In a moment of serendipity, today on the anniversary of D-Day, while shopping, I met a veteran of the United States Airforce and his wife. I thanked him for his service and we talked awhile about his experiences. As I mentioned in a previous post, we visited Normandy last fall and spent three days visiting WWII battle sites. It was an unforgettable time. My father-in-law landed on Omaha Beach June 4, 1944 and miraculously survived to fight in the Pacific and then return to Ohio.
The man I spoke with today was a prisoner of war in Germany for a time and at 89, is one of the youngest of his group, who still stay in contact and get together each year. He said he speaks at schools now whenever possible and told me of speaking at the local high school to an auditorium filled with over 600 high school seniors, normally not a quiet group. He said you could have heard a pin drop.
That gives me hope. To any of you reading this who have served, thank you. To those who gave their lives on D-Day (and those who fortunately lived), thank you. And to those who are serving, thank you as well. You give me hope, too.
Omaha Beach
American Cemetery at Omaha Beach
A very few of those who gave their lives
Thank you!
This, that and the other thing 