D-Day, June 6

My wife and I have been out almost all day. So, I could not get back to my computer to write about this momentous day in World History. I wanted to so much. Here are my thoughts.

As almost everyone knows, today is the 65th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France that took place on June 6, 1944. Every time I think of this day, I sometimes run out of adjectives to describe this day and what it has meant to so many -- momentous (already used that one), gigantic, overwhelming, powerful, earth-shaking, historic, terrifying, important, plus so many others too many to mention here.

After I visited Normandy in 1994 just before the 50th anniversary with some veterans who were there in 1944 and seeing some of the battlefields (Omaha Beach, Ste. Mere Eglise, Pointe du Hoc, Caen, Cherbourg) and the cemeteries of the fallen (American, British, Canadian, French, and German), I came away with a sense of awe of what happened that day and of all the young men who perished in that horrible conflagration that began that day and extended into the Allied breakout that occurred several months later. I also had a sense of tremendous loss because so many young men ended their lives on this earth and would never realize the fruits of their potential future. I remember being at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach and feeling a tremendous sadness come over me. It is still with me to this day and will be with me for the rest of my days.

It is good and fitting that we remember what happened 65 years ago today. May the lessons learned since that day about what a deadly business war is never leave us.

These are my thoughts as this day comes to a close. Hope all of you are well.

Ken Friedman