The origin of Memorial Day is too often lost in our history. See Memorializing (June 2024); Memorial Day (May 2023); A Day to Reflect (May 2022); Happy Memorial Day (April 2022); Remembrance (September 2021). I have gratefully noted my recognition and appreciation for the many who have served, and more importantly, those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Veteran's Day is for all who served, but as we pause each May, there is room for the way-too-many who have passed.
But, for many, this Monday is merely the start of summer, a barbecue, or perhaps an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family. Too often, the point and purpose are lost on the many and recognized by only the few.
I happened to be traversing France last week and found myself a few miles from one of the important sites where American lives were lost in battle. It is a site I find compelling.
As noted in the posts above, and as supported by Statista, the greatest loss of Americans in battle occurred in the Civil War (620,000), an odd label incorrectly suggesting some degree of courtesy and civility that is anathema to war. It was a bitter conflict that left many lasting wounds. Much has been done to soil those who served and to minimize the import of their historical contributions to what we are today.
But my presence in France reminded me of the second-largest loss of American lives in war, World War II. Statista says that 405,399 Americans fell in that conflict, half a world away. Many in Europe (250,000), but a significant number in the Pacific theater (160,000) as well.
It is worth remembering that the "world" was indeed in conflict in the 1940s and that threats were both significant and diverse. It is also significant to remember that so many who died were not Americans. The National World War II Museum estimates 15,000,000 battle deaths in that conflict and 45,000,000 civilians. The loss was simply indescribable.
With an unplanned deviation from the itinerary last week, I found myself once again on two hallowed grounds that persistently draw and impact me, Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc. They are not the tourist destinations one expects. Certainly, they are featured in Hollywood efforts.
Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach are noted in The Longest Day (20th Century-Fox, 1962), Saving Private Ryan (Dreamworks, 1998), and so many more. It was an honor and privilege to find myself in the two spots again in 2026 on the eve of Memorial Day. It caused me to reflect on the character and courage of the many men who landed there 82 years ago. I suspected that there will be some recognition there in a few days; the anniversary is June 6.
Nonetheless, there were few visitors on May 20, 2026. At the main memorial on Omaha Beach at midday, I saw only a couple. They wandered, paused periodically, and a few even climbed the stairs to read the engraved thoughts and remembrances.
Down the beach a mile or so is a sculpture in the sand, more often than not it is in the surf itself. The sculpture is combined with a large stone monument on higher ground. The parking is easy, and the crowds there were somewhat more significant.
As I observed in that setting, a large tour bus arrived and disgorged about 50 teenagers. I had seen them before, earlier, at Pointe du Hoc. They paused at Omaha for lunch as I moved down the seawall, back towards the memorial pictured above. It is worthwhile that young people are visiting and learning of the sacrifices made on their behalf on this compelling stretch of real estate.
The same busload of rambunctious and excited adolescents had been storming Pointe Du Hoc an hour earlier as I returned there. Pointe Du Hoc is the most compelling WWII battle site I have ever visited. That is meaningful because I have been to many, including the celebrated and vaunted Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge, see Band of Brothers, Dreamworks, 2001). Yes, there was bravery and daring in many places. Nonetheless, Pointe du Hoc draws and embraces me.
The German army was perched atop this cliff in reinforced concrete bunkers of amazing size and strength. The defenses exist to this day and are available for tourist visitation. They are surrounded by craters likely made by artillery assaults and perhaps aerial bombardment. The Germans were entrenched here and likely felt impregnable.
About 200 Germans defended on D-Day. About 225 U.S. Army Rangers made the assault. The event was cataclysmic, as were so many others. But the U.S. forces broke the defenses. It was not Iwo Jima, it was not the liberation of death camps. It was neither the beginning or the end of WWII, but D-Day was undoubtedly the beginning of the end for the German Socialists.
I was surprised last week to find the German flag flying alongside the various others, American, French, British, and Canadian last week. There is recognition of the fallen. Even the brutal invaders whose lust for power and resources instigated and fed the years-long world conflict. I am not sure I would raise the German flag in such circumstances, but its presence made me think.
Why Pointe Du Hoc? A valid inquiry. Omaha Beach was an incredibly intense assault. There are doubts about the accuracy of the exact death and destruction there, but hundreds were lost, and thousands were injured. In all, 34,000 came ashore on Omaha Beach.
I have seen the beach twice. In 2026, the sea lapped the wall and the memorial sculpture. The sand extended only a few feet. Landing would have been near impossible under such conditions. But General Eisenhower and his planners picked a date and time when the tides favored their plan. I have seen the beach at Omaha when the sand extended hundreds of feet from the shore. The difference in my two experiences is significant; each visit brought me perspective and appreciation.
Despite the busload of teenagers, the interest in these sites is not significant. The many who landed here are largely forgotten. Those who died here are ghosts of a past remembered by too few. The history must be remembered, but those who keep it do so second-hand or worse. Those who lived it, saw it, and preserved it have largely passed on.
I strive to see them, to study their deeds, and to appreciate their contributions. The Greatest Generation saved the world. What we do with the fruits of their sacrifice is on us. If you get to the area, even as close as Paris, the trip to these sights is worth the investment. If you don't, a few minutes of your holiday weekend spent thinking of the many who fought, suffered, and died for your freedoms is as worthy an investment.
