JUNE 6, 2026

“At the core, the American citizen soldiers knew the difference between right and wrong, and they didn’t want to live in a world in which wrong prevailed. So they fought, and won, and we, all of us, living and yet to be born, must be forever profoundly grateful.”

–Author Stephen Ambrose

“They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate.” 

— President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s official address announcing the invasion

Today marks the 82nd Anniversary of “D Day”, the American invasion of France during World War II.  The audacious military move put the lie to the Nazi Wehrmacht’s claim of invincibility, and laid the ground work for the conclusion of the war in Europe, and an Allied victory, less than 1 year later. 

The odds of success were long indeed on June 6, 1944.  The invasion had been postponed already several times due to inclement weather.  General Eisenhower had drafted a letter taking responsibility for the possible failure of the expedition.  No amphibious military invasion of this scope and size had ever been attempted at any time in history.  Indeed, the Nazis shelved their plans for an amphibious invasion of Great Britain in 1940 after conquering France, and driving the British military from the European continent, so perilous was the attempt.  In 1940, Great Britain was reeling from defeat, and seemed ripe for a fall.  In 1944, the Germans were strong, and entrenched on the Continent, with formidable defenses in France.

American soldiers landing on the French beaches on June 6, 1944 had only a 1 in 4 chance of survival.  Many were killed by German artillery before they even cleared the surf.  Yet still they came.  Young boys like Robert’s father, Jimmy Weinerth, bravely did their duty, working to free the European continent from the dark forces of evil.  They moved forward in the face of evil, empowered by their faith, their honour, and their resolute determination to abide by their oaths, to do their duty.  To a soldier, these were exceptional, brave young men.

The American fighting man went to Europe, Africa, Japan, and China, not for conquest, but for the cause of freedom.  They willingly risked their lives in the defense of, not just the United States, but also that of freedom and liberty for others.  These were the best of the best.  God Bless them all.

Below are remarks by President Reagan commemorating the 40^th anniversary of that great event.  Forty-two (42) years later, his words still stir and inspire.

“We’re here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers — the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.

These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war . . .

You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.”

–President Ronald Reagan, June 6, 1984 (excerpts from his address commemorating the 40^th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion).

GFK