Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
The man you’re looking at is Leo Major. He was French-Canadian soldier who single handedly wreaked havoc in Europe during WW2. He is the only Canadian and one of only three soldiers in the British Commonwealth to ever receive the Distinguished Conduct Medal (equivalent to the Navy Cross) twice in separate wars.
During a reconnaissance mission on D-Day, Major captured a German halftrack by himself.
Days later, he killed an entire SS patrol. However, one of them managed to ignite a phosphorus grenade. After the resulting explosion, Major lost one eye. He refused to be evacuated. He continued his service as a scout and a sniper by insisting that he needed only one eye to sight his weapon.
In the Netherlands, he captured an entire German garrison by himself.
He marched back to camp with nearly 100 prisoners. Thus, he was chosen to receive a DCM. He declined the invitation to be decorated, because according to him General Montgomery (who was giving the award) was "incompetent" and in no position to be giving out medals.
In February 1945, Major hit a landmine while in a vehicle. He was carried to a field hospital where the doctor informed him that he had broken his back in 3 places, 4 ribs, and both ankles. Again they told Major that the war was over for him. A week later, he fled the hospital went back to the front lines.
During a 2 men recon near the town of Zwolle, his buddy was killed, and in retaliation, Major single handedly took over the entire town. Major proceeded to run throughout the city firing his machine gun, throwing grenades and making so much noise that he fooled the Germans into thinking that the Canadian Army was storming the city. As he was doing this, he would attack and capture German troops. About 10 times during the night he captured groups of 8 to 10 German soldiers, escorted them out of the city and gave them to the French-Canadian troops that were waiting in the vicinity. He would return to Zwolle to continue his assault until the entire town was captured.
In Korea, Major bred nightmares amongst the communists, leaving a trail of salt, blood and body bags. He passed away in 2008 when death decided to man the —— up.
www.zerofoxtrot.com
During a reconnaissance mission on D-Day, Major captured a German halftrack by himself.
Days later, he killed an entire SS patrol. However, one of them managed to ignite a phosphorus grenade. After the resulting explosion, Major lost one eye. He refused to be evacuated. He continued his service as a scout and a sniper by insisting that he needed only one eye to sight his weapon.
In the Netherlands, he captured an entire German garrison by himself.
He marched back to camp with nearly 100 prisoners. Thus, he was chosen to receive a DCM. He declined the invitation to be decorated, because according to him General Montgomery (who was giving the award) was "incompetent" and in no position to be giving out medals.
In February 1945, Major hit a landmine while in a vehicle. He was carried to a field hospital where the doctor informed him that he had broken his back in 3 places, 4 ribs, and both ankles. Again they told Major that the war was over for him. A week later, he fled the hospital went back to the front lines.
During a 2 men recon near the town of Zwolle, his buddy was killed, and in retaliation, Major single handedly took over the entire town. Major proceeded to run throughout the city firing his machine gun, throwing grenades and making so much noise that he fooled the Germans into thinking that the Canadian Army was storming the city. As he was doing this, he would attack and capture German troops. About 10 times during the night he captured groups of 8 to 10 German soldiers, escorted them out of the city and gave them to the French-Canadian troops that were waiting in the vicinity. He would return to Zwolle to continue his assault until the entire town was captured.
In Korea, Major bred nightmares amongst the communists, leaving a trail of salt, blood and body bags. He passed away in 2008 when death decided to man the —— up.
www.zerofoxtrot.com
The man you’re looking at is Leo Major. He was French-Canadian soldier who single handedly wreaked havoc in Europe during WW2. He is the only Canadian and one of only three soldiers in the British Commonwealth to ever receive the Distinguished Conduct Medal (equivalent to the Navy Cross) twice in separate wars.
During a reconnaissance mission on D-Day, Major captured a German halftrack by himself.
Days later, he killed an entire SS patrol. However, one of them managed to ignite a phosphorus grenade. After the resulting explosion, Major lost one eye. He refused to be evacuated. He continued his service as a scout and a sniper by insisting that he needed only one eye to sight his weapon.
In the Netherlands, he captured an entire German garrison by himself.
He marched back to camp with nearly 100 prisoners. Thus, he was chosen to receive a DCM. He declined the invitation to be decorated, because according to him General Montgomery (who was giving the award) was "incompetent" and in no position to be giving out medals.
