Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000

Subject: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: GUEST,Mrr-since-I-didn't-see-any
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 03:21 PM

Several years ago, Mom took me on a long trip through Normandy and Brittany, starting from England. We arrived at the ferry to go over to Normandy on her brother's birthday, June 6th. When asked where we were going, we said Normandy, and the response was What, again?
It wasn't until we got to the French side where everything was Place 6 Juin, Rue 6 Juin, and saw "countless white crosses" that we realized what the ferryman had meant. And Mom "survived" WWII, so you'd think she'd have that date burned into her memory for ever.

I guess my thought is, while not forgetting what DDay means, and it means a lot even to little pacifist me, it's nice also to have thoughts about other things happening on this day.

So, happy birthday, Uncle Steve! And also to my father-out-law, and may happy returns of the day, even this day. Good luck with the Alzheimers and Lou Gehrig's diseases, may you not realize what is happening to you.

Subject: RE: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 07:20 PM

I have never been to Normandy in this incarnation anyway but as a veteran I try to take time to remember those who went before me and i hope years from now someone will remember those of us who fought in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It's always been about freedom and doing the right thing and never about war except how it relates to heroes and the above. Neil

Subject: RE: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 10:47 PM

Of all the film footage of WWII that I have seen repeatedly, there is that one sequence of a few men running toward the cliffs from the boats. One man goes down. We've all seen that haven't we? That scene is indelibly etched in my memory above many others. It plays almost every time D-Day is mentioned, and I wonder who he was......Did he live or did he die? Did his family know it was their son,brother,father,husband? I don't know why that one scene and that one man gets so deeply into my soul.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: GUEST,AliUK
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 11:26 PM

I have never actually participated in any war, infact I have been against most that have happened in my lifetime ( the Falklands, Desert Storm etc.). I have also wonderd why now, after more than 50 years, we still need to dwell on the horrors of that war ( though there have been bloodier and far more terrible conflicts since then). But I feel the pain of those that still live the memories of those times, the sheer brutality and senslessness of all armed conflict ( bleeding heart that I am). Let us pray that such a think shall never come to pass again. As Eric Bogle once said about the "War to end all Wars" ..." Do all those that lie here know why they died?" I think perhaps that most of them did not.

Subject: RE: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 12:06 AM

And I beg to differ, I think that most of them did. My friend, Ed Redifer, died last March,at age 103. He was the last survivor from this county of the Great War. 3 weeks before he died, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, (sorry, I can't spell it in French) by the Ambassador. Yes, the Ambassador came here to Noplace,Wyoming, to give this to him, for helping to give France a chance at freedom for the future.

My dad was on the first ship into Yokahama harbour after Hiroshima, and I garuntee you, he knew what he was fighting for. He could have gotten an ag deferrment, or a sole survivor deferrment, but he joined at 17, lying about his age.

My brother is in the US Army now, and he knows why he is there. It is not about economic policies, it is not about political policies, it IS about basic human rights. The right to live, the right to be free from fear, the right to play without land mines, the right to speak your mind without fear of fatal reprisal.

I do not, and will not say, that the US has always been, and will always, be RIGHT, I know better than that. We have been involved in unjust/incorrect causes in the past, and no doubt will be in the future. I know that not everybody in the world wants to live in the US, but as my Cuban expatriate Spanish teacher said, "This is the best place in the world, right now. And I should know, I did years of research before I decided to come here, rather than somewhere else." (My own personal choices would be Canada and Austrailia, not necessarily in that order)

I will concede that probably "most" of the VietNam people were not sure what they were fighting for, but then, was anybody at that time? Let's not start yet another VietNam thread over this, OK?

Subject: RE: Thought of the Day - June 6, 2000
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:27 PM

Also, AliUK, I think that we concentrate on the good that came out of that war, rather than on the horrors thereof - DDay recollections might seem bloodier than, say Armistice Day, but what I see celebrated isn't the blood and death, but the outcome thereof. What I personally think about is the soldiers who liberated the concentration camps, including Mom from Auschwitz, and her little brother (the youngest survivor, I was told) from Buchenwald. Which I know didn't happen till nearly a year later, but that landing made it possible.

Anyone see the History Channel History's Mysteries on the DDay secrecy? Fascinating.