John Langford’s Post

It was an absolute honor to participate in the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) change of command with these great Americans. Today, Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering relinquished his command to Lt. Gen Michael Cederholm. Well done to both leaders and their families. The U.S. Marine Corps has led the Joint Force in its aggressive modernization to meet the challenges of tomorrow—while remaining ready at a moment’s notice to respond to the crisis of today. I MEF is the leading edge of that modernization—where theory meets real-world application. While modernization and new technologies give us the competitive edge during combat, the ultimate reason for I MEF's lethality is its #Marines—an advantage that gives adversaries pause. https://lnkd.in/ePwmH-8e

D-Day. 80 years ago.  133,000 troops from the U.S., the British Commonwealth, & allies, landed on the shores of Normandy as Operation OVERLORD got underway.  Over 7,000 ships, manned by almost 200,000 naval personnel from 8 different countries.  Landing in places code named: UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO, & SWORD, allied forces scaled cliffs and swarmed sandy beaches under the hail of withering gunfire.  Further inland, over 13,000 paratroopers carried on more than 800 aircraft, landed by parachute and glider.  Their goal? To gain a foothold in France from which additional allied forces could maneuver to retake Europe.  It remains the largest amphibious invasion in military history. Allied causalities were over 10,000, with over 6,000 from the U.S.  These men and women waded & flew into hell that day.  Like more recent wars, they fought for each other but… perhaps unlike any major conflict since, they fought for liberty and freedom in a world where both were at risk.  Today, is a great day to be an American, proud and free.  Part of the most compassionate, most generous, and most tolerant superpower the world has ever known. God bless the USA and its allies! 

The latest issue. I wrote the cover piece article. Grab a copy while you can!

Early on 6th June 1944 off the coast of German-occupied France, lay an armada of more than 7,000 naval vessels. Above them in the skies that day would pass thousands of aircraft on more than 4,000 sorties, bombing targets and dropping or landing some 24,000 airborne personnel behind enemy lines. Their mission: to capture key bridges, neutralise coastal batteries and secure vital roads ahead of the main landings. Shortly after dawn, and under cover of a massive naval bombardment, the first waves of assaulting infantry made for five designated beaches, codenamed Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah, along a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coastline. In many places the defenders were waiting, and exacted a horrific toll on the allies as they came ashore. But, backed by years of meticulous planning and with great determination, they fought on. They ultimately breached Hitler’s famed ‘Atlantic Wall’ and gained a foothold in ‘Fortress Europe’. But D-Day was only the beginning. For the next three months of ‘Operation Overlord’, the fighting would rage in the towns, villages and the infamous hedgerows of Northern France, as the allies forced the Germans through, and eventually beyond, Normandy. It was a fight for liberation that would involve more than two million allied personnel, 10 percent of whom would become casualties, with 72,000 making the ultimate sacrifice. Hard fought, and costly, the Battle of Normandy was a decisive victory which paved the way to end the Second World War in Europe. #DDAY80 #DDay #RememberTheNormandyLandings #NormandyLandings #ArmedForces #DDayVeterans #80thAnniversary #Anniversary

On November 10, 1775, a resolution by the Second Continental Congress birthed the United States Marine Corps,  setting the stage for a legacy of valor. These first Marines distinguished themselves in their first amphibious raid in the Bahamas, March 1776, under Captain Samuel Nicholas, the first Marine Commandant. From the shores of Tripoli to the forests of Belleau Wood, Marines have fought valiantly, shaping the course of history and embodying the spirit of the nation. Their bravery was not just in battles; it extended to protecting American interests around the world, from the Caribbean to the Falkland Islands, and beyond. The Marine Corps' evolution in warfare, from amphibious capabilities to air support and rapid deployment, showcases their adaptability to changing combat landscapes. Their role in major conflicts, including both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam, underlines the Corps' critical impact on global military history. Beyond the battlefield, the Marines have been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts, bringing hope and aid to those in dire need around the globe. From the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to disaster relief in Haiti, the valor of the Marine Corps extends far beyond combat. Today, the United States Marine Corps stands ready, a testament to the unyielding spirit of those willing to sacrifice for their country, embodying honor, courage, and commitment.

