Sunday, June 07, 2009
July 4, 1776. Dec. 7, 1941. Sept. 11, 2001. The dates are seared into our hearts and minds — at least those of us who care to learn from history.
There remains one other date in American — no, world history — that signifies good over evil, freedom over tyranny, liberty over oppression: June 6, 1944.
For as long as the world shall exist, it will be known as D-Day.
Sixty-five years ago Saturday, tens of thousands of scared young American soldiers were crammed together on landing craft in the English Channel heading for the beaches of Normandy, France. Their mission: Save the world.
Though they surely didn’t know it, these young men in all those landing crafts forever would become known in American lore as the Greatest Generation.
Just prior to the invasion, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, supreme allied commander, transmitted a message to the young men who would fight and die in the coming hours.
“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.”
As their landing crafts pitched in the waves, in front of them — looming over the beaches known as Sword, Utah, Juno, Gold and Omaha — waited the Nazi war machine.
Omaha Beach was the Germans’ most heavily fortified. Its conquest was the key objective.
As these Greatest Generation warriors came closer, the Nazis aimed their machine guns, artillery and mortars at them.
As the gates of the landing crafts fell, the Nazis unleashed hell. In mere minutes, hundreds had been killed or wounded. By day’s end the American military would suffer 5,000 casualties on Omaha Beach, all in the name of freedom. Know it.
The carnage on Omaha Beach was so severe that American commanders considered abandoning the beach. But what our commanders had not counted on was the tenacity and fighting spirit of the Greatest Generation.
Just as the firemen on 9/11 rushed up the stairs of the burning Twin Towers into the hands of God, the landing crafts full of American infantry kept coming.
Under withering Nazi machine gun fire, the Greatest Generation slowly inched forward, silencing the Nazi war machine on the bluffs above Omaha Beach. By the end of June 6 it would be largely secured.
In less than a year the Nazi war machine would be crushed, Hitler dead.
Those young Americans who stormed Normandy’s beaches that morning accomplished their mission: They saved the world.
Do not ever forget this day. Teach your children. Make sure no one forgets how good wins over evil and the price that is paid. God bless the warriors.
Ted Nugent is a Waco-based musician and television show host. Contact him directly at tednugent.com.
