Reflect on veterans’ sacrifices

Friday marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, in which the Allies invaded the Normandy region of Nazi-occupied France as a necessary step in defeating the Nazi war machine. It was the largest amphibious invasion ever mounted, and definitely not assured of success.

After agonizing over the weather and tides in setting the date, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower drafted a letter, taking full responsibility should the invasion end in failure. Fortunately for us, that letter never needed to be sent.

Seventy years later, what does D-Day mean to us? Do we celebrate our freedom, honor the sacrifice of those who served, and revere the memory of those who have fallen? Or, are the names 'Overlord” and 'Omaha Beach” relegated to trivia?

Growing up in the 1970s, it seemed that D-Day was more in the collective consciousness then. I recall one June 6 during that decade, on which D-Day sacrifices were being recounted in my father's gas station. One of the employees looked wistfully and stated, 'Many of those boys didn't even make it to the beach.”

Now, when people in their 20s are at least two generations removed from their ancestors who served in World War II, they lack perspective on what that generation was up against. I recall being taken aback when my 20-year-old son asked me, 'Where was Grandpa stationed during the war?” Although the first response that crossed my mind was 'in his tank,” I immediately realized that the question was logical and reflected his understanding of peacetime practices and not that of war.

As a kid growing up in Waukon, I was keenly aware that a local boy named Lawrence D. Anderson was killed on the USS Arizona in the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, I naively assumed no other Waukon boys lost their lives in the War. It was not until the Allamakee County Veterans memorial was constructed that I was amazed to see the listing of 48 Allamakee County boys who were killed during World War II. I was even more amazed as my father began to read the list aloud and stated, 'Yep, I knew him” after nearly every name.

So, in commemoration of this important anniversary, can we take a few moments to reflect on the associated sacrifices? Can we tell a veteran that we enjoy living in a free country, or decorate the graves of those who served?

Let us work to not have another war in which our young men and women are put in harm's way, but let us cherish all who were prepared to give their lives for us.

l Matt Brandt of Cedar Rapids is an engineer at the Duane Arnold Energy Center. His interest in World War II was sparked by his father who was a tank commander in Europe. Comments: matthew.lc.brandt@gmail.com