared.
Bill Parker, 98, of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed away Sept. 11, 2023. Rest easy sir
😔🙏🏻
Awesome! My father was a WWII Veteran. He was an air mechanic in the Army Air Force and was stationed in England. He saw action over England, France, Belgium and Germany. My father took most of his secrets to his grave. I am a Vietnam Veteran. Recently one of my brothers and also my granddaughter talked me into telling my story so that it would not be lost forever like my father's story was mostly lost.
Happy to hear it.
Hey, although that may have been difficult to recount, I salute you(figuratively) for doing so. Let me say from PERSONAL experience in which my grandfather fought in the Korean (War), yet never recorded, through print or voice media, a narrative of any length or depth of detail about his experiences. When I was very young, I asked him questions multiple times and got stories that appeared to deliberately exclude the actual combat experience he had. He focused on the fun and hilarity they had in bar fights with troops from a rival service or experiences in the boxing ring he had fighting in the Navy. His nickname was K.O., for obvious reasons and I learned alot about heart, bravery, timing, precision, and courage from his recounting of many of his bouts. He was very modest, in nature, so I had to pry details from him. My great uncle, who actually fought in the Korean War as well, was great for filling in all the blanks so I could get a more detailed and complete documentation of all the knockouts he got on people. Anyway, he, a hero, did indeed fight in the war, but he passed away when I was 14 years old and I wish with all of my heart that I had those accounts and achievements. If for nothing else, to just hear his voice again. Please do not underestimate the value you represent for your loved ones. Dont be afraid to appear in any negative light or way. Its not for you. Its for the family that want to know where they fit in the world, where they are from, and what you did to pave the way and how, It gives them that sense of belonging to a group and they are proud that you tried to do your part. Most of all, the later generations will want to be able to HEAR YOUR VOICE. Be corny and tell them you love them and encourage them to get everything they can out of life and to leave the Earth better than they found it or whatever you want them to hear.
Trauma never really goes away. As he is telling his story sometimes he pauses with that thousand yard stare, he is reliving every moment of it. God bless you sir, and thank you
The story of “the little girl” and what the toy she gave him meant to him hit me hard, very hard!! What an amazing interview. Thank you sir. Much respect for you and the generosity of your generation.
Reminds me so much of my grandfather. Just as soft spoken. Also on Omaha beach during H hour. Thank you for your service sir! God bless you!
Thank you for your service to a FREE and grateful nation.
This interview is interesting on so many levels. That a man lived through one of the most pivotal battles in modern history is still alive. That at his advenced age he's still lucid and remembers so many details. His non chalant delivery of the horror. And finally his accent and syntax. There are not many people left with a pre-WWII western accent like his.
I was thinking that as well. There are videos of regional American English dialects , and this is a great example. His diction should be preserved.
That's Oklahoma.
That's the way most of the southerners speak still to this day😂, everyone around my area still has a hillbilly accent, and I live in South western Virginia
@@shable1436 This guy's accent and word use is really different. I grew up in Texas and this guy's accent was common with older fold but it's rare to hear it now.
@@Atitlan1222 People get around more than they did back in his day so different dialects from all over the country are becoming more and more rare.
What an Incredible Man.
Very grateful to the folks who took out time to sit with Bill. To Bill for his service that spans decades. This interview is one of many to ask our veterans for sharing these experiences and details that take great strength and heart to tell.
Thank you for your service Sir. Also, thank you Rishi for what you are doing here with these videos. I work in a Veterans Care Program in Canada where most of those we care for are still WW2 Vets, but that will not be the case for much longer, we are losing them so quickly. Videos like this are so important for building a living memory of the sacrifices made for our freedom, so that we will never forget.
What service .. You mean you have not discovered what the war was about yet..
@@dominiclarosa489 Tell me you are braindead without telling me you are braindead.
Make the videos there!
@@pamelaoliver8442 they do
A true American hero!! I’m surprised he can sit in that chair because this man has some damn big ass balls!!!! Should be a statue of this man in Washington DC along with several others who gave everything they had and more. I’m not worthy to even be privileged enough to listen to this man. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Nothing but respect and admiration for him and all of the others. Thank you sir.
I can’t even imagine what you went thru landing on that beach, especially being in the first wave, then also the rest of the war and all the other battles and horrors you had experienced. I am in awe and in complete respect and I deeply thank you for putting your life on the line so that I might have a better life. Thank you so very much!,,,,,🎉❤❤❤❤❤ I don’t think I can ever re pay your efforts. RESPECT.
his closing comment about "we had to fight in WWII and all the others after were by choice." he is 1000000% correct.
One Veteran to another separated by 35 years. I salute you Sir.
The greatest generation, God Bless you sir, we only give these men one day to remember them, other groups we give whole months, very sad times we are living in!!!!
We even elected a draft dodger in 2016. Pathetic
What ' groups ' are you referring to?
You are a legend sir!
