D-Day June 6th 1944

My father never liked to tell war stories.

He was a combat veteran of World War II, Korea, and then (allegedly) pushed paper in Viet Nam.

As kids, we would incessantly pester him for tales of his exploits, and my mother would always have to rescue him, and shoo us children away.

I knew he had nightmares and that is why, although he and my mother shared the same room, the very large king size bed gave way to two twin beds about the time I was eight. Both he and my mom tried to hide this from my brother and I, but..... kids know.

He was a combat engineer, "bridge builder" he'd always say proudly. Then laugh when he said he blew up more bridges than he actually built.

Today, 65 years ago, he was a scared 23 year old kid from Pennsylvania visiting France for the first time. He and 73,000 other Americans landed at various beaches along the famed Normandy coast.

Many of them never left.

As you run about your daily errands today, or enjoy that Bar-B-Que, and that cold beer, take a few moments and remember the heroes who fell this day in a place so far away.