Remembering D Day.

Thinking ahead to June 6^th: 

As I grow older I find myself thinking more and more about the men who helped make our freedom and very existence possible, allowing any successes that we as Americans have achieved, to be a reality.  This probably sounds really corny to a 17 or 18 year old today but it was guys just like them that I give thanks to every June 6^th.  Many were just out of High School as they waded ashore on the 5 beaches of Normandy at Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword and Juno beaches.  Through a hail storm of bullets that rained down on them from the cliffs. Bullets that killed one out of every twenty men among them, yet they kept coming ashore wave after wave wading through the bodies of their fellow soldiers.  Any man or woman that faces combat has to put their fear aside and keep fighting on.  These men were the bravest of the brave, fact is, most injured or killed in combat never see it coming these guys not only could see the carnage around them, they had to carry 70lbs of gear and wade many times neck deep knowing if they fell they would likely drown, walking into an inferno of Hell on the beach.  Once there they had to run 100 yards to the edge of the cliffs through soft sand before finding any type of cover.  Your natural instinct would be to stop and help a wounded comrade on the sand but those that did usually were soon casualties themselves.   Many when they finally fell panting to the ground under the cliffs found their Command Staff never made it and now a Sgt. Or even a Corporal was in charge of their unit.  Hundreds of Sailors made trip after trip in their landing craft to the beach with artillery exploding other boats all around them.  I know this sounds over dramatic to many but it is all true and the history has been written.  We owe the thousands who made that little romp to the beach our freedom and that cannot be disputed.  War is Hell where ever it is fought but June 6^th was the Grand Daddy of all battles.

These men were truly part of the Greatest Generation and I can only salute their memory as so few are still with us.  I just pray that when needed another generation of heroes will stand just as tall and protect our great Country just as bravely as our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen did in World War II.  God Bless these brave men and God Bless America.