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