They knew the odds. For the initial assault troops landing in the first wave on Omaha Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944), casualty rates were extraordinarily high. While there is no single official survival metric, some of the most exposed units suffered casualty rates of up to 50% to 90% in the opening hour, making the life expectancy for these specific troops as short as a few minutes.
Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment, which landed in one of the first waves at the heavily fortified “Dog Green” sector, suffered a 96% casualty rate in the first 15 minutes of the assault.
The Navy Combat Demolition Units (the forerunners to today’s Navy SEALs) assigned to Omaha Beach suffered a staggering casualty rate of roughly 52% to 70%. Of the 175 Navy officers and men who landed in the area, 31 were killed, and 60 were wounded. These demolition sailors faced intense, continuous fire as they tried to blast gaps in the heavy German defenses. Despite the horrific losses, they managed to blow up several complete gaps in the obstacles, allowing vital reinforcements and equipment to land.
Bullet Points:
** Is it time for self-diagnosis?
** (right) The democrats are angry that President Trump is “Pro-America” and pro-patriot, using the American flag and the Constitution as his symbols. Yes, it’s true they are more comfortable with a hammer and sickle, but they don’t want to out themselves completely. A number of America 250 polls have shown that only 10% of democrats (plus or minus) consider themselves to be pro-American for fear that people would consider them to favor President Trump. The TDS runs deep with them.
** Genuinely good news for nuclear power (DOE)! “The skeptics didn’t believe President Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program could achieve criticality in less than a year. Today, we celebrate the first of the pilot projects to reach criticality and the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the future of nuclear energy in the United States,” said Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish.
** Shock and awe – leading to a successful SWAT operation often relies on surprise. If I were a bad guy anywhere, but particularly in ROKland, I’d watch how they do it and plan for it.
** L3 Harris puff piece on the Sky Tractor and the return to the tail dragger. USAF likes this, but it hates the Warthog. Don’t ask me to explain the USAF.
** Are you dissatisfied with your dead-end job? Have you considered a career with the hospitality industry in Florida? This may be the change you need. (pet friendly) – Do you need a nudge? It’s demo-day.
** WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) – U.S. forces conducted an interdiction of the sanctioned stateless oil tanker Davina overnight in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific Command said on Friday. U.S. forces have intercepted multiple commercial and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean in recent months. “We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Indo-Pacific Command wrote in an X post. The Davina, a supertanker capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude oil, was placed under U.S. sanctions in October 2024 for trading in Iranian oil, according to ship-tracking data. The vessel’s draft indicated that it was almost fully laden with an oil cargo, according to separate shipping data.
** They placed the fallen outlaw upright in a chair for a final photograph (left) – the photo is allegedly one of Harvy Logan (dead and seated), but there is something of AI in it. Harvey Logan, better known as “Kid Curry,” was once among the most feared members of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch. By 1904, after years of pursuit, the chase finally reached its end near Parachute, Colorado. I wonder how the left would feel if ICE posed for these photos today? I have a photo on my wall of a living hit man that I arrested in a murder-for-hire matter some years ago. Netflix producers are developing a movie about the case, with a former LA Times reporter writing the screenplay. I’ve been speaking with them, and if it ever hits the screen, I’ll let you know. The hit man, now having paid his debt to society, is free and roaming around. You can make of that what you will. He’s talking to the same Netflix production people. The criminal inherited $10 million from a now deceased relative and is living a life of ease and comfort.
** BRM has more than one cat. This is dedicated to him. It’s not always good to be mentioned in dispatches on VM.
** Cruising in the BMW Executive Limo in style. During their April 2026 visit to the United States, King Charles III and Queen Camilla used the referenced BMW 7 Protection armored limousine to travel around Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The BMW 7 Protection is armored from factory in Germany by BMW and features a “protection core” high armor steel passenger cabin, 72mm thick multi-layered ballistic glass offering VPAM-10 resistance, blast protection on the underbelly of the vehicle designed to withstand blasts from grenades, a self-sealing fuel tank, and Michelin 20-inch PAX run-flat tires allowing the car to travel up to 50 mph with no pressure.
