D-Day Plus 70 Years

I was an exchange student in 1969, not far from Omaha Beach, and visited it for the first time that summer. Since then, I’ve been back many times, to stroll the beach and visit the American military cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. It has a special meaning for me, like many of my generation who had uncles or fathers who landed on that dreadful strip of sand.

Many recognize the endless rows of white marble crosses on a field of green, indelibly ingrained in our culture by ‘Saving Private Ryan.’ Most Americans, however, don’t know that the land for the cemetery was given to America by a grateful French people. Or, that the cemetery operation is funded by private donations from the French people, and staffed by French volunteers.

I usually post a photo on June 6 that most expresses how I feel when I’m there. I won't be there this summer; I will be in the fall. However, this year I’d like to share what one Omaha Beach veteran--matured by battle, decades, and reflection--said to President Obama.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles...