I am still awed by the events of that day, the courage and fortitude of the allied soldiers that faced withering German fire. I have probably seen Saving Private Ryan 8 times and have read Stephen Ambrose's D Day. Many of the scenes in Saving Private Ryan are taken from the oral histories chronicled in Ambrose's book. Most amazingly, much went wrong that day. The pre-invasion bombings didn't hit their targets. The airborn divisions were dropped in the wrong places. The supported armor foundered in the water. Yet, our boys improvised and prevailed.
I also heard Donald Trump's magnificent speech at Normandy. It was eloquent, gripping and full of emotion. Trump in moments like today is every bit as good as Reagan. Like Reagan, he likes to single out D-Day participants to tell their individual stories. The highlight of the day was when he walked over and hugged one of the D-Day veterans. He echoed Eisenhower's reference to the Great Crusade and emphasized national sovereignty. Unlike his predecessor, Trump was unafraid to draw a stark moral distinction between nations, "Their mission is the story of an epic battle, and the ferocious, eternal struggle between good and evil." Trump delivers his best speeches when away from our shores, and today was no exception.
Their numbers are dwindling rapidly and the numbers of men that were there and survived the horrors of that day are small, and most that are left are old and frail, but the older I get the more I revere them for what they did for us that day.
Reflecting on the events of that day triggers two fundamental questions. How would you have held up on that day? Could America undertake such a bold, costly and uncertain challenge today?
Visiting that sacred place is certainly on my bucket list. If I am still around, I would love to be there for the 100th anniversary.
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