They were all wonderfully, excruciatingly young. For some years they had trained day and night for the Task, fully realizing that they personally may not make it. No matter. They would train and train again, and just maybe they would make it. Just, hopefully - maybe.
There is nothing quite like live shells flinging themselves at you to give you perspective. The immediacy of jumping from a slow plane flying straight at an enemy who is well equipped - well, that focusses a person pretty fast. Gives them a moment in eternity to think about what's coming, and whether one is ready for it.
Words written by the General to these soldiers, sailors, and airmen had been read by each of them. It is sobering to read them now.
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"You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which you 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. Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."
-Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6, 1944 (abridged)
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Their General was confident that they could do it. Together there were 156,000 of them, by air and sea, and then on foot. I wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of it right about then. The awesome massivity of it all would have been chilling, to see that wave coming their way.
And so, a Rosary en route. A memorized and fervent prayer as the seconds ticked by. Many Chaplains climbed aboard the craft that would take them also into harm's way, praying for the men, reminding, urging them on in battle. In times like those, the prayers learned during easier times would come to the rescue, memorized prayers that floated back on the wings of rote and helped steady their steps.
The mission was successful, and many a good man lost his life doing it. But the D-Day invasion, with all its casualties, began the Undoing of the enemy in Europe. Oppressed people everywhere heard of it (thank you BBC) and cheered; were uplifted; prayed for the Allies to hurry and get there in time.
We have a 70th Anniversary celebration of this remarkable event coming up. Only a few of these men will be there. Those who can will make the trek back to Normandy, or Omaha Beach, or Utah Beach and other D-Day spots. Let's watch and honor them, shall we? I plan to find a TV somewhere and relive it right along with the guys who were so wonderfully, excruciatingly young, back on June 6, 1944.
On that one Day of Days, if I had been on that slow plane? I would much rather have sat next to a man with a Rosary than just about anyone else. I might even ask if he had a spare.
See you along the way!
the SconeLady.
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/2561212534/">The U.S. Army</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/healinglight/533374684/">Templar1307</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs/2113127921/">matthijs rouw</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
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