📚 The Battle of Jutland: A Study in Naval Strategy and Technological Evolution The Battle of Jutland, fought between May 31 and June 1, 1916, offers invaluable lessons in naval strategy, technological innovation, and command complexities. This monumental clash between the British Royal Navy and the Imperial German Navy remains a pivotal reference in modern naval doctrines. Discover how intelligence, communication, and the balance between caution and aggression shaped this historic battle and continue to influence contemporary maritime warfare. 🛳️ Learn more about the enduring legacy of Jutland and its impact on naval strategy: https://bit.ly/4aOrHTQ #NavalHistory #MilitaryStrategy #Leadership #TechnologicalInnovation #Jutland #WorldWarI #History #NavalWarfare #MaritimeStrategy #StrategicStudies #HistoricalLessons #SeaPower #WarHistory #MilitaryTactics #NavalBattles #Innovation #HistoricalEvents #DefenseStudies #NavalArchitecture

A fab read, a very real view of d-day from a naval perspective.

TODAY WE REMEMBER: The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), beginning at 6:30 am British Double Summer Time (GMT+2). In planning, as for most Allied operations, the term D-Day was used for the day of the actual landing, which was dependent on final approval. The operation, planned by a team under Lieutenant-General Frederick Morgan, was the largest amphibious invasion in world history and was executed by land, sea and air elements under direct British-American command with over 160,000 soldiers landing on 6 June 1944: 73,000 Americans, 61,715 British and 21,400 Canadians. 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were also involved. CASUALTIES: The Allied casualties figures for D-Day have generally been estimated at 10,000, including 2500 dead. Broken down by nationality, the usual D-Day casualty figures are approximately 2700 British, 946 Canadians, and 6603 Americans. However recent painstaking research by the US National D-Day Memorial Foundation has achieved a more accurate - and much higher - figure for the Allied personnel who were killed on D-Day. They have recorded the names of individual Allied personnel killed on 6 June 1944 in Operation Overlord, and so far they have verified 2499 American D-Day fatalities and 1915 from the other Allied nations, a total of 4414 dead (much higher than the traditional figure of 2500 This is where today's freedoms started. Please never forget. www.hhvuk.org

Prof Christian Bueger I too attended the #IONS 2023, albeit online. I found your #blueparadigm discussion very fitting against your previous papers on #blueblindess, although you refer to it as "#seablindness". The Indo-Pacific narrative of #HADR, information sharing and #MARSEC in combination with the opportunities and challenges of the India-Africa narrative being further researched by Prof Hussein Solomon speaks to the agreed sense of urgency shared by maritime regional stakeholders. It is now an opportune time for entities such as South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), International Ocean Institute, SafeSeas, Nelson Mandela University Ocean Sciences Campus just to name a few, to harness and tap into the renewed collective commitment of the Indo-Pacific leadership and explore mutually beneficial capacity building partnerships. The centrality of public awareness regarding such events will not only create increased civil involvement but also create a culture of improved #oceanliteracy. We as ocean ambassadors need to continue building ocean bridges for future ocean champions to meet.

🚨 NEW RESEARCH 🚨 ‘Why Britain needs a larger navy’ In this new Primer, William Freer and James Rogers analyse the geostrategic rationale behind the UK’s need for a larger navy, and how this can best be achieved 🇬🇧 ‘The Royal Navy is Britain’s most powerful instrument. Facing increasingly potent maritime rivals and threats from multiple directions, the UK needs a fleet of sufficient size, posture, survivability and lethality to pursue and secure British interests.’ You can read the Primer here: https://lnkd.in/ecXnFKww #RoyalNavy #StrategicAdvantageCell