I recently read a book, “My War” by Andy Rooney. Rooney for years provide the commentary at the end of “60 Minutes.” He always had comments that made you think twice; in my case, more than twice.
He started his journalism career as a private in the U.S. Army during WWII. He wrote for the military paper the “Stars and Stripes” and followed troop units across the English Channel on D-Day and then into Europe.
As he followed the war across Europe, he saw the destruction the war bought to each side. Not only the U.S. military, 5000 Americans killed on D-Day, and seven and a half million German civilians. As the United States gets closer our 250 birthday it is good to point out the sacrifices citizens of this country have put forth to keep this country a democratic country.
Sometimes I don’t think we appreciate what individuals have done during the last two hundred and fifty years. In the Rooney’s book “My War,” he brings out the magnitude of war, what happened in WWII.
Just sitting at home, we cannot appreciate the effect the conflict had and the tremendous numbers who were involved. By the end of the WWII, there were 48,000 Johnson’s, 39,000 Brown’s, 33,600, Millers 31,000, Davies and lots of names you can’t pronounce or spell on American military rosters.
Many of them never made it home. Units were completely eliminated. The “Bedford Boys,” “A” Company from Bedford, Va., was almost eliminated as they crossed the English Channel and hit the beach of Normandy the morning of June 6, 1944.
One battalion of the 82nd Airborne that fought in the early stages of D-Day had 114 members left of a unit that days earlier had 800.
What happen in other conflicts is just as important and meaningful. Even today the conflict in the Ukraine and the Middle East has a major impact on how this country functions.
So, as this country reaches 250 years old, we all need to appreciate what has been done for us in the past. This is a great country that has produced people who were willing to make sacrifices to keep this country, “One Nation under God with Liberty and Justice for all.” Happy 4th.
Thought for the Day:
“What you do today can improve all your Tomorrows.”- Ralph Marstoy
