D-Day Memorial

[CJsNvrUrly]

I’ve hidden this photo for thirteen years.
The day I took it was full of excitement, of celebration, of pride. The day of the dedication of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, June 6, 2001.
Bedford had been a flurry of activity in the weeks prior to the event in preparation for dignitaries near and far. Presidents, Ambassadors, the remaining D-Day soldiers…Our community nearly burst with pride.
My husband and I scheduled the day off from work to attend, dragging along our two young daughters. We were sure they’d remember this historic event and someday, feel honor they’d attended.
They only remember the heat. The scorching 90-degree temps in the unforgiving Virginia sun, attendees passing out due to heat exhaustion and dehydration.
What I remember is this photo.
I was walking amidst the crowd, snapping innumerable photos of anything and everything—the camera crews, the bronze sculptures, the Missing Man Formation flyover—when I spotted this soldier sobbing.
Here was emotion, raw and unabashed…until his seatmate noticed me snapping the photo, nudged the soldier, and the moment abruptly ended in uncomfortable silence.
I nearly deleted the photo in front of him, then and there. I felt ashamed for the intrusion. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it, and I scurried away.
I’ve hidden this photo for thirteen years, and it’s haunted me often. Now, with the 70th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, I feel compelled to share it.
I don’t know who you are, soldier, or what moved you at this moment, but I just want to say…thank you.

[Gutenberg]

Thanks for sharing that. Who knows what would make such a young man weep so? I hope wherever he went--Iraq, Afghanistan, both--he came back whole.

Thanks for the picture, CJ.

[steve...]

The other night I watched a NOVA program D-Day's Sunken Secrets.

It's about the problems and how they were overcome in the three-year effort to make the biggest naval invasion in history.

It illustrates very well how bad that day was for those that were there.

NOVA

[pRICE cUBE]

I am grateful for their service and sacrifice. I don't know if I would have the backbone to do what these people did.

[Ombligo]

For those who might wonder why the National D-day Memorial is located in a small Virginia town of Bedford -- The community suffered the highest per capita casualty rate of any place in the country during the invasion. The community of 3200 (in 1944) lost nineteen of its 30 men on June 6, 1944, all members of the local National Guard, which became Company A, 116th Infantry Division. Four more were killed later in the invasion.

http://www.dday.org/the-memorial/why-bed...dford-boys


Also, as we remember the vets of Normandy this week, also think of those who took part in two major battles in the Pacific theater of operations during the battle Midway (June 4-7, 1942) and the Invasion of Saipan (June 15-July 9, 1944)

[DP]

Thx for sharing...

[CJsNvrUrly]

Thank you for mentioning that, Ombligo. That's a crucial part of the backstory that I inadvertently omitted.