This LHD BMW appeared to be on loan to The Royal Family from BMW USA, as it bore Georgia distributor tags.
When I was last in Iraq, I rode around in the same make/model that belonged to the Office of the Prime Minister, always in a motorcade because that’s how they move me around Baghdad – even within the Green Zone. I’m the casually dressed old man next to the limo parked in front of the State Guest House. While I have a personal bone to pick with BMW (USA), the limos are very nice to ride in.
In Kurdistan, the KRG intelligence service wheels me around in a nondescript Toyota Land Cruiser, and since KRG doesn’t have a state guest house, I stay at the Rotana (Wynn Hotel Chain affiliate) where the British Embassy is located, where security is just as tight, but in a slightly different way because there is no “Green Zone” that compares to the one in Baghdad.
** The situation in Lebanon with Hezbollah and Israel dominating the conversation in the backdrop of the Coalition vs Iran War in the Gulf underscores the absolute complexity that is the Middle East. (h/t Claudio) The referenced article outlines some changes that may sound familiar to old Middle East hands.
** Regional conflicts and long-standing budget halts have slashed recent public revenues in Kurdistan by a massive 70%. Domestically, Iraqi Kurdistan is facing a severe political deadlock over the formation of its next cabinet, prompting intensive mediation talks led by KRG President Nechirvan Barzani.
72%
Are you ready to live 40 miles from the nearest store? That’s about as far as the White Wolf Mine is from the nearest store & gasoline. There is a rural fire station with paramedics 24/7/365 about two miles from me, so I did make that concession. But to be frank – who wants to live through the Apocalypse? Who would get any satisfaction from that?
He’s afraid of robots… and of Skynet becoming sentient.
The reality of living an hour or so from “stuff of civilization” can be a challenge for people who have grown comfortable living in a city. If you open your window and smell industrial odors or gasoline fumes, you could experience some sort of culture shock if you’re only used to the scent of pines and the only sounds you hear are the wind through the leaves and the rustle of pine needles. Eight years into it, the sounds of city life and opening a window and looking out to see somebody looking out of their window at me is disconcerting.
Should you learn to peacefully co-exist with robots?
If one asks you for your clothing, your boots, and the keys to your motorcycle, you might consider handing them over without a fuss.
Identify the Glider
The Allies first used gliders in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in 1943. This first experiment was disastrous. Poor planning and bad weather resulted in the gliders being scattered in the air. Several landed in the sea, and 200 men drowned. Dozens of gliders and towplanes were damaged or shot down by friendly fire. Few gliders reached the intended landing zones, and only 73 men (from most of a brigade) reached the intended target, the Ponte Grande bridge south of Syracuse.
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Parting Shot in the Future
Hibernation on a Deep Space Flight
She woke up and woke you up; now you will have to put up with each other for 3 whole years.
A little more meat on the bones – as requested – you’re welcome, gentlemen.
End
Norman Corn, an old Osage Indian who lived with his mothe until she passed away and attended my church, never talked about his service until one morning At lions club I had all of the veterans tell a bit about when they served. Most of them were “I got drunk a lot or I never left the states!”
Norman got up and proclaimed
“I was with the 101st airborne, the screaming eagles. I jumped into Normandy the night before D-Day. I parachuted into Holland on operation Market Garden, And I jumped out of the back of a truck at Bastogne. I never jumped out of anything ever again because everytime I did bad things happened!”
Everyone gave him a standing ovation. I honor Norman every year not only on this date, but especially on this one.
My friend Nate survived Pearl Harbor rbor only to end up landing at Normandy and then surviving Bastogne.
Identify the Glider
1 – British Airspeed Horsa
2 – German GOTHA-242
3 – German DFS 230
4 – USAAF Waco CG-4A Hadrian
Exactly
Identify the Glider:
1. Airspeed Horsa
2. Gotha Go 242
3. DFS 230
4. Waco CG-4
Yes indeed!
IDA-
1. Airspeed Horsa
2. Gotha Go 242
3. DFS 230
4. Willys MB Jeep into a Waco CG-4A
Precisely!
