Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest — until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them — help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace — a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.
Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944
MOH Ping!
Thanks for posting. Thanks Uncle Bill (Warner). RIP.
We owe all the men that fought in WW2 a large debt. Many men went well above and beyond that day. The battle at St. Mere Englise and the Bridge are two of the finest moments in the history of Airborne troops. So much can and needs be said but I will only add that it is my sincere wish that Richard Winters receive the Medal before he dies for the assault at Brecourt Manor. 1 DSC, 3 Silver Stars and 9 Bronze Stars were awarded in that small but important battle.
"Grandpa were you a hero in the war?"
"No but I served in the company of heroes."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%A9court_Manor_Assault
(in the tagline - codes broadcast by the BBC to activate the French Underground, June 6, 1944)
General Roosevelt is buried in the US cemetery at Normandy. Buried next to him is his brother, Quinten, a US aviator killed in France in WW 1.
God bless and keep Dick Winters.
Sixty four years ago today, America embarked on a great crusade.
Since 1944, we have defeated Nazism, Fascism, Emperor-worship, Communism, and are facing down Islamic terrorism.
We have freed hundreds of millions of people in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan,Asia, South Korea, Central America, Afghanistan,Iraq, and other places around the globe.
The American taxpayer and the American GI did all this for no gain in territory, no riches, no enslavement of other peoples. As citizens, America created so much wealth that we have been the most generous people in the history of the planet, sharing our abundance and blessings with countless millions to improve their lives.
Although the preparation started much earlier, the role of the United States of America in bringing freedom around the globe started with those brave men who parachuted and landed on the shores of Nazi Occupied Europe on a gray, bloody June morning 64 years ago today.
They just tried to stay alive that day, but they began the unshackling of untold millions from evil and slavery that still continues today, with their grandchildren in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dick Winters and Leonard Lomell(Toms River, NJ) typified the best and brightest America had to give on D-Day. Their deeds that day must always be remembered.
My regiment, the 16th Infantry, came ashore in the first wave at Omaha Beach. They were already seasoned veterans of North Africa and Sicily. Two soldiers of the Regiment, John Pinder and Jimmy Monteith were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions that day.
I never met them, for they did not survive D-Day. But, I met many of their fellow soldiers who made the invasion. If you have watched the opening minutes of Saving Private Ryan, you have some sense for what they faced.
Two in particular come to mind:
Jake Lindsey, who later was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Hurtgen Forest served with the 16th Infantry from the landings in Morrocco through to VE Day in Czechkosolvakia. He also served with a Ranger Company in Korea and in Army Special Forces in Vietnam. Jake was known to lift a glass or two and could tell great stories.
Joe Dawson commanded G Company on D-Day. He was the first soldier to cross Omaha Beach and make it to the top of Bluffs alive. For this, he received the Distinguished Service Cross. I’ve stood with him on the spot where he climbed to the top and heard him tell what G Company was able to achieve. He was not a professional soldier and returned to Texas after the war and went into the oil business.
Both of these men remarked about what fine soldiers the Army has today, and right they both were. Time has taken its toll, and they have since joined those who fell on that day some 64 years ago. Duty First.
Joe Dawson commanded G Company on D-Day and was the first to reach the tops
Thanks for a fine post!!!!....
In gratitude to heros who gave their all.
bump for publicity
Thank you jaz and Bender.
With their examples, what is to be thought of those today who blandly (and most arrogantly) say, sniffingly, that their precious selves are not going to participate in the political process because some aspect of it or a candidate does not suit their ideological purity....?
And therefore they will allow politicians to turn into defeat that which our men and women of the armed forces today - in our time - have so painstakingly and so honorably and so bravely and so well accomplished in the Middle East?
These will be remembered, too - not with love but with everlasting derision.
And so many honorable men and women follow in the footsteps of those that fateful day that did not return or returned missing limbs and eyes. War is hell. But the worst hell is when a peoples allow some dictator to rule over them and oppress the God given right of expression of mind, movement, and will to make a living as they well choose within the body of laws set forth. The lack of any joy in their hearts. This is the worst hell.
God Bless these men. If ever our country loses the ability to find men like this that will be the end of our nation. God grant that we can find brave, selfless and courageous people like this when we are in our most dire times!