6-6-44

During high school I used 6-6-44 to remember D-Day/ Operation Overlord. I also know that the 25th amendment is the one stating the vice-president shall assume the presidency should the president become to "sick" to retain the position. "Sick" starts with an "S" which looks like a 5, hence 25th amendment = sick president. I actually did that for all the amendments and for quite awhile had them all memorized. Not so much anymore....

Right, turning back around and heading from that tangent to the main subject. (Seriously, my attention span needs some thorough examination, the places my mind wanders to when triggered... Mmm, Roy Rogers, did you know his name was actually Leonard Slye? I read somewhere that he grew up so poor that he used to run barefoot over fields of cut corn, building up callouses so he didn't need boots. Ack, I'm doing it again!)

Point is this: Yesterday was the initiation of Operation Neptune (heading into Operation Overlord) and it has been 63 years since they first landed. One of my absolute favorite film productions is Band of Brothers.


Talking about BoB can be my way of honoring the soldiers who landed on the beaches and those who fought before and after. Growing up I've always watched war movies, read the books, (remembered little), and latched onto whatever else I could find to connect me with that era in history. Through all of that though, little has stirred me like Band of Brothers has; little else aside from visiting the "sbarchi" ("disembarkments" in Italian) and battlegrounds. I'm sure in real life Maj. Winters is not as great as he seems in the movie (although, I did read his autobio and was even more impressed), but the entire time I'm watching the series I can barely keep it together. This interpretation of what happened really does break my heart. It's the cinematography, it's the script, it's the lighting and costumes; it's how true to life it feels. Deep inside I am torn between weeping and "hurrah"-ing; knowing their lives are in peril and death so near, all the while so proud of them and wanting each of them to make it home to freedom and joy.



In BoB, the enemy is not portrayed as vile, demon-possessed fanatics, fighting for an vile (evil), demon-possessed dictator. Not that you actually see much of the enemy, really it's only when they're getting spiked by a bayonet or killed in some other manner that you catch a glimpse of their humanity. There's a scene where one of the men from Easy Company comes across some POWs and overhears one of them speak with a familiar accent. Turns out the "German" was from Jersey (I think.. Bronx maybe) and had grown up only a few neighborhoods from the American soldier. The German's parents had paid heed to the Der Fuehrer's request that all Germans of pure blood return to the Mutterland and so he joined up with the German army. Not five minutes after having this conversation, the American soldier leaves to catch up with his Company and having gone a ways, hears gunfire behind him. The POWs had been killed as a answer to the squadron leader's question of, "What to do with them?" Aside from their brutal and uncalled for death, I greatly appreciate the demonstration of the enemy's humanity. They were and are real people too: following what they thought was right.

If you ever have time to sit and appreciate Band of Brothers, and have not had the pleasure to do so yet, I highly recommend it.