January 1944 meeting of Operation Overlord Commanders, General Eisenhower, Walter B. Smith, Omar Bradley, Arthur Tedder, Bernard Montgomery, Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Bertram Ramsay. The Eisenhower Presidential Library
January 1944 meeting of Operation Overlord Commanders, General Eisenhower, Walter B. Smith, Omar Bradley, Arthur Tedder, Bernard Montgomery, Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Bertram Ramsay. The Eisenhower Presidential Library
I became friends with an old couple at church. Shut ins. Visiting them the first time and making small talk. I noticed that Harry had an anchor tattoo - and I asked,
“Oh were you a sailor? Must have been World War II? My Dad was in the Navy in WWII”
He answered “Yes”.
His wife piped in “He drove a Higgin’s boat”.
“Oh, the landing craft - wow.”
The guy seemed a bit surprised that I knew that and looked up and said “That’s right”.
His wife then said “He was at D-Day.”
I just sat there not knowing what to say. Shocked with the movie reels playing in my mind, awe at what this guy had done and what he must have seen, and could tell he hadn’t wanted to talk about any of it. (But his wife was sure proud!) I just got up and walked over and shook his hand again and said “Thanks for your service, and all the sacrifices that you made.”
God Bless all of our troops - doing no less heroic and dangerous things today, and still making sacrifices for us.