I never had to face the enemy in combat, and for that I feel guilty sometimes.
When I saw "Saving Private Ryan", though, I was reminded of the many beach landings we did in Coronado in preparation for a kind of war that was fought in WW II.
I suppose helicopters have supplanted the landing craft we used, but I can imagine the fear and the horror our men went through during those many beach landings in Guadacanal, Iwo Jima, Normandy, etc.
When that door dropped open in the front, there was no place to hide from the hail of bullets that must have greeted them.
They were completely exposed.
Not having been there, I have to think that the movie depicted that scene of absolute hell on earth in a very realistic manner.
To think of the courage that was required to press forward against the enemy in the face of that slaughter is, to me, very humbling.
May God bless those men who died for us on those beaches, and those who went before, and those who came after.
Only a nation spawned and nurtured under the loving hand of God could breed such men.
Goodnight, all.