Looking at a lot of photos of .... 1944 ... I cannot imagine what thoughts would be in a head ... in a landing craft, scared to death, knowing that door would soon open, upon ..... what? ... An army that is intent on defending their territory, and had many years to prepare. I often wonder about ... "Giving my life for my country." I doubt that anyone really wants to do that.
The WAR never hit our family ..... hard ... we lost a cousin who was a pilot, over the English Channel, we didn't really know him. All of our friends, neighbors and relatives, came home. We collected grease and scrap metal and other stuff, as kids, for the "War Effort." but that was about all. My Dad was a Doctor so we had plenty of gas for the car. I don't remember ever "wanting" for anything. Earl had the grocery store across the street, so I think we made out all right.
I do remember the entire duration of the war, the beginning, and the end. This day was perhaps one of the BIGGEST days because we were fighting ..... on the enemies home land. The end was in sight.
I think that Red Wallace was there, Charley Parlette, and some others that we knew. I think that Red was in the first wave that went ashore.I think he walked all the way to Berlin.
Seventy years ago, a lot has been forgotten, few are left who were there, few remember how it "was" then.
Think of all that has happened since that day. The world has changed, completely, since then. Think of how warfare had clanged. This "thing" I am typing on, is hooked up to nothing, I can see what I am typing, I can send it anywhere in the world, and soon, I will "Post" it ... where millions have access to it. I could hit "Print" and in another room, it would print out. Yes, the world has changed a lot.
I imagine a "landing" today would be accomplished with helicopters, or something we might not even imagine now.
I know the event would be televised though, with cameramen transmitting every thing that would happen. We would be there, live and in person ...... watching the war going on.....
