D-DAY Plus 70

70 years ago this weekend, June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. My Dad was one of those real American heroes. He and the other members of the 101st Airborne blackened their faces, and, inspired by Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower, telling them the "eyes of the entire free world are on you", climbed into C47 airplanes, and took off in silence for France. Dad says no one spoke a word. They sat with heads in hands, everyone lost in their own thoughts of family and freedom and the very real likelihood they would not return. Dad said there were just a few clouds, and he was stunned at the number of ships he could see in the shadows of the water. When they reached their destination, they leaped out into darkness, landing behind the German gun placements. They were there to provide cover and take out enemy troops as Allied soldiers came in waves to storm the beaches.

 Ron Hutchcraft shared, "A few years ago Steven Spielberg used his cinematic genius to help this generation get a taste of what that victory cost. 'Saving Private Ryan' had to carry a strong 'R' rating - because of the brutal D-Day violence it portrayed. Hollywood has no rating for how awful it really was."  Dad, Lt. James Mason, only saw a couple of the men he led into the fray again. Charlie and I stood in awe and grateful agony on a long stretch of Omaha Beach outside of Carentan where Dad was eventually wounded on June 21 after days of battle. We were speechless at the sheer courage it took to come ashore. Dad said, "I knew we were doing something really big. Eisenhower knew we were; Churchill knew we were. And we knew the success of this depended on us."

They did do something big. The heroism of the Allied troops who dropped from the sky and waded ashore that day defies words. They knew they faced death--many died in the jump or in the boats before they reached shore.  The beach was not friendly--it had landmines on the ground, Nazi sharpshooters and artillery on the sheer cliffs above, weapons focused to mow them down. But still they charged. They gave it all.

And we can be so glad they did. 70 years later we are here because they did. I tell Dad, "Dad, you're a real hero."

He says, "No, I am a soldier. I did what soldiers do. I would do it again."

"Thanks" is not enough, Dad. Not for you, not for any of the men who did what soldiers do. Some soldiers die, and many did. As long as I live, I honor you all. And I ask that God will help me always believe in something enough to die for it. Easy to say. Harder to do. Much harder. But you did it. And we are all so glad you did.