Rockne's Roundtable

+1 Lou, well said. I saw the same documentary and it was very moving. God Bless every past, present, and future man and woman who served our country.

As usual Lou, you best write what many think in their head and heart.

Wow, that is incredible. Cherish him! He is one of the few remaining vets from WW2.

My Dad was a sophomore at ND on December 7th 1941 when Pearl Habor was bombed. He actualy was in a movie theatre and it was interrupted for the announcement. Most of the kids in his class (1944) signed up for the Army and were sent overseas quickly. My Dad wasn't sent over because he was a polio survivor and his right leg was shriveled below the knee and about 3 inches shorter than the left leg, so he couldn't run very far or fast. The turned him into a Drill Sergeant and kept him stationed in Georgia. He always joked that Georgia was never attacked while he was there! He and the members of his class who returned, graduated in '47 and are listed with thos graduates in the '47 yearbook.

I also had an Uncle (married my father's sister) who was in the D-Day invasion and survived. He never talked about it and I never knew about it until a few years before he died, 2010, and only because he went back to France for a dedication of a museum and a Thank You from the French. It was the first time he had been back since D-Day. He was interviewed by French television (relayed here) and couldn't help but tear up when speaking of those who didn't make it back.

Awesome stuff. I am watching "The Longest Day" as I write this. Tobe followed by "Saving Private Ryan". (My annual tribute)
Several years ago the custodian at our church was in failing health. I had become a friend of his over the years first by the service he performed for our church, but later i discovered he was a WWII vet. We talked of our mutual military commit. He was reluctant to say much buy soon found he was one of the first wave to arrive on Omaha beach. I wrote down every word I could get him to say. It was painful for him but I kept encouraging him because his story should be shared so those who never were there would know. He simply said "evryone who needs to know is lying in Normandy". He died several days later at 82 in 2003.

Band of Brothers is by far my favorite of all WW II films/series. The Pacific isn't bad either.

Band of Brother is the greatest miniseries I have ever seen. I never get tired of watching it.

I never can get over how heroic those men on that day were. So many of those first groups knew their chances were slim of coming out alive and yet that never stopped them from doing their duty and protecting our country. God Bless those men. Sadly, they are dying every day now and soon we will lose thier great voices that keep those stories alive.

Just because of this, I am going to call my Grandfather today and thank him once again for his rolle in WWII.
Thanks, Lou.

They are, to this day, the best generation this country has ever seen. They were totally about this country and not themselves. It should be mandatory that their history be drilled into every student throughout school. I am now 40 and beginning to come across younger people that know very little or nothing about that great generation.
I am a police officer and will never forget an encounter I had with a veteran while taking a lunch break in a restaraunt while on duty. I had gotten up to go to a salad bar when a very elderly gentleman approached me. As I turned to go back to my table he stopped me and thanked me for what I do. I noticed he was wearing a ball cap that had the 101st airborne division patch on it. Having also been in the 101st, I asked if he had been in the division. He only responded that he had and had jumped into Normandy on d-day. I immediately told him that he didn't need to be thanking me but that I should be thanking him. At that point he began to get teary eyes and, with a shakey voice, said "We are getting to old to protect ourselves now and need you all to help us". After that, he just walked away and sat at a table with what appeared to be other veterans. I went back To my table, but lost my appetite. To this day I wish I would have said something more. But I was so choked up by this situation, I honestly didn't know what to say and was fighting back some tears as well. What a great generation. I really want to visit Normandy BADLY! There is a vacation package a available called the easy company tour. You start of in England, go to Normandy and all the places you see in the movie Band of brothers. Sometimes a member of Easy company will actually go to. My #1 goal is to make that trip. I'm just fearful I won't make it soon enough and won't be a me to meet some of theses great people.

Well done, Lou.

I had the opportunity to visit Normandy a few years ago and it was truly one of the most moving and humbling experiences of my life. Just standing on the shore and seeing the still visible indentations where the Allied bombs hit trying to take out the German bunkers gave me chills. And walking through the cemetery, it was all I could do to not break down at the thought of all those young lives lost. Imagine how much better the world could've been if some lived to fulfill their promise.

It certainly made me extremely proud of our country's ability and determination to stand tall when the moment called for it.

That's kind of condescending don't you think?

And heartbreaking