June 6th

June 6th is the anniversary of D-Day, the largest invasion in modern history and a monumental moment in WWII. As a high school US History teacher, I got to give my students a glimpse of this moment. It was one of the few lectures that I actually practiced, wanting to be able to mix the facts, figures and statistics into a very real, honest and powerful presentation. I wanted to be a master storyteller, like my dad. This way, not only will they learn the history but hopefully they can feel just a bit of the emotion.

I imagine most people don't realize what today is, just as I never stop to analyze the stock market or rarely appreciate the detailed engineering of a machine, but the historian in me reflects on this day each year with a great deal of appreciation and emotion. I think about the statistics, the plans, the execution and the aftermath. I think about the little stories that make it more real--about the individual people that were a part of it or the side stories and facts that played significant roles in the Allies' success of that mission. And I also realize and reflect that "D-Day" was a brief moment in a long and costly war that changed the world.

I studied WWII extensively and in teaching, often felt inadequate to convey the power and emotion that I feel we should take from it. Even still, I feel such a connection to it and such an urgency to remember and honor this day and its many heroes. The servicemen and women who represent America and its ideals, whether in past or present are incredible heroes. Since WWII, our wars have become more confusing and our targets or enemies become more vague. Perhaps one of the reasons I enjoy studying historical wars more than current is because I find the ideals easier to understand and the circumstances are more black-and-white. But no matter what, our military and the many family and friends supporting them are heroes that we honor and especially for today, that is something I want to remember.