This article first appeared on June 6, 2006
It was 62 years ago that US Rangers stormed the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc near Omaha Beach. And as the veterans of that day grow oh so gray and bent, mere shadows of the lithe and limber youths who pulled themselves up the jagged bluffs, one hand over another, their comrades falling all about them, we are reminded that the word “courage” came alive that day.
Too often, we use that word in a base and cavalier way. A Hollywood movie star has “courage” because she revealed to the world that she’s a drug addict. A comic has “courage” because he made fun of the President of the United States to his face. A filmaker has “courage” because he made millions of dollars shooting a “documentary” which shows the US government complicit in the mass murder on 9/11.
And so instead of “courage” being a word with inexpressible significance and meaning beyond its simple definition, it has become a self congratulatory epithet, a hollowed out expression of empty promise and insincerity. Today, the purveyors of myth and shapers of opinion use the word to tell the rest of us who to admire and what to respect. No longer does courage imply sacrifice or a willingness to give all that one has for a cause greater than oneself. Instead, courage defines the selfish desires and overwrought egos of an ideology that sees more irony in the word than reverence.
All of this was in the future 62 years ago when the Rangers lived the word courage by taking the bluffs above the beach. And a short distance away at Omaha, Americans were dying, never knowing that their sacrifice was redefining the word courage for all time. For in their last bloody moments on earth, a titanic struggle was taking place between good and evil that 10,000 years from now, poets will still be singing songs and human beings will still be shaking their heads at in wonder and awestruck disbelief.
It takes genuine courage to confront evil. By its very nature, evil must defend itself by lashing out and destroying anything that attempts to get in its path, lest it perish ignominiously. Those representing good realize this which makes the confrontation between good and evil always a life threatening proposition and thus, an exercise in self-denial and sacrifice. The Rangers on the bluffs and the men in transports speeding toward bloody Omaha that terrible day 62 years ago knew full well what they were in for. They were willing to pay the price to defeat evil.
There were more than 700 war ships on the waters of Normandy that day, firepower never before seen on the open ocean. The men would be landing with tanks and guns and grenades and enough explosives to blow up a small town. But their most potent weapon by far was the courage to face their foes in open combat with the full knowledge that doing so was likely to get them killed. We ask ourselves quite properly, would I have been capable of such a feat? The answer will likely tell us much about ourselves.
Because in those last frantic minutes before hitting the beach, as grown men wept and prayed and steeled themselves for the supreme test of their young lives, they must have found something deep within themselves, something they could mentally and emotionally grasp and hold onto so real and palpable it must have been. What was it? An image of their family? A remembrance of love and closeness that wrapped itself around them and made them feel safe? Or perhaps it was the simple recognition of the here and now with a sublime faith that He that arbitrates our fate has placed me in His keeping and if these be my last moments, let them be meaningful ones.
Whatever rushed thoughts were coursing through their minds as they splashed ashore under some of the most intense combat ever experienced by American fighting men, their courage allowed them to disobey the most primal of instincts to flee for safety and walk into the teeth of the enemy’s fire. And then, the supreme test. Historian Stephen Ambrose:
They were getting butchered where they were all the sea wall because the Germans had it all zeroed in with their mortars that were coming down on top of them. And, “Over here, Captain,” “Over here, Lieutenant, over here.” A sergeant looked at this situation and said, “The hell with this. If I’m going to get killed, I’m going to take some Germans with me.” And he would call out, “Follow me,” and up he would start. Hitler didn’t believe this was ever possible. Hitler was certain that the soft, effeminate children of democracy could never become soldiers. Hitler was certain that the Nazi youth would always outfight the Boy Scouts, and Hitler was wrong.The Boy Scouts took them on D-Day. Joe Dawson led Company G. He started off with 200 men. He got to the top of the bluff with 20 men, but he got to the top. He was the first one to get there. He’s going to be introducing President Clinton tomorrow at Omaha Beach. John Spaulding was another. He was a lieutenant. Many of them are nameless. I don’t know their names. I’ve talked to men who’ve said, “I saw this lieutenant and he tossed a grenade into the embrasure of that fortification, and out came four Germans with their hands up. I thought to myself, hell, if he can do that, I can do that.” “What was his name?” I will ask. “Geez, I don’t know. I never found out his name. I never saw him before, and I never saw him again, but he was a great man. He got me up that bluff.”
“Unknown but to God” and history, I suspect. In the end, whatever gave them the inner strength to keep going in the face of such murderous opposition, it was as inspirational then as it is today.
It is fitting and proper that we remember their courage today, the young men who lived and died the word courage. But we must also question ourselves about our commitment to that memory. Does it have meaning beyond the misty eyed reminisces of old men? Can we still summon forth the will to perform great deeds in a cause that reaches far beyond our narrow little corner of planet earth in which we live and love and die?
At the moment, the answer to that last question is unknown. But I daresay the fate of the nation rests upon a positive response. For unless we are willing to propel ourselves beyond our own selfish, comfortable existence and find the strength to confront the evil that seeks to destroy us, we are more likely to end up a victim of our own hubris rather than triumphant with the knowledge that we, like the men of D-Day, brought to life the word courage and made it once again something to be lived and felt in our hearts, ever mindful of the sacrifice of those who came before us.
9:10 am
There are all kinds of courage. There is the courage required to be who you are – even when it isn’t trendy or fashionable. There is the courage required to take responsibility for your actions, rather than permitting someone else to shoulder the blame. There is the courage required to live your life in a moral fashion, even if nobody else recognizes that fact. Not taking the easy path is one of the hardest things we humans can do, and one that actually garners us the best reward in terms of self-esteem (which is something nobody can GIVE you, but which has to be earned).
10:01 am
Thank you, Rick. That was a beautiful tribute to true Americans and to true courage. And I will forever forth try to not trivialize the meaning of that word.
