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D-Day Commemorations [1]

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Date: 2024-06-06  

Thanks to Pattioric for sharing their trip to the National D-Day Museum on this notable day.

The 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion will be the last for many of those who participated. In fact, Al Persichitti, age 102, died enroute to the commemoration.

For scale, think of this: 80 years after Gettysburg, WWII was raging. And due to modern record keeping, there won’t be any “suvivors” around for the D-Day centennial. In many ways we are blessed to have had the men who made it through D-Day last to the eighty-year mark. The last Civil War reunion was the 50th anniversary of Gettsyburg in 1913.

There have been many tributes today. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings and a Prince all traveled to Normandy to honor the last of the Greatest Generation.

President Biden gave a moving speech in which he thanked the survivors for their courage and defense of democracy. He gave a shout-out to allies standing together. And as I mentioned elsewhere,

Some of the veterans told Mr. Biden they were honored to meet him. One had advice for the president: “Don’t get old,” the veteran said, as he settled back in his wheelchair. www.nytimes.com/...

Pres. Macron of France awarded 11 Americans the Legion d’Honneur.

The NYTimes has this this reflection with interviews. PBS’s NewsHour Malcolm Brabant has some individual interviews, and Amna Nawaz interviewed Garret Graff, author of When the Sea Came Alive: an Oral History of D-Day.

Those of us who frequent the Ukraine board are probably aware that Pres. Zelenskyy was invited to attend, and encountered a “fanboy”

As the veteran went to kiss his hand, the Ukrainian president instead embraced him. "You are the savior of the people," the veteran told him in scenes broadcast by French TV channel LCI. "No, no – you saved Europe," Zelensky replied. As the pair posed for a photograph, the encounter was broadcast on screens at the venue, prompting the crowd to give them a standing ovation. "You're our hero," the veteran said. "No, you are our hero," Zelensky insisted. After more hand-shaking, the veteran said: "I pray for you." kyivindependent.com/...

It has been an emotional day, even though most of us here weren’t yet born.

Please feel welcome to share your tributes and reflections below.

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