Remembering D-Day
I just returned from a trip to Midland, TX to attend the viewing of my wife’s grandfather who passed at the age of 102. Cliff A. Roberson was a wise and kind soul and devout prayer warrior. He also served in the Army during World War II, but a medical condition cut his military career short. It was a great pleasure knowing him. I was also able to acknowledge him during my own military retirement ceremony in 2022 as he was present having made the trip to San Antonio. At the time of this article, it is estimated that nearly 45,000 World War II veterans are still alive. It is a sobering thought recognizing that number will someday be zero. The last World War 1 veteran died in 2012 at the age of 110. The greatest generation was one for the ages.
Of the several incredible chapters of World War II, the D-Day invasion marked the beginning of the final year of the war in Europe. The invasion was a military success but came at a high cost. The invasion on the beach of Normandy was the striking spear in the goal of liberating France from German Forces. It was also the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. An immense amount of strategic planning and intelligence assessments preceded the operation. When the amphibious invasion began, congruently, a major force of American parachuters as part of an airborne division landed miles inland of the beaches. This airborne drop was part of a diversification of assault forces to stretch the German Army which was fiercely well fortified on the beaches.
Many of us have perhaps seen movies like, “Saving private Ryan, or other depictions of the assault in places like Omaha beach and other landing locations. There is nothing like the fear and adrenaline that accompany the type of physical exertion required for a military operation. Athletes admirably perform under distinct types of pressure. Other types of top-level human performance, particularly when the stakes are high require a great deal of confidence, preparation, and ability. But few things could compare to disembarking a landing craft vessel though brutal murky waters with machine gun fire, explosive ordinances, and other terrifying fortifications awaiting you. And that is exactly what those young American warriors faced, many of them as young as 19 and 20 years.
In military operations, the forces and power within one person and within a unit comes from a combination of factors. Many times, it’s the muscle memory of an instinctive fighter. Other times it’s the combination of conditioning and solid preparation. But sometimes, it’s the power of love one has buried deep within for someone else or simply being the recipient of someone’s fervent prayer.
At a recent Sunday morning church service, our founding Pastor told us a powerful story. He was about 4 years old. His family was attending a ministers’ conference somewhere in Texas. He said late into the night while his family was already in bed, they heard a loud banging on their front door. The banging was accompanied by an announcement and shout that the D-Day invasion was beginning. “Everybody get dressed and head to the gym for prayer”, the person shouted!! Our Pastors family got dressed and headed to the gym with several other families to pray and intercede for the Allied Forces. And the power and weight of those prayers are what helped make the difference between victory and defeat.
In war and throughout history, supernatural things have happened. Against a tremendous adversary in a risky and bold move, the United States and the Allied Forces eventually secured the French coastline. Within the next year and through fierce fighting, final victory was achieved in the European theater. And in August of 1945, Japan surrendered ending World War II. It is incredibly important that new generations continue to remember and re-tell the stories of American bravery and sacrifice. These stories not only remind us of the courage of those who have gone before us, but they can also lead us to ask questions about ourselves. Questions like, “What are we made of”? “Can we rise to confront the next great challenge”? And perhaps most importantly, “Can we trust God no matter how bleak the odds are, or how formidable the threat is”?
As for the last question, I know from personal experience that God has does some of his best work THROUGH some of the scariest places I’ve been in. And for that, I know I can trust him. There’s no sugarcoating it. It is not easy. It is downright painful being in the murky waters of the soul and facing the machine gun fire of hell and hearing the screams of pain and agony and death. The hardest things to forget are the sounds made by one who may be passing into eternity.
But it is exactly in those dark holes of human existence that the consciousness of his unfailing love and watchful presence never fails to amaze. In Deuteronomy 31:6 , his word says, “He will never leave us or forsake us”.