The A.I. revolution will not be televised, brother.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhcyQ9fETuk&list=RDGhcyQ9fETuk&start_radio=1
A classic. No, it may not be televised, but Musk will make sure that X survives, so you might be able to catch it there.
I’ve heard of X taking AI data centers and putting them in orbit?
That’s a real thing. They’re fabricating them now. I expect they’ll need Starship to park them in higher geosynchronous orbit than the Starlink satellites that are in very low Earth orbit.
Do you think Elon might consider placing AI data centers on Mars rather than in a geosynchronous orbit, perhaps leveraging the presence of water for cooling or resource utility? If he did, how would signal transmission latency and synchronization be managed, given the challenges of Earth’s sidereal day and the vast distance compared to traditional satellite arrays?
-STA Lethal
The transmission time to Earth is too long. Because signals travel at the speed of light, it takes anywhere from 3 to 22 minutes for a one-way transmission to reach Mars. This highly variable delay depends entirely on the constantly shifting positions of Earth and Mars in their orbits around the Sun.
Looks like the A10 will be around a few more years
https://www.twz.com/air/congress-throws-a-10-warthog-another-lifeline
Yes, but not because the USAF generals want it.
Congressman Abe Hamadeh is a good guy.
He should have been the AZ AG but for some local shenanigans.
I hope the pilot training school reopens at DM.
I voted for Hamadeh for AG. Crane is my Congressman (AZ2) – a truly expansive district.
D-Day: God Bless those brave men on that June day in 1944 – Those of us alive owe everything we enjoy today to them. There is no way that we can imagine the fear that was felt in those first waves of the invasion. Sons, brothers and fathers fell and left grieving families and friends behind back home. The Greatest Generation indeed. Thank you.
******
The Kittyman Sea Shanty – A comment left on the video– “We didn’t realize we needed this in our life until we had it.” Pretty well sums it up
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Traveling LL style – Looks exhilarating but more excitement than I want. I hope these trips pay off – For you and for us
****
Travel – it remains to be seen. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Kittyman Sea Shanty… I always liked “Spanish Ladies.” But you need a bigger boat.
It would be great “walk on” music for a cat lover.
D-Day.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxyFLspt_ss
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D-Day: read this elsewhere…encapsulates my general sentiment, juxtaposing then to current societal mentality of a some segment of the population who have no thought how they have benefited from the sacrifice of 18 year olds entering a serious fray 82 years ago:
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“You never have and hopefully never will experience anything nearly as maddening, chaotic and frightening as this must have been, and yet they persevered, and were selfless in doing so. And because of them – their bravery and sacrifice – we are here today, alive and free. Think about them – their trials and sacrifices and what they preserved for us – before you complain about something truly trivial in your life or world…”
H/t to that author.
***
Hibernation: The movie ’Passengers’ touched on this concept, except it was the man waking the woman up. Life was good until she found out then went all ballistic on him..then realized after a life threatening problem arose on the space ship that threatened the thousand in cryo-sleep, the man was her an their only lifeline which changed her tune. In your scenario…just spitballing here…not one [real] man would complain about being prematurely awakened by that one and having the entire vessel all to themselves.
I was thinking of reverse Passengers…
Exactly
I doubt that the majority of Americans under 35 or 40 even know the basics of WW II, let alone the invasion of Normandy forcing entry into Fortress Europe.
*****
Reference Trump and Netanyahu: Who knows if the information is real, or if it is disinformation put out by both of them for some other reason or if it is to give Arab leaders an opportunity and an excuse to strike Iran somewhere.
Years ago, I drove the principle of the only Classical Christian school in Iraq to the Spokane airport. We talked about how interrelated most of the families were and even though they were extremely happy that Saddam was gone, they couldn’t openly tell US forces where munitions or wanted individuals were located. Instead, they would casually walk past a particular place and make a small hand gesture to point out the location. If you wanted your uncle’s job, all you had to do was poison him and step into the job. Definitely old school business in the Middle East.
