Feet on the Ground.

Today is D-Day, 70 years later. I've had it on my mind all day, perhaps because I stood in this very spot at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France in  January.

Roger studied the war in Europe all the time. World at War was on tv all the time when he was home. I picked up a lot of that love by osmosis, I suppose, but it does make it more interesting to study something when you have a personal connection there. WWII Vets. A rare breed! Papa was one. Grandpa was one. Papa fought in France.

On D-Day 1944, Roger was just less than 18 months old. His dad had was in the Army and Roger and mother were supporting him from home, which at the time was in Cleveland, Ohio. (Surprise! Roger was not a southern boy!)

I can still hear her telling stories of those days with Roger, weathering the storm and the absence of Papa. He was overseas for almost 3.5 years. They talked to his picture every day. Roger and his dad had a great relationship. So many soldiers miss those baby years with their children and I know it is hard on them. Today I prayed for those families with young children. Tough on moms to make it through and so hard for children missing dad.

The monument in the photos was placed at Pointe du Hoc in memory of the Army Rangers who landed over 100 feet below, had to cross the beach, and climb to the top of the cliff, using their daggers to make their way up. Remarkable. They also had German artillery firing down on them.
Roger served with a Ranger battalion, so the Rangers were always special to him. He was happy that I took this photo for him. He knew a lot more about that battle at Pointe du Hoc than I did though! 

Ronald Reagan made a speech here in 1984 at the 40 year anniversary. How our country has changed in the 30 years since that speech, but oh, how these young people who still enlist in the military are still some of the most amazing in our country. I love to hear him speak, but the speech is just wonderful when read. I hope I never forget it. Ronald Reagan D-Day Speech 1984

This is the cliff to one side of the Pointe. The soldiers came across at high tide, or the beach would have been much wider. Ever played one of those shooting games at the arcade? It must have been like that for the Germans, in bunkers, at the top of the cliff. Our boys had to get across that beach before they could even take cover against the cliff. Their mission was to scale it in 2 minutes. That did not happen. This place was a greater challenge than they had expected, but they persevered, conquered and moved on toward liberating Normandy and then France.  Even after watching all of the shows with Roger, I never felt the strength of emotion until I set foot on that ground.

 On the way to the Pointe, we sort of heard the story backwards, which might have been hard for the kids. I wondered how they were grasping it all. After the fact, in reading their journals, I realized that this little walk had more impact than I had imagined. We had been talking about world-view. I think it was starting to connect.  Floridians might look at this image and say "Sinkhole?"  Oh, not that! Those are the craters from bombs dropped by the allied forces, trying to take out those German bunkers. If we'd had the technology of today and the willpower and determination of 70 years past, I wonder how long the war might have lasted. It took 4 years once we were involved.  It is sad the way wars go on for decades these days. Roger always had comments about the difference. "If it means something, then let's get in there and get the job done!' 
He was truly an old soul. He also had a good understanding of Biblical law. - moral law and civil law. He knew that it was not right or left (politically) but right or wrong, morally. Yes, he was sad in the turn our country has taken, yet full of faith that it could turn around if hearts would turn back to God.  

These fighting men and women of 70 years ago had a different kind of leaders back then. Moral fiber, Roger called it. They did not play a game called "blame someone else" or "I'm offended." They focused on the mission and in getting the job done and getting back home.  

We went to most of the beaches. This monument is at Utah Beach. It not only represents the waves, but also the junk that the Germans planted in the sea at low tide. Because the landing crafts came in at high tide, to make the already enormously wide beaches less wide, they did not see all of the junk that sliced the sides and bottoms out of their boats and landing craft. Talk about evil. When we do have to go to war, at least we try to play nice. Hitler was nothing short of pure evil. That is where sin takes you though - no regard of any kind for human life. Now I know why Roger would tell me not to watch some of the shows. This place is very solemn though. Not the kind of beach we enjoy in Florida at all. When the folks in Normandy say "never forget," they mean it. France did not even fight Hitler. Peace at all cost - they just submitted. Boy, would Roger give a lesson on that concept!  He often quoted others, who I often did not even know, but ..."If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything" was one of those he quoted often.  France did and should forever thank the USA that they are not speaking German today!  A young man in Paris did just that. He thanked ME. Imagine that! I wish Roger could have met him. Maybe he will one day. 

The American Cemetery at Normandy was breathtaking. It was so in that beautiful landscaping kind of way, but breathtaking in the same way that you feel when you see Arlington Cemetery in DC.  So many crosses. So many souls.  America is the only country that buries its soldiers in single graves. Each is marked with a single white cross. I wonder if that is so that when you see these cemeteries (and all Veteran cemeteries are alike)...then you really can see the cost of war as related to human life. The lives of those who served. These crosses face west. These boys are facing home (USA) for they longed to go back, but ended up with a one way ticket to Europe. Does that give food for thought!  Only a veteran is the caretaker of the cemetery and the number of gardeners who keep the place looking beautiful, like Heaven, is remarkable. Only the very best for our boys! It should be that way for those who returned home as well. We fail at that miserably. 

Roger asked me before this trip to challenge the young people to find an ancestor who served. We found a few. He asked that the young people also imagine themselves with the same decision these boys had. Could they do it? Would they do it?   My dad always said he served because it was important to keep the fight on the other side of the pond. He was willing to sacrifice himself rather than have that fight come to where his family lived.  Roger's dad did the same. Roger did the same, though he was never shipped overseas like many of his buddies. After all, he would say - the average age of a US soldier was 22, many were younger. These young men could face that kind of decision. What would they do, knowing they could go with a one way ticket. 

Roger lived that way every day of his adult life. Every shift, he was sure to tell me that this might be his last. He never knew what he would face. He never knew if there would be a horrific explosion, or a building might collapse, or what would happen on a call. All of his experience would not save him if that was the number of his days, but he would always lead his crews well and they could trust in his wisdom. I know that he never expected his last breath to be on an everyday run for health.  "You never know"....I can hear him say it. 

Roger's lesson:  I'm pretty sure he would say that your life needs to mean something or you wasted the journey. 

He would always tell the girls "I would rather be respected than liked" when they had challenges while growing up. He encouraged them to follow the same guidelines.  I think he achieved both.  I think he was so well liked, actually well loved, because he was a man of his word. He had strong moral values and knew what he believed and why. He did not flaunt it but he lived it. 

I'm thankful for the past history of this country and only time will tell if I can be thankful for current history. I do know that I will continue to pray for those in charge, even when I don't agree with them - which is pretty much most of the time. I do not pray for things to go my way, but for them to go God's way and for God to change lives where needed. Almost all lives need changing to some degree actually. Roger would say that none of us have ever "arrived" but that we can keep letting God refine us until our final breath.  

I know that I still have so much more to learn and I miss my D-Day buddy. I miss seeing history through his eyes. I miss the way that he could merge current history and Bible history and make it so very alive. Try as I might, I can't seem to fill that void. Probably never will.

Every day we have fewer and fewer WWII Vets still with us. I intend to take that huge step and talk to someone I don't know when I meet someone 90 or so. I'll say thank you. That little moment in France really did feel great and I did not even do anything on D-Day. 

Feet on the ground. Make the journey count.