Thank you Alex, for memorializing the individual men, and companies of men, who were compelled to serve their country in the most brutal period in history.
I find it helpful to reread my own father’s log of the missions he flew as an 8th Air Force navigator.
He was one of the lucky 1 out of four who returned to the States after 25 missions. The men of RAF flew until they died.
I first visited Omaha Beach with a longtime friend in 1981, we had both fought the invasion battles numerous times thanks to the war games then available. I also had a connection via my Vietnam War era service in the 1/115 of the 29th Infantry Division (see The Clay Pigeons of St Lo). I have a picture I took at the water’s edge at low tide looking up the beach toward the tiny figure of my friend next to a German bunker - no beach obstacles survive but the sheer distance to be crossed under fire was daunting. The visit came in handy only a few years later when I was working at the Pentagon and received a draft copy of a proposed Presidential address - riddled with errors and inaccuracies. I recited the list of errors to my boss seeking clarification of how extensively i could edit the draft - and when i was done he asked me, “Robert, how do you know all of this?” I told him, “George, I’ve been there, I’ve fought this battle.”
Thank you for this.
I visited Fox Green last year. I couldn’t get over how truly gorgeous that beach is. It seems impossible that such events occurred there.
I brought some sand home to add to my father’s collection. He was a Vietnam Marine, so mostly Pacific island battles and some from Vietnam.
I will check out your book!
Thank you Alex, for memorializing the individual men, and companies of men, who were compelled to serve their country in the most brutal period in history.
I find it helpful to reread my own father’s log of the missions he flew as an 8th Air Force navigator.
He was one of the lucky 1 out of four who returned to the States after 25 missions. The men of RAF flew until they died.
I first visited Omaha Beach with a longtime friend in 1981, we had both fought the invasion battles numerous times thanks to the war games then available. I also had a connection via my Vietnam War era service in the 1/115 of the 29th Infantry Division (see The Clay Pigeons of St Lo). I have a picture I took at the water’s edge at low tide looking up the beach toward the tiny figure of my friend next to a German bunker - no beach obstacles survive but the sheer distance to be crossed under fire was daunting. The visit came in handy only a few years later when I was working at the Pentagon and received a draft copy of a proposed Presidential address - riddled with errors and inaccuracies. I recited the list of errors to my boss seeking clarification of how extensively i could edit the draft - and when i was done he asked me, “Robert, how do you know all of this?” I told him, “George, I’ve been there, I’ve fought this battle.”
I felt much the same when I went down to Dog Green. Thank you for articulating what I wasn’t able to do. The sand in my drawer is sacred.