By March 1944, Army Tech. 5th Grade John J. Pinder Jr. had seen over a year of combat. With the 16th Infantry, he'd participated in the Allied landings at Algeria and fought in in the mountains of Sicily. Now, he was in England, preparing for the planned invasion of Normandy.
And yet, it was his family's well-being, not his own, that concerned him. His younger brother Harold, a bomber pilot in the Army Air Corps, had been shot down over Europe that January. Having managed to the get the details of his brother's disappearance, as well as his probable whereabouts in a German POW camp, Pinder wrote his father a nine-page letter sharing everything he knew.
He concluded it by encouraging his father to hope for the best while implying that he would help him handle the worst:
"You and I must go on trusting that 'the kid' is okay. As soon as I hear anything whatsoever, I'll let you know at once. You do the same for me, Remember there has never been anything but complete truth between all three of us boys."
The boys (they also had a younger sister, Martha) grew up in McKee's Landing, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. John played sandlot baseball and soon developed a fearsome reputation on the mound; his curve ball was especially deadly. He bounced around the minors for a few years, where he impressed fans and teammates with his determination, work ethic, and talent. They seemed to herald a great big-league career. These dreams were put on hold when Pinder entered the Army in January 1942.
On the morning of June 6, 1944, Pinder and the 16th Infantry were the first to storm Omaha beach. Shrapnel from an artillery shell ripped through their transport when it was still 100 yards off shore, killing some men instantly and leaving the rest to wade through waist-deep water while being strafed with machine gun fire.
For Pinder, the going was particularly tough. He carried the radio equipment necessary to establish communication between the Navy gunners and the men on the beach — bulky gear that weighed some 80 pounds. As Pinder made his way to shore, bullets ripped through the left side of his face; he held his cheek together and kept moving forward.
Twice he ran back into the surf to gather more crucial equipment; on the second trip, machine gun fire ripped through his side, but he somehow kept going. He was helping set up the equipment when he passed out from blood loss. He died hours later; it was his 32nd birthday.
His brother Harold learned of the death while still in the German prison camp. When the war ended, he was released and went home, living until 2008.
Pinder was one of 12 soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor for valor on D-Day; all but four received the award posthumously. Pinder's father accepted the award on his son's behalf on January 26, 1945.
The internet is in an uproar as a video has gone viral on social media where it appears that our commander in chief may have had an accident on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy.
The video shows Biden at the event shaking hands with French President Emmanuel Macron, where he then turns away and bends slightly, as if trying to sit.
Biden then pauses uncomfortably, showing that he’s unclear whether he should be standing or sitting.
While the leftist media has jumped to President Biden’s defense, claiming there’s no evidence of a “poop” — Alex Stein and founder of Compound Media, Anthony Cumia, aren’t so sure what to believe.
“I want to believe he took a dump right there on the beaches of Normandy,” Cumia tells Stein. “I’m going to go on with the line that he was taking a dump, even though I know I’m just going to be like regular mainstream media, I’m going to see it and just say what I want it to be.”
“It’s almost sadder that he can’t even stand up for a very important ceremonial thing,” Stein adds in, noting that taking a poop might have been better.
“None of it is a good thing,” Cumia says. “It’s not like there’s an excuse, ‘Well, no, he was doing this,' it’s all bad. But the taking a dump part is really funny and sad, and it just kind of shows the dilemma we’re in as Americans here.”
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As Americans commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and honor World War II veterans, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faced backlash on social media for apparently using the occasion to take a jab at former President Donald Trump.
"Eighty years ago today, thousands of brave Americans fought to protect democracy on the shores of Normandy. This November, all we have to do is vote," tweeted Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump.
'How disrespectful to our WWII heroes who faced unimaginable fear with immense courage 80 years ago today.'
In response to Clinton's post, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama tweeted, "These Dems couldn't be more dramatic and deranged. They're comparing storming the beaches of Normandy on #dday to voting against Trump."
"How disrespectful to our WWII heroes who faced unimaginable fear with immense courage 80 years ago today," GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tenessee declared when reacting to Clinton.
"The party that cried wolf... They will eventually pay the price for their recklessness and extremism, for their purposeful balkanization of America, for their disregard for the rule of law and citizenship..." Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson wrote.
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In a Truth Social post, former President Donald Trump honored the troops who served at Normandy in World War II.
"Today, we honor the immortal heroes who landed at Normandy 80 years ago. The men of D-Day will live forever in history as among the bravest, noblest, and greatest Americans ever to walk the earth. They shed their blood, and thousands gave their lives, in defense of American Freedom. They are in our hearts today and for all time," the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee declared.
He also spoke to several World War II veterans and suggested that they are invited to visit him at the White House.
"A great honor to speak with four wonderful D-Day Heroes — Donald Cobb, Steve Melnikoff, George Cross, and Harold Radish, from my plane going to Arizona. I LOVE YOU ALL, see you in the White House! - DJT" he noted in a Truth Social post that included a clip of him doing a video chat.
In an opinion piece posted by the New York Times, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticized isolationism.
"We forget how influential isolationists persuaded millions of Americans that the fate of allies and partners mattered little to our own security and prosperity. We gloss over the powerful political forces that downplayed growing danger, resisted providing assistance to allies and partners, and tried to limit America's ability to defend its national interests," McConnell wrote.
"Some vocal corners of the American right are trying to resurrect the discredited brand of prewar isolationism and deny the basic value of the alliance system that has kept the postwar peace," he wrote. "It should not take another catastrophic attack like Pearl Harbor to wake today's isolationists from the delusion that regional conflicts have no consequences for the world's most powerful and prosperous nation. With global power comes global interests and global responsibilities."
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Democrats tout Biden's D-Day remarks as 'strong' and 'powerful,' but Biden appeared confused and disoriented throughout his France visit.
President Joe Biden's appearance at the 80th D-Day commemoration has raised concerns about his presence on the global stage.
Eighty years ago, the D-Day invasion was essential in securing freedom and ensuring Christian civilization was to be saved.
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