“At dawn on the 6th of June, 1944, the largest expeditionary force the world had ever seen was anchored ten miles off the coast of France. American and English bombers roared overhead, and the big guns of two navies pummeled the shore. Then the young infantrymen, Americans, British, and Canadians, waded in toward the hostile coast of Europe,” – Bruce Bliven, Jr.
One of my most productive collections is Landmark Books. If you have been following Librarytomes, you know how much I love these books from my childhood. This is “The Story of D-Day June 6, 1944” by Bruce Bliven, Jr., 1956. He writes a stirring acount of the planning and actions in attacking the beaches of Normandy, during World War Two. As he states on page one, “the End of World War II began on that day.” Heros were born, and many died. 4,414 Allied soldiers killed and more than 9,000 wounded or missing.
I also have the book “D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II” by Stephen E. Ambrose, 1995. This is the best account of the battle and war one will ever read. Ambrose used the interviews of over 1,400 American, British, Canadian, French, and German veterans. Ambrose is also the President of the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. As Winston Churchill said, “The most difficult and complicated operation ever to take place.”
* On the night of 5 June 1944, the eve of D-Day, the phrase “Berce mon coeur d’une langueur monotone” or “cradle my heart with a monotonous languor” signalled across France the invasion was about to begin.
June 6th is also National Yo-Yo Day. Pedro Flores began mass producing yo-yos in 1928. Donald F. Duncan Sr saw him. He thought these yo-yo things were awesome. He bought out Flores in 1932, hired him to run the marketing campaigns.
I have “The Klutz Yo-Yo Book” by John Cassidy, 1987. Complete with a wooden yo-yo. It shows all of the basic tricks to do with a yo-yo. Walk the Dog, and Rock the Cradle, were two of the first tricks I mastered in Junior High.
How do you remember to yo-yo? Tie a string to your finger.
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