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June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.
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Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
"But when the test came, when freedom had to be fought for or abandoned, they fought. They were soldiers of democracy. They were the men of D-Day, and to them we owe our freedom.” ~ Stephen Ambrose
Rogers High School student Corey Fink is going to get the opportunity of a lifetime - a chance to actually live history. He and his American History teacher, Joe Boyle, are one of 15 student-teacher teams selected in a nation-wide competition to participate in The Albert H. Small Student/Teacher Institute sponsored by National History Day.
This year's theme, Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom, is of special interest to Boyle whose uncle is buried in Normandy.
Together, the two have spent the last several months reading and researching the battle in preparation of their additional studies at the Institute before travelling to Normandy to experience the sights and sounds of the area first-hand.
As part of the requirements, Corey had to research a veteran of the battle from his home state. He chose Captain John A. Kulp of Franklin County who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while serving with the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division for action against the enemy on June 21-22, 1944.
From the citation:
"When Captain Kulp's company was pinned down near Cherbourg by heavy fire from strong underground positions, he made a person reconnaissance in the face of the enemy fire to determine the best way to assault the position. Returning to his company, he organized his men for the advance and led them toward their objective. With complete disregard for the intense enemy fire, he moved from one platoon to another, directing and encouraging the men in their advance. At the head of his unit as they neared the enemy fortifications, he led a bayonet charge with overwhelmed the enemy garrison and forced the surrender of 144 Germans."
Corey will also lay a wreath at the U.S. Cemetery in Normandy as part of the schedule while in France.
Corey was selected, from all of Boyle's students, to apply for the program. After speaking with him, I understand why Boyle chose him. He describes himself as 'a history geek,' and exhibits a maturity in perspective that belies his 15 years. He is at the top of his class, having just completed his sophomore year, is active in multiple clubs and is a member of the track team. He's proud of his service hours, working primarily in youth programs, and doesn't seem bothered by the fact that he and his little sister celebrate their birthdays together because of the closeness of the days.
Boyle, who because of his uncle's service has long had an interest in the taking of Normandy, was a journalist before entering the teaching field and has been the American History and government instructor at Rogers for seven years. He was the BCSN Teacher of the Year for the 2010-11 school year.
This is certainly a unique opportunity to 'live history,' as Boyle described, rather than just study it in the classroom. Unfortunately, this isn't a completely happy ending. In March, thinking he was having a bad reaction to some antibiotics, Boyle went to the emergency room and a test revealed he had a cancerous tumor on his kidney. After surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in April, he developed a blood clot in his leg. While thinking he would be recovered enough to meet the physical demands of touring the Normandy battle sights, the blood clot ended those hopes and he will not be making the trip with Corey.
Arrangements were made so Corey could still attend the Institute and the trip to Normandy and the organizers hope that it will be possible to include Boyle next year.
This is not just a tremendous experience for the student-teacher team, it is a testament to the two individuals: a teacher with a love of the subject and a passion for making history more than just a topic to be studied in the dry atmosphere of a classroom; and a student with the intellect, curiosity and diligence to meet the difficult requirements of the program.
They are a compliment to their families and their school and I congratulate them both!
My exclusive interview and their story:
The final obligation Corey has in the program is to create a website after he returns from France. I will link to that page when he has it completed. He also said he would, if time permits during his two weeks at the Institute, send an email and some photos that I can share with you.
Today is D-Day. In case you've never heard the story, here is an overview of the operation from the National D-Day Memorial:
It is hard to conceive the epic scope of this decisive battle that foreshadowed the end of Hitlers dream of Nazi domination. Overlord was the largest air, land, and sea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944. The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and over 150,000 service men. After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, for the Allied Forces, it all came down to this: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run, and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men (most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carrying eighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yards of beach before reaching the first natural feature offering any protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and bracketed by artillery, they found themselves in hell. When it was over, the Allied Forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 were dead. Yet somehow, due to planning and preparation, and due to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of the Allied Forces, Fortress Europe had been breached.
There is much more at the link, from maps of the beaches at Normandy to stories from veterans who were there and I hope you'll take the time to learn about this epic battle.
In honor of D-Day, below is the text of a prayer that Franklin Roosevelt's offered the evening of June 6, 1944, as part of his fireside chats which were broadcast to the nation. Could you imagine the outrage of certain groups if a president were to do something similar today?
Franklin Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer
June 6, 1944
My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
When I was growing up, we'd come down for breakfast and my dad would ask: Do you know what today is?
That early in the morning, we'd think we were awake if we could get the day of the week right ... but over time, it became a sort of game to figure out what happened in history on the given day that would generate the question.
Today is the 65th Anniversary of D-Day - or "Operation Overlord," the codename for the invasion of Normandy. It actually started around midnight on June 5th with airborne divisions parachuting in behind enemy lines. In the early morning hours, bombardments began. Around daybreak, landings on the beaches started. By night, the Allies had secured their position on the beaches, but it was a precarious one and came at the cost of 9,500 casualties.
For days, the battle continued, with the eventual success of the U.S. and her allies.
The world is forever grateful to those who served and those whose graves mark the location of that valiant fight.