I always like how a lot of men from this generation say "why" a lot when they talk. Like at 9:43 he says when talking about using bangalores to destroy barbed wire. Also at 10:48 he says "It got time to go, why, we went over the side and went down netting that looked like rope ladders." I've noticed this with the few audio recordings of civil war veterans being interviewed too.
I think that these older generations use the word “why” like younger generations use the phrase “um”!
I was born in 1955 and had many teachers, coaches & co-workers who were veterans of WW2. None would ever talk about what they saw. Now I know why. GOD Bless you sir for your service.
You sir are a true hero 🙏 I had an uncle Elmer who was also on Omaha and at the Bulge , he was a forward artillery observer. Thankfully he survived the war
The last 5 min. or so says it all. That's why him, my father and thousands more, from that time period, were "The Greatest Generation".
What a sweet and honorable man. God Bless you sir for your service. 🇺🇸🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🇺🇸
Reminds me of when I was a young boy sitting at the feet of men who had fought in WWII. Real men, each and every one!🙏💪❤️🇺🇸
This is a fantastic story of WW2 soldiering. Let us thank this Gentleman Veteran for telling us what happened. His story is amazing in specifics. He led from a dozen to soon later up to 30 men as a Private. Led them off away inland from the D-Day Landing itself. His fellow GIs followed him, asked him what are we to do. He was understood in life and death conditions as a Leader by others. The officer saw him with all the men following him. He said, I'm just a Private as the rest of the men here. The officer said, You're a Sargeant now. His is a fascinating description of being trained as a wire cutter and tasked with the bangalore torpedo on The Landing to free the infantry into initial combat off the sand. D-DAY! A fellow GI rifleman right behind him shoots an enemy rifleman who was a split second from shooting him point blank dead. Soon right after that the fellow GI was killed in action. "He saved my Life. He died later that day. I never got me a chance to thank him. For saving my life. That bothers me."
I'm eating a box of cookies in bed while watching this, and it struck me how easy it is for me right now because of men like this. I can lay here and watch my internet videos because of that red water he talks about. Thank God we had warriors like this, we can't let their stories be lost to time. What a treasure this man is, I hope to have just a pinch of the bravery this guy did before I die. Beautiful.
He’s a great soldier and human
Just finished. This is absolute and complete. If this man’s stories of bravery and courage under circumstances unforeseen were never documented, and others like him as well, then I’m thinkin what a massive loss it would be for the generations to come. Remember this man. This man is a shining example of a heart made of true light, and a soul of the true potential, that man can be.🇺🇸 Also, an everlasting thanks to the people and production of this documention. Your work is appreciated and valued.🇺🇸
He is a true soldier that served our country and I believe he is still serving with his positive actions
He served not just your country.❤
Thank You Sir!! You are true Hero!! your Courage is always Remebered, and never Forgotten!❤
Thank you for your service! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Wow what a fantastic man.He is the definition of the greatest generation
What a great soldier!
Thank you sir for your service. My dad was also in a follow up unit after your unit went in and he passed away in 2002 and you are part of truly the greatest generation of our country! Thank you again for your service.
Bill Parker is in the top 1% of the top 1% of honest honorable Americans. If there were more like him the world would be a much better place.
Thank you for my freedom.
That man is a survivor.
I will always be more grateful than I could ever express, to men like this one, for making it possible to live my life. And I’ve had a long one so far. I’ll be 59 on September 10.
Incredible. He remembered such fine details.
Awesome human being! I am privileged to have heard his story God bless him
Powerful story of a committed soldier. Interesting little details that he shared. Thanks to all our Veterans who served.
Thank you for your sacrifice and service. Men like you are as rare as hens’ teeth!! God Bless you and yours!!
Thank you sir my life has been good thanks to hero's like you we are forever grateful. i cannot imagine what you went through :(
Thanks for your service and war stories Bill Mate my grandfather was in WWII in the Australian Army i have all his war certificates and discharge from the Australian Army in 1946 when the war finished he said the best year's of his life was in the Australian Army I'm very proud 🇦🇺
What a great story teller... Poor guy. What a hero.. God bless him...❤
Thank you for your service.
Moving and poignant! Yet so many Americans hate their own country, but without men like this serving during time of war to keep us free they’d have no country to hate. Thank you for your service sir!
Freedom isn't free. Thank you for you're service sir!
Thank you sir for what you had to go through it must have been hell. I caint even imagine it. My grandfather who has long passed away was in WWII also
From the research I've done and seen something around one in three fatalities during the initial invasion waves were due to drowning. And all together about one in six casualties were water related. When you have so many people having to get over and threw that much water the water becomes almost as dangerous as the enemy.
Now this Gentleman is someone you admire and respect and look up to 🇺🇸💪🏻
Thank you for your service. I am a fellow Oklahoman, my grandfather was in the Army fought in WWII and Korea.
My mother's uncle was on Omaha Beach, these were truly brave Men.🇺🇸
Thank you guys, you had balls! 🙏💐from France 🇫🇷
I cut some timber for an old black veteran in killen Alabama back in the 90s. He said "Lord Lord son, deys men floatin on the water like leaves on a pond in the fall of the year.". As best I can remember it, wish I'd a set down and talked with him about the war. Young people.