In February 1945, Major hit a landmine while in a vehicle. He was carried to a field hospital where the doctor informed him that he had broken his back in 3 places, 4 ribs, and both ankles. Again they told Major that the war was over for him. A week later, he fled the hospital went back to the front lines.
During a 2 men recon near the town of Zwolle, his buddy was killed, and in retaliation, Major single handedly took over the entire town. Major proceeded to run throughout the city firing his machine gun, throwing grenades and making so much noise that he fooled the Germans into thinking that the Canadian Army was storming the city. As he was doing this, he would attack and capture German troops. About 10 times during the night he captured groups of 8 to 10 German soldiers, escorted them out of the city and gave them to the French-Canadian troops that were waiting in the vicinity. He would return to Zwolle to continue his assault until the entire town was captured.
In Korea, Major bred nightmares amongst the communists, leaving a trail of salt, blood and body bags. He passed away in 2008 when death decided to man the —— up.
www.zerofoxtrot.com
A true bada$$, the town of Zwolle teach the elementary classes each year about the Canadian soldier who liberated their town.
Surely the Wehrmacht marching?
You’d be very wrong, this is in fact the Irish Army on maneuvers in Co. Cork in 1940.
The distinctive German-design helmet was made by the Vickers Company of Northern Ireland (as Germany was unable to export military equipment under the Treaty of Versailles).
The internal linings and fittings were produced by T. Smith & Sons, Dublin in 1927 following an order made by the Irish Defence Forces.
As fighting intensified in Europe in 1940 neutral Ireland retired this helmet from the Defence Forces, replacing it with the British Mark II helmet. The distinctive coal-scuttle helmets were thus painted white and issued to emergency services.
You’d be very wrong, this is in fact the Irish Army on maneuvers in Co. Cork in 1940.
The distinctive German-design helmet was made by the Vickers Company of Northern Ireland (as Germany was unable to export military equipment under the Treaty of Versailles).
The internal linings and fittings were produced by T. Smith & Sons, Dublin in 1927 following an order made by the Irish Defence Forces.
As fighting intensified in Europe in 1940 neutral Ireland retired this helmet from the Defence Forces, replacing it with the British Mark II helmet. The distinctive coal-scuttle helmets were thus painted white and issued to emergency services.
May 1945 photograph taket at Mossburg, Germany, recently liberated American prisoners of war await transportation during their journey home.
The boys borrowed this table for mess purposes after being freed.
In the rear is a tent which housed two hundred of them. They are the ones that made it through alive.
Without the Wehrmacht gear and grim wartime faces, they are just a bunch of blokes hanging out in the sun having their picture taken. Different story for most of them on the inside though...
Notice the guy in 'civvies' (2nd from left) wearng a Wehrmacht Heer Schirmmütze (visor cap)!
Credit WW2 in Colour.
The boys borrowed this table for mess purposes after being freed.
In the rear is a tent which housed two hundred of them. They are the ones that made it through alive.
Without the Wehrmacht gear and grim wartime faces, they are just a bunch of blokes hanging out in the sun having their picture taken. Different story for most of them on the inside though...
Notice the guy in 'civvies' (2nd from left) wearng a Wehrmacht Heer Schirmmütze (visor cap)!
Credit WW2 in Colour.
Surely the Wehrmacht marching?
You’d be very wrong, this is in fact the Irish Army on maneuvers in Co. Cork in 1940.
The distinctive German-design helmet was made by the Vickers Company of Northern Ireland (as Germany was unable to export military equipment under the Treaty of Versailles).
The internal linings and fittings were produced by T. Smith & Sons, Dublin in 1927 following an order made by the Irish Defence Forces.
As fighting intensified in Europe in 1940 neutral Ireland retired this helmet from the Defence Forces, replacing it with the British Mark II helmet. The distinctive coal-scuttle helmets were thus painted white and issued to emergency services.
A bunch of German soldiers with Lee Enfield rifles??????????
After escaping Nazi Germany and with the majority of his family deported to Auschwitz, Frederick Mayer decided to join the US Army; a decision which would make him a legend within the ranks of the OSS.
With his multilingual abilities, Mayer was attached to the German Operation Group; an elite team of spies who worked deep behind enemy lines and provide intel to the OSS.
