Remembering D-Day: June 6, 1944

Two of my cousins from Tennessee, neither of them having yet reached the age of twenty-one, were on the beach on D-Day.

Both came home physically whole but never the same in their souls. What they had seen and experienced in that battle scarred them forever.

But I never saw nor met two others as patriotic as my two cousins. They remained staunch patriots for the rest of their lives.

They never spoke one word about what happened on that beach. Neither did they sleep through another night again without nightmares and calling out in their sleep. And they never uttered one word of complaint about having served our nation, nor did they want any special recognition.

Would that all Americans today had the same humble determination to preserve freedom and the same willingness to fight for the noble cause of preserving that freedom!

Hat tip to Mustang of Social Sense for the following video:



Read the eloquent words of Dwight D. Eisenhower before that great battle:

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

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. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.

In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.

The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Ronald Reagan commemorating D-Day in 1984 (another hat tip to Mustang:



I wish that my two cousins from Tennessee had lived long enough to hear Reagan's words.