Brave men. Very brave men.
I could listen to him for hours and hours.
An amazing personal history. It was great to hear and I could picture the events as he described them. Very vivid recollections. A great American. Very much a man of his generation. Thanks.
Sir thank you for being an excellent example of an American. You can tell by how humble he speaks he has integrity. Thank you to the channel these stories are priceless and very important for posterity.
Thank you for your service. God Bless!
Thank God you made it through, and thank you for the testimony
That is one true American hero thank you
This Guy does' nt make or take me for any kind of effort to completely respect and love him - what an example of a man - today- film stars and Pop Idols are worshiprd- but this guy beats them all hands down - God Bless him -
It was so hard getting dad to talk about his time on this beach. Too late now. Thanks for bringing this gentleman’s story back to me.
My grandfather never spoke about it. His purple heart says he was in Normandy from 42 till 46. He was in a tank that's all I know. My aunt has a picture of all his brother at a Cafe in France. Wish I could get to know more about his service but I don't think I will.
I watched your story in fascinated awe Mr Parker. Your heroism is in inspirational and your conduct on the battlefield humbling. God bless you, and thank you, we are eternally grateful- Your British friends 🤝
He is willing to talk about the GI he told to get rest in the foxhole they were in. He had to leave the foxhole to find out what happened to the move out attack. He returned to find the GI he just met dead from a direct shell hit. His M1 rifle is splintered to pieces right out of his hands by the projectiles of an enemy machine gun, just barely close to killing him. He saw many, many dead killed all around him all through his time in the battles. He really went through a mountain of combat, while he was just inches from machine gun fire killing him several times. He almost loses his foot to gangrene. He had to see GIs frozen to death. An amazing Story of miraculous survival.
The sense of battlefield humor he has amazing. The part about the prettiest dimples I'd ever saw, had me spitting out my drink😂
What a wonderful man.
I used to live in Slapton. There are still bullet holes in the walls in the village from US army training and a tank on the beach that was dredged up that sank during training (something to do with Operation Tiger?). Beautiful village and old tower that was built by a knight to whom Geoffrey Chaucer (Wrote the Canterbury Tales) was a squire in the 1340's. The buildings in which the builders lived (including Chaucer) are now a pub called the Tower. Layers of history. The prison he was on about was probably Dartmoor.
I am Grateful for your service Bill. And for the Freedom You Provided...
I really can’t find the words right now, thank you Sir.
Civilians will never understand the hell of war nor the smell of the cordite and blood spilled ..That is one reason combat veterans remember the hell of it on that first day of combat…And most will never forget the nightmare of it..Doc…🇺🇸
Thank you thank you thank you 👍🇨🇦
This is what our grandparents did when they were kids.
Thank you, Mr. Parker for serving our country and freedom.
I am so honored to live in a country with such heroes!! Mr. Bill Parker is a true American hero and I will remember him as long as I live.
Thank you sir and all the people who fought for our freedom on that day.. God thank you for giving us the victory.. I pray for this nation to get back to the way you want it Lord.. I pray you forgive me and all of my fellow brothers and sisters for taking our freedoms for granted.. Thank you God for letting me be an American.. Thank you God of Israel!!!
This man, having grown up in the mountains, sounds neatly exactly like my grandfather. Grandpa was from the hills of Kentucky. Papaw was a small man like this man. His speech makes me smile and feel good on the inside. Thank you for your service. The way he speaks is identical to papaw. I've never heard another man speak so much like papaw. Unreal.
He grew up in eastern Oklahoma on the Texas and Arkansas state lines....within 100 miles of the Ozark mountains, similiar to the Appalachians...Notice the saddle behind him....maybe a child hood like Sargent York from WWI.
The ending. He describes the little girl giving him the gift. Because he's a Veteran. Man, that really touched something in me that I cannot put words to.
Me too
Exactly! That story was epic!!
@@howardjohnson6189 That, which he, the honorable Veteran shared, is truly an EPIC story that reaches deep into the Heart and Soul.
Thank you for your service, sir! 🇺🇸
Great video documentation. Well done.
My absolute & utmost respect 🫡 From Ireland 🇮🇪🇺🇸
Thank you for your service, and sacrifice, Sir. The world would be a much, much darker place if not for the sacrifice and struggle of good men like you during that time.
These videos should be mandatory viewing starting in grade school for all students. Every American should know the names of the men who went through hell for them. And their families should be honored for generations.
Some of my fondest memories as a young child was walking the garden with a salt shaker with my grandaddy Elwood "bubba" Leisure while he opened up a bit about the Normandy landing and then being sent up to the battle of the bulge then over to the Russian oil fields fighting back the German's and then marching into Germany and handing out Hershey bars to the children after securing Germany..quite an ordeal for a 19 year old!..my other grandfather Felix Paiste was a codebreaker on a ship in the Navy..I called them heros for sure..they both would say no,all the heros were dead..God Bless them both...
Loved listening to him. What a guy! I bet he was a great leader.