In 1944, he was sent to North Africa by ship. However there was some sort of miscommunication and he ended up being dropped off on the wrong port. He quickly improvised and began selling some surplus gear to the locals, using the money from the sales to buy train tickets to the nearest OSS station which was in Algiers.
After a few months, he was transferred to Italy, where he parachuted onto a 10,000 ft glacier in freezing temperatures and the dead of night near the Austrian border in order to avoid enemy troops. Mayer walked all the way to the bottom and then disguised himself as an injured German Officer; staying inside a hospital where he would listen on their conversations and radio back to the OSS.
He later changed his disguise and pretended to be a French electrician and continued to hide in plain sight until he was captured by the SS.
Despite the beatings and torture, he never gave out the names and maintained that he was working alone.
During that time, another captured agent was shown Mayer`s photo, and he told the Nazi agents that Mayer was a very important man; knowing quite well that Mayer was only a Sergeant.
Mayer was thus invited to dine with Franz Hofer, who was the governor of the Alpine Redoubt, and he was able to convince him to surrender to the US.
He told him that the Nazi supremacy was coming to an end, and surrendering to the Allies would be in his best interest. Hofer therefore surrendered to Mayer, and declared by radio that Innsbruck was an open city. Thus, the entire city was surrendered to a Jewish American Sergeant on May 3, 1945.
Perhaps the most interesting thing fact is that he forgave the Nazis who had tortured him, despite having a perfect opportunity to avenge what they had done to him. He is quoted telling one of the soldiers who was pleading with him to spare his family, “who do you think we are, Nazis?”
Frederick Mayer was awarded the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart and lead a quiet life in West Virginia until his death in 2016. #ww2
www.zerofoxtrot.com
With his multilingual abilities, Mayer was attached to the German Operation Group; an elite team of spies who worked deep behind enemy lines and provide intel to the OSS.
In 1944, he was sent to North Africa by ship. However there was some sort of miscommunication and he ended up being dropped off on the wrong port. He quickly improvised and began selling some surplus gear to the locals, using the money from the sales to buy train tickets to the nearest OSS station which was in Algiers.
After a few months, he was transferred to Italy, where he parachuted onto a 10,000 ft glacier in freezing temperatures and the dead of night near the Austrian border in order to avoid enemy troops. Mayer walked all the way to the bottom and then disguised himself as an injured German Officer; staying inside a hospital where he would listen on their conversations and radio back to the OSS.
He later changed his disguise and pretended to be a French electrician and continued to hide in plain sight until he was captured by the SS.
Despite the beatings and torture, he never gave out the names and maintained that he was working alone.
During that time, another captured agent was shown Mayer`s photo, and he told the Nazi agents that Mayer was a very important man; knowing quite well that Mayer was only a Sergeant.
Mayer was thus invited to dine with Franz Hofer, who was the governor of the Alpine Redoubt, and he was able to convince him to surrender to the US.
He told him that the Nazi supremacy was coming to an end, and surrendering to the Allies would be in his best interest. Hofer therefore surrendered to Mayer, and declared by radio that Innsbruck was an open city. Thus, the entire city was surrendered to a Jewish American Sergeant on May 3, 1945.
Perhaps the most interesting thing fact is that he forgave the Nazis who had tortured him, despite having a perfect opportunity to avenge what they had done to him. He is quoted telling one of the soldiers who was pleading with him to spare his family, “who do you think we are, Nazis?”
Frederick Mayer was awarded the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart and lead a quiet life in West Virginia until his death in 2016. #ww2
www.zerofoxtrot.com
A P-47 of the 64th Fighter Squadron, while on a mission to Milan, struck the ground during a low level strafing run.
Despite the damage, the pilot managed to fly the Thunderbolt 150 miles home to Grosseto.
I betcha this old girl shook like a runaway jackhammer on the flight home!!!
Why would they be ? It would teach children to be proud
That would be against the LIEberal agenda
Be about like the Death Wobble on a mid 2000's Dodge... watching the 'under the seat stuff' walk to the front of the floorboards. whilst your *sshole is suctioned to the seat so hard you need a spatula to break free.
I betcha this old girl shook like a runaway jackhammer on the flight home!!!
I did a similar thing, once. I thought the landing gear had broken. Did not know of the prop strike. Flew back to home base (1/2hour) and landed. Was shocked to see the prop tips pointing at me when the prop stopped. $10,000 experience.
