Don't Forget! 65 Years

Today is the 65th Anniversary of "D Day", the Normandy Invasion of the Normandy shores in France. The beginning of the end of World War II.

I just watched the live ceremony that was on CNN this morning. President Obama spoke and gave a good speech honoring those that lost their lives, and those honored veterans who are still living. I was brought to tears. I also thought that the day will come, like with the Civil war, that there are no World War II veterans alive. We must continue to remember and honor them for the sacrifices they made. AND we must remind our children not to forget. We should pass that book that Tom Brokaw wrote about "The Greatest Generation" along to all our children and insist that they read it.

When I was a kid I heard of "D-Day" but really did not understand it much. When I was older I wanted to know more, and studied more about World War II and the Normandy invasion. Let's hope that today's generation will do the same. Of course, movies that were out after the war and then were re run on cable stations these last few 30-40 years, have helped. The movie that came out when I was a teenager "The Longest Day", was a good one for me to understand it more. And, this generation that probably doesn't watch those old movies will have more current movies like "Pearl Harbor" and "Saving Private Ryan" to at least give them some history and maybe wet their interest to do more reading and research. And, not only World War II, but all of our wars that we have lost soliders going back to the Revoluntary War.

I have several uncles that were in World War II. The only reason I know, is that in my materanal Grandmother's bedroom, when I was growing up, were 5 X 7 photos of my uncles in uniform on her dresser. I knew my Dad's youngest brother was in the service (but not during the war), because I was old enough to know. But, I didn't know one of my Dad's brother in law and my uncle was in the Air Force and saw action during the war, until he died and was buried in a military cemetery. Then I found out that some of his other brother in laws were also in the service during the war. When I was growing up, they just never talked about their war experiences. Just as my husband does not talk about his time in Thailand, during the Vietnam War ara (there was also action there), and I'll bet those coming back from Afhganstan and Iraq don't talk much either. But, just because they don't talk, doesn't mean we shouldn't remember and also honor them.

Let us remember and honor all veterans, not just today, but always.