Remembering Normandy

Today is the 79th anniversary of the massive amphibious invasion of Nazi Europe by the Allies. More than 150,000 American and Allied troops, many just 18 years-old or in their early 20s, landed on the beaches of Normandy to liberate an entire continent from the evils of national socialism (Nazis).

Dad receives Army’s second highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross

We might be able to honor those brave men best today by re-reading the tremendous prayer that President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered to the nation as the liberation of Europe was under way. Here is a brief excerpt:

“Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. . .

“And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events . . . deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. . . Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.”

As my friend Gary Bauer wrote, “This is a good prayer to remember in our own pleas that God would give us that same strength and courage as we endeavor to save our country today from the increasingly unhinged socialist, authoritarian left.”

And, let’s not forget the men, like my dad, who fought on the “forgotten” Southern Front in Europe during WWII.

My dad was so proud to have been a “Dogface Soldier” with the 3rd Infantry Division. The “Northern Guys,” dad called them, only had one D-Day. The “Southern Guys,” had five D-Days (and Dad’s 3rd Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment had seven D-Days).

The “Northern Guys” had 336 days in the war. The “Southern Guys” had over 900 days in the war, of which the Division was credited with 531 combat days – the most combat days of any unit in the European Theatre.

The 3rd Infantry Division fought in places like Casablanca, Anzio, Rome, the Vosges Mountains, the Colmar pocket, the Siegfried Line, Nurnberg, Munich, Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg – battling over 3,200 miles in seven countries.

And, it was elements of the 3rd Infantry Division that captured Hitler’s retreat near Berchtesgaden, NOT the Band of Brothers.

The 3rd Division was the only U.S. unit that served in all 10 campaigns of the European war and was among the first American combat units to engage in offensive ground combat operations. The Division suffered the most casualties of any U.S. unit in the theatre – suffering, depending upon who you read, between 25,000 and 30,000 causalities. At times the average life expectancy of a frontline junior officer was 21 days.

As you know, the most decorated soldier in World War II was the 3rd Infantry Division’s Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy. Thirty-nine 3rd ID soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor, one fourth of all Medals of Honor presented during the war. Further, 133 Distinguished Service Crosses and over 2000 Silver Stars were awarded, making the Division the most honored in the Army.

So, today, let’s never forget and let’s remember the suffering, sacrifice, and successes of the over 2 million American men who fought and won in Europe during WWII.

If you want to learn more, pick up a copy of my award-winning book, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse. Today, it’s on sale at Amazon for 36% off here.