Please reflect on the sacrifice of those in World War II. Try this link if you have time D-Day June 6, 1944.

Today is always a somber day for me as we lost many relatives in the Canadian forces. Many cousins and a couple Uncles I never got to meet from that war.

What a day that was.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Those guys are true American hero's. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

Don't forget the guys who were down in Italy, fighting there since Sept 43, tying up many German divisions who would otherwise have been available to oppose the D-Day landings.

Rare mention is made of the work they did or of the fact that they went in combat starting November 1942, about 19 months longer than the D-Day forces. Some of those Divisions (3rd Infantry for one) had as many as five amphibious D-Day landings of their own: Oran, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Southern France.

I'm not knocking the June 6, 1944 landing one bit. Those guys were heroes of the highest order. What I'm saying is they were not the only ones, that there were a bunch of other guys who sacrificed mightily without nearly the recognition.

5 Uncles and 1 Aunt all served in WWii, also wifes Dad and his brother.

They all served and came back safe. There are many however that did not.

There are no words that can express our gratitude to all the countless ones who served regardless whether they came back or did not come back.

We ALL owe them a debt we can never repay.

I can only imagine the courage - the sheer guts - that it took to storm the beaches in heavily defended Normandy 66 years ago. The opening battle scenes in "Saving Private Ryan" may give some hint of what those fellows faced. On Omaha Beach, in particular, one must have thought he was going into pure hell and almost certain death. And yet those magnificent young men charged headlong into battle - for us. Never forget the Sixth of June, 1944. Our whole way of life depended on the outcome. God bless them all, living and dead, who participated.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

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dick

A lesson in the importance of resolution.

Once he made the decision to go, Eisenhower stuck with it and let his subordinates carry through to the successful conclusion.

Also a lesson in the American refusal to bow to circumstances. Not only did the airborne overcome their initial adversities, they capitalized on them to bewilder and defeat the Germans. Likewise, those who came ashore on the beach took their casualties and kept going.

And finally, an object lesson in the almost inevitable results of having a single autocrat in charge. Fortunately, once Hitler got a [dumb] idea in his head, nobody would or could shake him of it. After our own men, he was our greatest asset.

Truly the Greatest Generation. My Dad and his 5 brothers all served in WWII. One did not come back.

wyo-man

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Live free or die

I think anyone in that conflict-or any other-who heard the bullets go by overhead, heard the artillery rounds exploding nearby, but who didn't hesitate to jump off a landing craft or out of an airplane or attack an enemy position-despite being scared silly-was a hero in that conflict.

I had the the opportunity to live in France for four years. We went to the Normandy Beach area a number of times... we even had the chance to let our whippet Nikki run loose on the beach. One time at low tide, we were able to walk out to some of the remains of landing docks that normally lie underwater.

The National Cemetery at Normandy is an amazing place. I've been to Arlington and many other beautiful sites... but Normandy always struck me more emotionally than any other. This is a special place and this picture that I took on a misty day captures it perfectly.

Notice the Star of David on the marker to the right and on the second row to the right.



We also went to the German cemetery at Normandy that had more graves than the US... It was only about seven miles away but was light years away in spirit with the black crosses and the whole feeling of the site.

I see what you mean . . .