In 2012, I had a chance to talk with military historian Pat O'Donnell about his book "Dog Company," that revealed the untold story of U.S. Army Rangers during D-Day. That interview is included here to give you a small taste of what it was like to go ashore on that historically decisive day.
As I write, there are not many World War II veterans who are still alive today. It's unlikely that any of them will still be here to witness the 100th observance of this important moment in human history. I've been around long enough to see the 50th Anniversary of this conflict. As long as I don't hit the junk food too hard, I've got a chance to be aware of it on the day we observe that 100th Anniversay. I'm saying this just to make the point that time marches on, we are born, we live, and we do perish. Throughout the grand arc of our lives, we have the unique responsibility of absorbing past history--and--learning from it.
Say what you want about the present day. Love it or hate it, we are here now and that's what matters. Many of the dark forces rising around the world bear a strong resemblance to the evils that plagued our grandparents in the 1930's. There are troubling signs here at home that look a lot like the ghosts of hate and authoritarianism that once stalked our lands. It's easy to say that we have lost our way, that we forgot the lessons of history. The more I look, the more I see, the more I begin to suspect that The Greatest Generation merely held that evil at bay. They bought us some time, approximately 7-8 decades in which to be our better selves. Whether we want it or not, our "wheel of life" has turned full circle, the moment is fast approaching when we might have to ask the same difficult questions our ancestors grappled with. Do we stand up to authoritarianism, or do we give in to it?