D Day June 6 1944

The 68th Anniversary of D-Day, the day Allied Forces of the west landed on the shores of France to begin the arduous task of driving the German Armies back to Berlin and end Hitler's dream of world conquest for his Aryan Nation. Much has been written, movies have been made, and museums constructed to enshrine this noble undertaking in the pantheon on noble causes.
Newspapers place an article with a few choice words to mark the occasion. Since it closely follows Memorial Day here in the USA, patriotism and patriots are on the collective mind. The local paper ran a photo with the stooped veteran strolling among the headstones in a national cemetery, contemplating the neat rows marking the graves of more than a few participants in the Normandy landings. Most veterans of the event have long since passed on; those survivors are in their 9th or 10th decade. My cousin, who died last year, was 94. He landed a few days after June 6th, about the 11th or 12th of June. Lucky him; it was not pretty on the first day, especially on Omaha Beach where most American troops landed. The airborne divisions: the 101st and 82nd Infantry, were dropped behind the coast just after midnight. They were the first on the ground. It was not easy, in the dark, without direct support, on their own. Think about it.
Much has happened in these past 68 years. Without compiling a list, a long list at that, one can say that D- Day was a turning point in human history.
In New Orleans, today, the World War II Museum stands as a memorial to all who participated. Originally conceived as a D-Day museum, it has proven so popular, so inspiring, and so grand, that it has changed into an institution in a class by itself. Having been their a half dozen times, the Mayor can attest to its marvelous attributes. Encompassing now, 3 buildings in the heart of NOLA, it is a state of the art museum. It embraces multimedia, and uses the personal stories and mementos of many veterans from General to private. Boeing Aircraft is currently building a pavilion to house aircraft of their company that played a role in the conflict.
In San Francisco, a cold steel participant swings on anchor at the harbor: the USS Jeremiah O'Brian, a cargo vessel that took part in the landing operation, is itself a living memory of that day. It is staffed and maintained by volunteers and is a regular draw of visitors from around the USA.
It is well worth a visit.
Here's to you, D-Day Veteran! Never to be forgotten.