Ours might be the very last generation to even care that young...kids...--REAL "heroes" -- stormed these beaches on D-Day and laid it all on the line for future generations. Yes, without ever fully living.
If modern Hollywood did nothing else, at least Spielberg made 'Saving Private Ryan'. The shocking opening beach scene (filmed documentary-style) reminded us of the horror and sacrifice that was made.
'Band of Brothers' was also great (for those who may have missed it, produced by both Spielberg and Tom Hanks.)
My prayers are that the Lord granted mercy in His eyes.
Band of Brothers' was also great (for those who may have missed it, produced by both Spielberg and Tom Hanks.)
I had the good fortune to serve with some of those men, -- 12_years later, in the summer of '55_the 11th Airborne Division was scheduled to rotate to Germany, so many of the officers and men who had stayed in the army after the war got themselves transferred to the 11th to go along.. -- Germany was a prime duty assignment..
To us young recruits, these guys were old men, but in reality most were still in their early 30's, senior NCO's or mid grade regimental officers.. Although in my company, we had a Pvt Williams, who had a little drinking/fighting problem. -- He also had a CIB, and a Bronze Star, earned in Normandy and Holland.. Good guy, but best avoided when he had a snoot full.
Those were great years for me and I was lucky to spend two years stationed in Munich..
" I had the good fortune to serve with some of those men, "
You are indeed fortunate to have met and known such men. I am younger than you, and did not get to serve with such men. I did however have the honor to meet WWII vets, friends of my father. They told me many stories that I will never forget. They did not tell the stories in a braggadocios way. But they told it in a historical way. Some were funny, some were sad, and some were downright heart breaking. I am glad I got to meet such men, and to have received their history lessons. I will always hold those men in very high regard.
Also, two guys I went to school with, their father landed at Normandy. Met their mother in France and brought her home. She was fascinating. She and their father told some stories I will never forget. She truely hated the Nazis, was a part of the underground from her early teens. Very fine lady !!
I have tried to instill in my children what those of that generation did for us, to learn the lessons of that time, and to honor their memories !!!
tpaine: --- " I had the good fortune to serve with some of those men, "
You are indeed fortunate to have met and known such men. I am younger than you, and did not get to serve with such men. I did however have the honor to meet WWII vets, friends of my father. They told me many stories that I will never forget.
From the end of the war, till I enlisted in early '55, we had many family get- togethers, weddings,funerals, etc. --- At one time I had nearly 100 first cousins, most older, from both sides, so I grew up hearing about their war experiences..
Probably the worse was about my cousin Frank, who was in the 8th, shot down over Berlin in late '43, and spent the rest of the war in a PW camp, and got out weighing about 80 pounds.. -- He didn't like to talk about it much..