Intrigue in the utmost.
Iraqi politics are tricky. The American position there is likewise complicated. The Kurdish situation is mired in tribal politics that goes back many generations. The Presence of Kurds in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, each with their own agenda, makes that political position even more complex – add religion, and it’s like a Gordian Knot – but not as easy to cut as rope on a chariot tongue.
My father in law said Sicily was an odd place ,,all the roads went up hill ,,somehow never down. This was on his all expenses paid tour of North Africa ,Sicily and the Contenant.
Almost all of my travels were paid for by somebody else…
I need new glasses – again – and/or a new brain. My speed-reading days are definitely at an end.
I left off the “ity” when reading:
“Are you dissatisfied with your dead-end job?
Have you considered a career with the hospital(ity) industry in Florida? ”
The hospital industry has most definitely become an industry in SW Florida with multiple layers of administration officers (not workers who ease a patient’s way into the labyrinth) whose only job is to fill out mounds of paperwork and screenwork making the patient (you, when you’re in dire need) feel like a widget on an assembly line.
hospital≠hospitality
When you consider that the links go to a sheriff’s department, the concept of hospitality changes ever so slightly – Graybar Hotel. (cue Johnny Cash)
Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment – if you visit Virginia before it becomes Calimassachusetts visit the D-Day Monument and Bedford Boys Tribute Center in Bedford, Virginia. Very moving and sad.
I’m headed for Virginia after the America 250 celebratory insanity. I’ll make a point of visiting.
D-Day
Circa 1964, my 1st Sgt handed me a big box of documents with instructions to organize and summarize the contents; the unit’s history. What I learned was our unit was at Normandy (and later, four other battles) assigned to breach a seawall. There was mention of naval gun support. Year later I learned of a Navy Destroyer Captain with huge balls brought his ship, and three more following, in shallow water close to the beach, and blasted the shit out of the sea walls. There must have been hundreds of actions by individuals that kept the landing from being a disaster. Humbling, to consider all that was done that day by our countrymen.
Sometimes you need to disobey orders to save lives – harm’s way.
They truly were the greatest generation. One of my masonic lodge brothers went up Point du Hoc June 6th. He could still list every one of his men that died that day. Another was Sally Crouch, a Dolittle Raider. Both were VERY humble.
I’m not a Mason but I agree with NFO.
Nice ride btw, and it reminds me of a snarky cleric in the ’90s who stated, “I hear you’re a second hand car salesman now.” I looked that miscreant in the eye and replied, “No, but I do have a driver.” Well, it was all fun and games in the ’90s.
Everyone talks about Omaha Beach, where the defenders were very able and ready.
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But Utah Beach? The landing forces were pushed severely out of place by the currents. Which meant they landed on a section of beach that was woefully underdefended by the Germans, allowing the landing troops to consolidate forces and take out their original objectives from behind. Which meant casualties were extremely light. And allowed the troops to hook up with the airborne the night of June 6th. Some fortunate roll of the dice there.
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Omaha showed what can happen against a prepared enemy who is determined to fight. Tarawa levels of death and destruction.
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Utah showed what can happen against an unprepared enemy who is determined to not fight.
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It’s all in the luck. A crap shoot. Either way, wouldn’t want to be on an invasion team.
Regarding Florida, we have some crazy sheriffs down here.
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Sheriff Grady Judd, of Polk County, says there’s never a child porn/sex ring busted without a few Disney employees being caught.
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Sheriff Rick Staly of Flagler County has the ‘Green Roof Inn’ where there’s always a vacancy. His department and his jail have been on TV on lots of shows like “Booked: First Day In” and the various Live-PD type shows.
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And, of course, Brevard County, where as you have shown, the sheriff does not play around.
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All three sheriffs basically have told people that their county citizens are armed and the sheriff departments are there for the clean-up.
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Marion County also has a very pro-2A and ‘live free and make them die hard’ type of sheriff.
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This is the greatness that is today’s Florida.
What relation to WW2 is 17, 24, 25, 24?
Name 3 heavy bombers, and the average age of their pilots.