That generation defeated the ***** and the Empire of Japan at the same time in savage combat. The current young generation seeks out reasons to be offended, creates safe spaces, and spends their time at college protesting against their mascots. It's quite sad actually.
I did some writing on history and met a German Paratrooper in the 1990s. He said the Americans he fought against were tough ******** - he fought in most of the places my uncle did. He said he knew we still had a great military at the time, but if we had to mobilize like the US did in WWII, he didn't know if the country was up for it - he just didn't see that toughness that the generation he faced had. And that guy loved America, said Americans captured him and saved him from the Russians.
My uncle was 20 years old, joined the US Army just before Pearl Harbor, heard about jump pay and volunteered. Started in the 503rd Parachute Infantry that was changed to 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (Unattached to any of the divisions) when they secretly headed overseas. They trained with the British First Airborne in 1942 who were so impressed because the Americans broke their obstacle course record the first time they were on the course, they awarded them their maroon beret. They were the first American outfit to wear one.
They led the Invasion of North Africa (he jumped twice in North Africa) and were the first to face Rommel's Africa Korps. Jumped at Salerno to relieve the stalled beachhead (The 82nd airborne jumped within the beach confines to support it). The 509 was just a Battalion (expendable) and Mark Clark used them like Shock troops in Italy, so they were dropped almost on top of the 10th Panzer Div. to slow them up.
They led the amphibious assault at Anzio with the Rangers - went through their strength twice in casualties there, and Paul Huff became the first American Paratrooper to receive the Medal of Honor. The 509 took a mountain (Venafro) in 24 hours that the 45th Div. couldn't in several weeks. They jumped to lead the Invasion of Southern France, held the most important crossroads in the Battle of the Bulge at Sadzot, Belgium (The German commander said it was the key and most direct thorofare to reach their goal of Antwerp). After the Bulge he was one of 6 of the originals still standing of 59 left in the battalion of 600-700 men.
Then my dad, a firefighter, convinced him not to go on disability (for what they call PTSD today) but join the FDNY. He served the rest his life as firefighter with FDNY, his last station was 10-House across the street from the WTC. He kept active with the department after he retired and attended 57 funerals of firefighters after 9-11. God bless him, he was a **** of a man. He used to always tell me that America made a big deal about D-Day, but by 1944, all the crack units in the German Army had been used up in Africa, the Italian Campaign and Russia. Always said he fought against their best and they were very good.
Thanks for indulging me, but its American history that you don't see in movies or read much about (although there are a few books). Nick DeGaeta was one **** of a man. He and his crew of bad *** paratroopers and "Smoke eater" firefighters deserve to be remembered. We have men and women out there right now just like them, but times are changing and the draw pool is shrinking. Here he is making Pres Jimmy Carter an honorary member of FDNY.