67 years ago yesterday, the Allied Forces invaded the coast of France.
67 years ago today, my grandfather (24 years old and a father of two little girls) was on a troop carrier out in the English Channel waiting to join the fight.
He and his fellow soldiers had been preparing for this for 18 months.
After my grandfather passed away in 2008, my mother and her sisters discovered two journals he kept during his time in Europe. Needless to say, we were all stunned by this discovery.
We never really heard very much about his time in the Army. His generation was reticent to share the stories of what they had experienced. After reading his account, I can understand why he was reluctant to re-live it.
They are riveting. His mixed emotions are palpable when you read his account of D-Day and the days immediately following their landing.
If you can, please take a few minutes and read them. It really puts things in perspective.
When I think of all the men who were lost in those few short days, I know that we were lucky to have him at all.
My grandparents, circa 1945