Brenda Baer: Remember D-Day and what it meant for all of us

To The Daily Sun,

Thoughts from one of the greatest generation:

Saturday, June 6, was the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Coincidentally, it was also the day of the Laconia protest initiated by a young person of this generation.

D-Day 1944 involved hundreds of thousands of 18-year-olds and a bit older young men who willingly and eagerly joined the armed forces to defend the American way of life and all its freedoms and values. D-Day was the start of the Normandy invasion, causing over 9,000 deaths, most of them on D-Day. These boys did not come from easy, well-to-do lives. They were products of a depression and grew up with very little and were also used to working for anything they needed or wanted. They also grew up loving their country and respecting others as well as standing up for their countries values.

When those who survived returned home, they had nothing but hope to start up their lives again. They worked, went back to school, started families, and succeeded in making the United States greater and more successful than before by far. All this to make life easier and better for their children.

As a member of that great generation, I ask the latest generation, would they give up their lives and react in an instant to leave their safe lives and go to defend their country in the same manner as the children of 1940s did?

Do you know what they did for you? Your parents? Your country? I hope so.

The world is moving so rapidly, and technology is changing our lives, not always for the better, but we should take the time to reflect on the past as well as the future. In the past lies the greatness of our forefathers, the heroism of millions who have died to protect us and our way of life, the brilliant minds that have brought so many innovations to make life easier.

Remember D-Day forever and what it truly meant to all of us.

Brenda Baer

Laconia