A Tribute To Those Who Went Ashore At Normandy To Fight For Freedom When those landing craft doors fell open they move forward into the frigid waters of the English Channel and struggled to get to the beaches under the fierce, withering fire of the German defenders, every thought must have narrowed down to the single, intense, monumental effort to simply survive. Yet, somehow, slowly, with fierce, even wild determination, they kept going forward. Though the casualties mounted around them, they advanced relentlessly toward their various objectives, and against all thoughts of fear, not willing to fail, they began to overwhelm the enemy defenses and to take the day. What those men saw, felt, endured and did that day has gone down as one of the greatest battles in history. The horror that they charged into from those boats and the super human efforts of those men, both individually and cooperatively that day, humble all of us. It was their courage, their determination, in that hellish environment on those beaches and cliffs of Normandy that turned the tide of that war. It was the beginning of the end of the Nazi reign of terror in Europe. There would be much more blood spilled before the war was over, but what those men did that terrible day gave the momentum to the Allied side and it will never be forgotten. One year, the veterans of that day will be not be present, but they will not be forgotten. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world visit the Normandy beaches each year to remember these heroic men. May we all take a moment on June 6 to be silent, or to offer prayers of thanks for those who fought there that day, and for those 37,000 allied troops who fell on that single day in defense of freedom. We cannot thank that generation of warriors enough for what they did there that day.
Impossible to imagine jumping off the craft, into the water and up the beach, running into fire the whole way and having men dropping around you.
Just watched a couple react to "Saving Private Ryan" and it's amazing how many younger people just don't know of the sacrifices that those men HAD to make, and upon seeing that opening scene, wake up to the reality of those sacrifices and cry. Both of my Grandpas served in that war and they (according to my parents) were never the same. PTSD was with them for the rest of their lives. Thank you to all those that have served, during wartime or not. Just think what this world would be like if Hitler had won. Jeesh!
Visited Normandy back in 2001. My grandfathers were stationed elsewhere during WWII, but I was astounded by the geography and what I knew about the invasion. Wife and I both had tears most of the day walking along the cliffs and burial areas. The locals were flying American flags still. It broke our hearts at the same time as our pride and gratitude swelled.
I know someone who just got back from Normandy today. She said it was almost to surreal to think about standing in a foxhole there.
I visited Normandy several years ago and like everyone has said it is very awe inspiring. How those guys made it up those cliffs to take out those bunkers is beyond amazing. There would never be another military assault like that today. Those men were truly the Greatest Generation.
It's like a pilgrimage. You may be moved to tears. I've previously posted of this encounter, but it's worth repeating. Trucker and I have visited Normandy twice. Our first visit was in September of 1985. The first day of our brief visit we were in Ste. Mere Eglise in the town's market square adjacent to the church where one of our paratroopers had dangled from the roof for hours before being freed by fellow GI's. It was lunch time so we bought a lunch of bread, cheese, and fruit from vendors and found a shady corner to stand and watch the activity in the square. We were soon approached by a short, stooped, elderly French man who reached out his hands to take mine and spoke French to us. I only understood a few words, such as 'Americain?' and 'merci,' but his tone of gratitude and attitude of respect was unmistakable. He touched my face, kissed me on one cheek then the other. He turned to Trucker, repeated some of what he had said, shook Trucker's hand, turned and walked away. We were stunned and the encounter left me in tears. Forty years after the end of the war this old man from Normandy had not forgotten, and I will never forget him. ________________________ While you are there be sure to see the Bayeux Tapestry, a needlework stitched by Queen Mathilde, wife of William the Conquerer, and her ladies in waiting. Ths epic and well preserved work of art is nearly 1000 years old and depicts William's invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It is more than 220 feet long.
I often comment to my wife how great that generation was, the very quick conversion to a war economy, the building of a premier military in such a quick span of time, the sacrifices made at home and on the battle field. All while coming out of the "great depression". I don't see it happening again.
