Today, we remember D-Day — June 6, 1944

....we should never forget what a bunch of guys did for all of us. 

May God bless those who sacrificed so that we could live in freedom.  I find that as I age (74) and I am now able to look so far back on life experiences enjoyed, milestones, achievements and growth of family, my appreciation grows ever more significant for the depth of sacrifice made by those who never made it home or made it home terribly damaged.  When I consider all that they missed in life for our freedom I am filled with the deepest of respect that I cannot put into words adequately.

I recall two stories about D-Day that may be apocryphal but are instructive : In one,  French schoolchildren were being taken to Normandy to see the battlefield some years ago. They were laughing and joking and kidding around. Then their teacher remarked that Americans may have many faults .... but then his hand swept out across the big American cemetery there. "But these young men came over here and gave their lives to liberate us. Don't forget that." And the kids fell silent.

The other was that General Eisenhower had two notes in his pocket meant for public announcement. One said that because of high losses and inability to establish a beachhead, he had made the personal command decision to pull out all allied forces from the failed attempt at an invasion. The other note announced the successful gaining of a beachhead at Normandy by the Allies. 

He read the second note.

🇱🇷 💪 🙌

They went into this knowing their chances were negligible of surviving.

May they have a special place in Heaven. 🙏

My great uncle dropped in with the 101st on D-day. He was a first generation German-American. He also took part in Market Garden and was at Bastogne. After the war he stayed in Germany as part of the constable force. He married a German lady. They moved to the USA for a short time, but returned to Germany. Family lost contact with him.

A critical day that was touch and go and landed a day later than originally planned. If you have not visited the Normandy beaches and cemeteries, I recommend that you do so. We owe so much.