Horses in World War II and D-Day

 70 years ago today, Allied troops sacrificed their lives to a degree most of us could never understand and scoured the banks of Omaha Beach in France. It's too hard to imagine what that day must of have been like, when so many lives were lost, but which liberated France from the Germans once and for all.  No amount of gratitude can be expressed for the heroic efforts that took place that day. If you've not read Cornelius Ryan's famous book, please read it. He interviewed D-Day veterans for three years after the War and his treatise is superb. 

If you have not visited the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, please go there too.  It's an unknown jewel, a magnificent monument to those who gave their lives that day so we could all be free.  Learn more about it here.

I was also surprised to learn how active horses were in World War II, especially during the early years of the War.  Horses were used by the belligerent nations for transportation of troops, artillery, and, to a lesser extent, in mobile cavalry troops. The Soviet Union employed more than six million horses.

The U.S. military was among the last nations to accept armored warfare and mechanize its troops.  But the only significant engagement of American horsemen in WWII was the defensive action of the Philippine Scouts (26th Cavalry Regiment).

If this topic interests you here are a few good books on the subject:

 Buy it here

 Read about it here

Bravo to all of our Veterans but certainly never forgot the sacrifices made on June 6, 1944.