On this day, 68 years ago, soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, taking Hitler’s Nazi forces by surprise in one of the greatest examples of military courage the world has ever seen. Remembered as D-Day, the success of the Allied invasion marked an important turning point in World War II, which led to the eventual victory over Hitler’s Germany. Thousands of American servicemen lost their lives that day, and countless others were wounded in the fight to liberate Europe from the evil grip of Nazi Germany.
As the number of veterans from World War II dwindles, I fear that the commemoration of D-Day, and the important sacrifice those who served on that day made is being diminished in the American psyche. As I meet and speak with veterans of World War II, they express this same concern, and fear that the lessons of the Second World War are being lost among many in government today. For veterans of war, being forgotten by ones fellow countrymen is the greatest tragedy of all.
It is imperative that on this day, we remember the sacrifices that the 'Greatest Generation' made for our freedoms all those years ago. Take a minute, sit down with your children, or grandchildren, and tell them the story of the brave soldiers, sailors and airmen, who fought and died so that America could remain free.
As a 24 year Army Officer who still wears our country’s uniform, I see a similar greatness in the eyes of our current generation of warriors. Today’s servicemen and women continue the heroic tradition of their predecessors in wars past.
Nearly 11 years after the September 11th attacks, it is important to remember that we are still a nation at war. Military hospital beds are just as full today as they were three, five, and seven years ago. For many of our servicemen and women, the battle continues long after they’ve left the battlefield.
Thank you to all those who have served, and who continue to serve, and today, let us all give a special thanks, to the brave men who served on D-Day.
