Please don't forget about tomorrow...

Thanks for the reminder Chris  -  Awesome!

Kelly and I were there a few years ago.

Looking down on Omaha Beach from one of the bunkers

A memorial on the beach

One of the LRVs, like the one my dad landed in

Another memorial to the fallen and the heroes

The American Cemetery

The view of the beach our men had to cross.

There were bunkers entrenched and fortified on those rises.

It was a miracle anyone survived, much less gained the victory.

To ALL of our men & women in uniform. Living and dead. May God bless each and every one. Words can't express how much respect I have for all of them. 🙏

Never forget.

@jkuvakas 

Excellent pics John & Kelly, Thanks!!

At least one of my ancestors fought in every U.S. conflict since the 17th Century (yes, even before it was the U.S.).  It would please me no end if there were no more wars.

That stunning photograph John posted, of the soldier carrying his wounded mate reminded me of a conversation I had with Frederick Hart, regarding his sculpture, Three Soldiers, commissioned for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  During our conversation I asked how he decided to portray the three young men and he shared with me that he had interviewed nearly 1,000 veterans and the two constants he learned were: the average age of the young men was 19 years old; and when asked how they faced the day to day of their tour, to the man they told him that from dawn to dusk their only goal was to cover each other and stay alive.  There was nothing about fighting for democracy.  It was about survival.  The sculpture shows one man is slightly in front of the others, who are on his left and right flank.   What is not obvious at first glance is the soldier on his right flank has his left hand on the back of the man in front. 

As a footnote, my brother arrived at San Francisco Airport, after serving his first hellish tour in Viet Nam, and he and two other marines were spit at and called foul names in the airport waiting area by a large group of protesters.  I later learned they basically leveled the waiting area and were arrested.  When my brother was let out the next day (the Marine Corps does take care of its own) he didn't come home.  Instead, he asked to be returned to the front line, with his group, a request that was immediately granted.  He never gave a complete reason for doing so, but I sense he felt he would rather be where he was needed, and that was with the young men still on the front line. 

Umm, no politics here is important on these Forums but I can’t help myself so… 

👍 🇱🇷  

🙏 to all those who sacrificed for us.

Steve

@gdh Sadly, there's millions of stories about tragedy, hardship, heroism, honor, glory, and the mindset it takes to fight a war and somehow survive it.   Thanks for reminding us, that so many  never got the chance to share theirs or if they are shared, sometimes, those listening don't care or truly don't understand.   

Returning Vietnam vets suffered through two wars really......   They had a rough time in the 1970's.

In 1973 when I started with USPS, John & Tom had been hired before me. They were Vietnam Veterans and would not talk about their service. 
Steve

@chris   Yes, they did have it rough, when they came home.  The boy I grew up with, whose mother introduced me to the beauty of vintage cars at a very young age, was a sweet soul who's head was too twisted when he came home and he decided to leave us.  So many young men made that choice, and many young men from the Gulf war have done the same.  Wars should be fought by the senators, congressmen, and President who initiate such actions, not the boys who have just begun to live.

Posted by: @gdh

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"...he decided to leave us."

Yes, sometimes "the voices"  win.....  so sad.    😔 😔