This day in history is riddled with decisive battles that turned the tide of conflict. Just to stay in this century - The Battle of Belleau Wood in 1918, Admiral Yamamoto's order to his 132 ship armada to withdraw from the Battle of Midway in 1942 and of course, in 1944, the arrival of John Wayne at the Invasion of Normandy. The latter monumental effort deserves review. On this day, one of the great sea-driven invasions in all of human history took place. The scale was awesome. The number of people and equipment deployed within the first 24 hours makes the pyramids of Egypt look like sand pails on a beach. It was one of the greatest pieces of logistical warfare ever known since time began.

Then there was the commitment of human sacrifice and bravery. A bunch of 19 and 20 year-old kids came to save folks they’d never met and whose language they could not speak.

Management (AKA the Generals) as usual had planned the wrong dance and the wrong music. Each of the soldiers about to be dumped into the roaring surf of Omaha Beach had been assured that the enemy would be devastated by air and sea bombardment. That must have been less reassuring as machine gun bullets pelted against the steel drop gate that would shortly deploy and allow you to walk many, many meters through the rough surf at low tide.

As you may know, if you have studied history or maybe just seen “Saving Private Ryan”, all did not go as planned. The bombing and naval barrage was each a bit off time and location. The result was nearly 97% casualty rate in the first wave. Luckily, the few survivors were street kids who opted not to die on the beach adhering to a bad plan. They did what street kids do - adapting to the key goal - survival.

Okay…..you say…..that was great but don’t blame management. Who could have guessed things might go that wrong? But maybe you never heard of Dieppe.

Back in 1942, the management…..er…..the generals in charge…..deployed a trial raid on the French coast. They sent some 6,000 men (almost all Canadian) in an amphibious landing at a place called Dieppe in mid-August.

They were accompanied by all the D-Day add-ons…..destroyers, LST’s, PT boats, and tank landers.

Additionally, thousands of British fighters and bombers pounded the target beach area over 24 hours.

All that planning and preparation resulted in a vicious and violent fire fight on the beach. In less than ten hours nearly two out of every three of all the Allied forces were killed. The few survivors and the naval flotilla headed back.

When they tell you that D-Day was a masterpiece of dedicated planning based on prior results, don’t scoff - they’ll think you are a smart alec street kid.