D-Day: US Airpower with WW2 Veteran Chuck Richardson

Warfare

History Hit

History

4.5 • 943 Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2023

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On June 6th 1944, Allied forces launched a massive amphibious invasion of Normandy, France - the operation involved over 150,000 troops from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. Better known as D-Day, success would mark a pivotal turning point in the Second World War. While the exact number of lives lost is undetermined, it's estimated 4,400 Allied troops lost their lives - and an additional several thousand German troops were killed during the invasion. But what exactly happened on D-Day, and what was it like for the people actually there?

In this episode, James welcomes back WW2 Veteran Chuck Richardson, and his researcher Emily Wilson, to talk about Chuck's experiences on this momentous day in history. A WW2 Pilot, Chuck flew over the beaches on D-Day and provided invaluable air support to the troops down below and experienced enemy fire from the ground. With his own personal diary entries and memories, Chuck provides a first hand account of what happened on D-Day.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Ladies and gentlemen the president of the United States my fellow Americans
0:07.2	Last night when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our
0:18.8	allies were crossing the channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
0:30.0	And so, in this poignant hour I ask you to join with me in prayer.
0:39.0	Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor,
0:50.0	a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering
1:00.4	humanity.
1:01.4	What must it have been like to have flown aerial missions over the Allied troops as
1:09.3	they stormed the beaches on D-Day and how perilous it must have been in the weeks the months
1:15.6	even the years prior as the American 8th Air Force attempted to precision bomb Germany
1:21.3	into submission. I'm your host James Patton Rogers. This is the
1:24.8	warfare podcast and to find answers to these questions I've invited second world
1:29.6	war veteran Charles Chuck Richardson back onto the podcast. This is Chuck's second time on warfare
1:36.8	and it's an honor and a privilege to welcome him back. Now 100 years strong
1:41.8	Chuck was a radioman and a gunner on B 17s flying out of Framlingen, England during the Second World War,
1:49.0	and his new book, 35 missions to hell and back, explains exactly what he went through.
1:55.6	As we mark a remarkable 79 years since D-Day, it is a true privilege to hear from Chuck, and
2:02.3	his researcher and editor Emily Wilson, both of whom offer a vivid portrait of duty, courage, and hardship on D-Day and the bravery of the greatest generation.
2:20.0	The 8th Air Force had bases all over the European Theater.
2:25.8	So I'm sure a lot of these experiences
2:29.9	would be particularly of note to those viewers from your part of the globe.
2:37.0	Absolutely and all over the world as well and you were based in Norfolk weren't you Chuck?
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.