the    sides

I spoke this morning for a man who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day in World War II. His grandson attends our church. As with many men of that era, he grew up poor, worked hard, went to war, got wounded, had a family, and just plugged away at life without ever talking much about his experience.

I understand some of that. War was hell and I imagine these men spent the larger part of their life trying to forget what they saw. Especially those that landed on Normandy or Iwo Jima. As I talked with the family, I got bits and pieces of some of the stories this man passed on to his family.

But when this man was buried today, what went with him was a piece of priceless history. History that my generation and those behind me would do well to remember. They fought to literally defend the United States - not political spin or uninvited guests. They went because some madman German and Japanese Emperor took action to rule the world. So off they went.

Then they all came home and worked hard to make the US the most prosperous nation on the planet. They truly were the “Greatest Generation.”