Posted on 06/06/2009 9:24:28 AM PDT by Zakeet
"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle." - GEN of the Army Dwight Eisenhower.
Today is the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Why is this such a big deal? Well, I am certain you know the history of it and how it was a major victory in preventing the Nazis from taking over the world.
Beyond that, though, is the personal stories. After writing about the military - and covering a multi-front war - almost every day of my life for nearly 10 years, I never have to look far to find inspiring stories and people to look up to. I have met Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star recipients. I have met double amputees and "Dear John" letter recipients who carry on with bravery. I have met veterans of all wars and conflicts from World War II to Korea to Vietnam to Panama to Haiti to Somalia to the Gulf War to Bosnia to Kosovo to Afghanistan to Iraq. They have fought in such notable battles as Iwo Jima, the Battle of the Bulge, Doolittle's Raid, Chosin, Da Nang, Ia Drang, Fallujah, Sadr City, Baghdad.
Two veterans always stand out. I met one in 2004. The other, I met in 2005. They were D-Day veterans.
One was a 4th Infantry Division veteran. I met him at the CAF AirSho. He couldn't watch the airplanes re-enact the battle at Normandy. He cried when he told me how scared he was the last time he saw those planes. He still felt guilty he survived Utah Beach.
The other was a 1st Infantry Division veteran. He landed at the more well-known Omaha Beach. He said just thinking about D-Day made him sick to his stomach because he could feel his sea-sickness and smell the blood again. I could see his nausea grow in expressions in his face as he talked about it.
More than 5,000 American troops were killed that day. That's more than an entire Army brigade. That's more than have been killed in six years of the Iraq war.
I encourage everyone today to do two things. First, if you haven't seen it, watch "Saving Private Ryan." This is the best way I have found to experience what courage and bravery were displayed that day. I can't describe the new respect you'll form for veterans. You just have to watch it. Every American should.
The first half hour or so of the movie is the Normandy invasion. Yes, it's disgusting. The entire movie is difficult to watch. But it is an incredible movie and one of my husband's and my favorites. Both D-Day veterans I met said this movie is an excellent depiction of what it was really like that day. The movie is about duty and honor and the Army's Warrior Ethos - "I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade." It is the story of a squad being sent on a mission to find one Soldier. What do my husband and I love so much about this graphic movie that is difficult to watch? Nothing we have ever seen has explained so well why we should be thankful for people who have sacrificed for us. Without giving away too much, the main character struggles at the end of the movie. The commander of the squad sent to find him tells him to earn what was sacrificed for him. It fast-forwards to the present, and he wonders whether he's led a good enough life to repay those sacrifices. I have heard the exact same sentiments over and over again from veterans of all wars. An Iwo Jima veteran told me he always tried to live a good life because so many of his friends never made it past 18. And they died so he could have a good life.
So many people have given their lives so we can live free. What have we done to earn that? I hope that question is something we all try to answer each day.
Second, as you read up on the history of today's events, I encourage you to read about the 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion. This was an all-black unit and the first to be engaged in World War II. If you pay attention to the news today, you'll see a veteran of this unit receive the French Legion of Merit, France's equivalent to the Medal of Honor. At least I hope you'll see it in the news.
I have become very interested in the all-black units that were formed before the Army was integrated after World War II. Some of the most decorated and storied units were the all-black units. I have had the honor of interviewing one veteran of an all-black unit, and he was among the absolute most inspiring I have ever met. He still hadn't learned to read or write when he was awarded the Silver Star. These veterans are some of the toughest, bravest, most honorable the Army has ever seen.
A couple of other all-black units you definitely should read about are the 10th Cavalry and the 761st Tank Battalion.
A piece of my husband's service he is most proud of is serving in the 10th Cavalry, the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the Civil War. Obviously, it's an integrated unit now, but the unit crest still is a buffalo, and unit's history is an incredible one worth reading. He is very proud he got to continue the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers.
One of the streets at Fort Hood is named after the 761st Tank Battalion - another unit to land on Omaha Beach. The Fort Knox museum has a special section dedicated to the 761st. If you read about them, you'll see just what they accomplished and how that old cliche of "we'd all be speaking German now if it weren't for the veterans" pretty much pertains to them. This unit received the Presidential Unit Citation. It's veterans include a Medal of Honor recipient, 11 Silver Star recipients and something like 70 Bronze Star recipients (those were given exclusively for valor back then and are the same as today's Bronze Star with V-device for Valor today).
After that, please think about what was at stake on D-Day. A truly evil man was making good progress in his attempts to take over the world. And he was stopped.
Lest we forget.
Emily is a journalism grad who has won more than three dozen competitive writing awards. She is married to a career Army officer.
For obvious reasons, my wife and I are very proud of both of them.
Great read.
Nice! Thanks for posting.
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