TDN Weekend

June 2017

TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9

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T he story of war is of- ten told from the macro level; how many ships, how many men, how many casu- alties, wins, losses or mistakes. But war, of course, is about more than numbers. It's about people; individual stories of personal heroism, tragedy, and bravery. Taking a D-Day tour in Normandy is the best way to gain a better understand of the suffering that World War II wreaked upon its participants, as well as the true capability of the human spirit. It is, at once, both heartbreaking and inspiring. When I was 35, and my dad 74, we took a trip to France together. He had taught high school French for his entire professional life, but had never visited the country. My mom was dying of cancer, but was going through a prolonged healthy spell, I was try- ing to have children with little success, and we thought this might be our last chance for a long time, if ever, to take the trip to- gether. He had been in the war, and so I suggested we visit the D-Day beaches. My father was a lovely man; kind, intelligent and under- standing, but he said, "No. Absolutely not," in a way that let me know that it was off the table, and I should not ask about it again. He may not have been to France, but he knew a thing or two about European beaches. LES BRAVES MEMORIAL on Omaha Beach

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