June 6, 2009 marks the 65th Anniversary of D-Day, the Allied Forces Invasion of Normandie (it was to take place on June 5, 1944, but bad weather postponed the invasion).  Although my father served in the Eastern Theatre (southeast Asia), I still believe it a tribute to him and all U.S. combat veterans of our World War II Armed Forces to remind people to NEVER, EVER forget the heroism, courage, and tenacity that they embodied, and the sacrifices they gave for their country.  For those of you who have no concept of the depth or importance of this...get a copy of the movie, "Saving Private Ryan," or the mini-series, "Band of Brothers," watch it, and immerse yourselves in the experiences of the characters....that's the closest you'll ever come to understanding.  That's as close as I ever want to come to that--and I have my dad and all the other World War II vets to thank!!!  
 
D-Day: This decisive battle foreshadowed the end of Hitlers dream of Nazi domination. Overlord (Code name for the D-Day invasion, June 6, 1944) was the largest air, land, and sea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944. The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and over 150,000 service men.

After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, for the Allied Forces, it all came down to this: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run, and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men (most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carrying eighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yards of beach before reaching the first natural feature offering any protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and bracketed by artillery, they found themselves in Hell.