These are the same aircraft that bombed Saint-Lô to smithereens after the Allied forces took control of the shores of Normandy. Flying in formation, they look so proud and tactical; 100% strike-ready. These birds are B-26 Marauders with the 344th Bomb Group.
They are part of the United States Air Force. The 344th is nicknamed, “Silver Streaks,” and they led the IX Bomber Command formations on D-Day. Before the Normandy invasion, Caen, Saint-Lô, and the Falaise Gap, these bombers conducted raids over the skies of German-occupied Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
Barrage Balloons On D-Day
Checking out these old photographs of the war can lead you to the rediscovery of many an unusual artefact. These retired and long-since forgotten tactical balloons are a great example of this phenomenon. What you’re looking at is a barrage balloon lined up in an unnamed base in Weymouth, Dorset, England on May 1st, 1944. It flies above the structure, attached to cables below.
Barrage balloons look like a small-sized zeppelin and were used by the Allied forces to deter low-flying aircraft sent to sneak in undetected and drop bombs. These balloons were threats to the aircraft, posing as collision risks.
The Past In Striking Colors & Detail
With all the advances in photography available to us today, Photoshop experts challenge themselves by delving into old files and restoring black and white pictures that have yellowed on the edges; faces blurred.
This D-Day picture was merely part of a YouTube tutorial from David Galvan. Allied troops are seen wading, as they had during so many training maneuvers, on the beach of Normandy, France. The water has never looked so green on an original D-Day photograph, the soldier’s pans etched, the skies grey.
Operation Overlord
The Battle of Normandy was codified as Operation Overlord, under the command of Gen. Eisenhower. It was a battle that would eventually turn the tide of the Second World War to the Allied forces, starting with its pivotal June 6th, 1944 operation.
This is a colorized photograph of Canadian forces that landed on the outskirts, near the town of Bernieres-sur-Mer, in Northwestern France. A total of 14,000 soldiers were deployed from Canada to contribute to the war effort. These men here belonged to the Saskatchewan Regiment of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. The group reportedly lost 340 troops on the beach that fateful day.
Preparing To Land In Normandy
This colorized photograph was taken during the massive preparations prior to the Normandy invasion. Like never before, we are able to appreciate the shades of green in the landing ship and military uniforms, the yellows and browns of the soldiers’s sun-burnt skin.
A US Army GMC truck is being loaded into a landing vessel. This took place at Portland Harbour, Devon. And the outfit’s spirits were running high at the time with expectations of battle. Also shown in the background is a U.S. tank LST-134. This tank is part of Group 30 of LST Flotilla 12. It had been scheduled to leave for Omaha Beach in France. The LST-134 in the background was scheduled to depart for Omaha Beach.