06/05/2024
The 80th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944: A Saga of Courage and Sacrifice - By Commander John Barney Barnes
“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we 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. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of N**i tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.” General Dwight Eisenhower D-Day 1944
“To us is given the honor of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history, and in the better days that lie ahead men will speak with pride of our doings.
We have a great and righteous cause. Let us pray that, The Lord Mighty in Battle will go forth with our armies and that His special Providence will aid us in the struggle. Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery’s Prayer, D-Day 1944
Inspired by the words of their commanders, over 160,000 American, British, Canadian, and other Allied troops landed along a 50 mile stretch of beach or parachuted into Normandy, France. It should be noted that, less than 15% of them had previously been in actual combat and felt the sting of battle. Moreover, no invader had dared crossing the 100 miles of treacherous and unpredictable English Channel since 1688.
During this critical first day of battle, June 6, 1944, over 4400 American and over 2300 Allied soldiers were killed in action. (exact numbers unknown) Undaunted by the deadly fire raining down from “The Atlantic Wall”, the determined warriors moved steadily into the inferno securing five distinct beachheads. Pause and reflect. The shores of Normandy were further bloodied this day from the wounds of thousands more of these “brothers-in-arms” locked in this epic struggle over evil.
German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, upon observing this unforeseen Allied success, said “If we do not throw them off the continent within 3 days the war is lost.” Rommel’s analysis proved to be correct for during the next 10 weeks the Allies landed 2,052,299 men on the shores of France and began the “Great Crusade” declared by General Eisenhower. During this period 36,976 allied soldiers (20,838 Americans) were killed in action, over 153,000 were wounded and over 19,000 simply vanished in the fog of war. Just for a moment pause, consider the magnitude of this sacrifice.
Liberty is a precious commodity, and each generation must be called upon to embrace and defend it. Our history teaches us that, from time to time, the securing of our liberty requires a powerful and violent confrontation with evil. D-Day, as General Eisenhower and Field Marshall Montgomery so eloquently declared to the allied army, was such a confrontation.
Thomas Jefferson said it so well… “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”. In 2024, in our haste to acquire things, we must not forget that Jefferson also reminded us of this truth, “Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?”
