The thing that strikes me about D-Day is that it would not be possible today, with all the advanced telecommunications, intelligence, radar, satellites, etc. that kind of attack just isn't possible, at least as a surprise.
"Freedom is not free... "
No truer word was ever spoken.
We were at Pointe du Hoc a year ago today -- for the 60th anniversary of D-Day last year. Right about the time the ceremony was over, two Blackhawks put down near the Memorial out on the Pointe. I had occasion to talk to the crew, in addition to the Rangers -- past and present, including a small contingent of D-Day veterans from the 2nd Rangers.
Those old guys were still full of fight, not the least of which was Bud Lomell, who was in attendance. He took one look at those choppers and mentioned that if we had air assault capabilities back then, their little hill climb could have been cancelled.
All the same, those men were and remain giants of history, hill climb or not.