11:10 am
Hooooraaahhhh!
12:37 pm
Yes. We, as a society and a culture have fallen far, far, down the “courage” scale. It began about 1963 when the media and university elites told us we needed not to think, but to feel.
What do you feel?...became a mantra. Tell us your feelings…thinking as a form for decision making became devalued, until today it’s ALL about feelings.
If one responds only to their feelings there’s not much room for courage….because courage calls for overcoming fear…and fear is a feeling…You can and will be celebrated today if you follow your feelings, but an individual’s courage is devalued because it does not often serve the group dynamic…which feeds off of feelings.
Besides, courage calls for a person to choose right over wrong…in a world where relativity rules there’s no such thing.
12:39 pm
It is hard for me to imagine the bravery that was required of men to storm the heavily defended beaches of Normandy. I stand in awe and appreciation of what those soldiers endured and the unselfish sacrifices they made to protect our freedom and liberty. The horrific scenes of the landing and the huge forest of grave markers nearby, should serve as a lesson and reminder of the deadly and serious consequences of war.
After WW2, the Nazi war criminals were tried at Nuremberg. During the trial, in conversation with Gustave Gilbert, Hermann Göring explained how Hitler was able to launch war with the full support of the German citizenry:
“Naturally the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
There is no doubt in my mind that WW2 was a just, legal and honorable war. And, there is little doubt in my mind that the war in Iraq was waged on bogus claims by politicians that have no courage or honor.
2:31 pm
Courage…that’s a good thing. Too bad there’s no Democrat candidates running for the highest office in the land that has any…
5:33 pm
how about the courage to admit that you are wrong and have been wrong all along?
How about an apology to American people that we are in a war over something we could not prove…WMDs?
How about the courage to admit that torture is wrong and that “24” is a TV script but the Constitution is real.
Used to be anyway.
George W Bush needs to have the courage to admit that he is a liar. He would do that of course if he were also a Christian.
But that sort of self reflection is hard to find today in a Republican.
That’s what I think is wrong with your approach. Courage does nopt just come on a battlefield.
It happens on a bus, or in a stateroom, or even once in a while, In the White House.
President Obama will save this country.
Thank you for Barack, Jesus. Thank you God Almighty for finally bringing a Black man in America this far. Finally.
Your sickness of mind is truly frightening – Hitleresque in your devotion to this fakir.
What is really incredible is that there are millions of you out there who, if McCain wins, will riot in the streets if Obama loses; stupid, petulant children throwing a tantrum because you didn’t get your way. It will be a sight to see.
ed.
8:51 pm
rick,
i have been thinking the same thought for awhile now, what happens if he gets beat (throwing a tantrum because you didn’t get your way”)? really, haven’t we all. we have seen race riots, we have seen L.A. burn down because of a court case, we have seen CBD’s burn down when athletic teams get beat. what happens when the first black man running for president gets beat? wow… you opened pandora’s friggin trunk with that one.
oh and as for courage, i saw it when i was in the Corp’s in Desert Storm, i have seen it in my grandfather’s eyes when he talked about the battle of the bulge, i have seen it in my uncle’s eyes when he talked about his tour in Korea, i have seen it in my father’s eyes when he talks about his tour in the Suck, and I have seen it in my friends eyes that are still serving our country. To a T, when we hear of people protesting complaining etc… we say that we did what we did to protect peoples right to dissent.
nice article rick, keep’em coming.
10:33 pm
#7 The Obamamassiah is only 1/16 black and he’s deemed a black man? What is it with the left’s obsession over face. Obama is 1/2 white and about 7/16 Arab. So I’m a racist because I don’t buy into your really stupid logic? There should be a special place in hell for your ilk and that other cretin who takes this opportunity to spew the DNC’s talking points about Iraq. Love how the previous administration and much of the world’s intelligence agencies were down with Hussein having WMD. Besides Iraq was in violation of all those UN “resolutions” and constantly firing at US Air Force patrol planes. I guess libs just think repeating the same mantras over and over makes something true? No doubt you are another kool-aide drinker who is in ecstacy worshipping your false idol Barack Hussein. Many of your twerps would be interchangeable with the Hitler drones who idolized der Fuehrer.
Hope! Change! The seas are now receding! The Planet is healing with Urkel’s imminent nomination and election victory!
Maybe you deadenders shouldn’t count your chickens until they hatch? How come your boy did really horrible nearly all the closed primaries after the Rev. Wright scandal broke? Oh, those racist ridgerunners? Now, go back to the fever swamps of Kos, DU, moron.org, Huff or whichever other hellhole you usually infest.
10:28 pm
I’ve had the good fortune to visit Normandy, France, and to see many of the important battlefields and landing beaches. And, I must admit that I became a bit overwhelmed when I visited the US cemetery overlooking Omaha beach.
I was traveling with a couple of Flemish ladies, both history teachers, who had accompanied me to the American cemetery that day. It was a beautiful day in late July, 1996, and there were many US tour groups there.
As we stood in front of a large monument, I was lost in the moment; looking out over the seemingly endless rows of crosses. It was a sobering and moving sight.
One of the ladies remarked; “There are sure a lot of Americans here today”.
As I cleared the knot from my throat I replied; “Yes Lisa, there certainly are”.
Lost in the language barrier was my more subtle meaning; a double entendre. The approximately 10,000 fallen warriors there were all Americans, and they were there every day. They had paid the ultimate price for freedom; an act at once both unfortunate and necessary. This ugly fact of humanity is lost on many in our modern world; where the lines of good and evil are blurred by multi-culturalism, moral relativism, and our good fortune at having been spared such a cataclysmic, all encompassing, struggle over the last half century. It is a matter of fact that those soldier came to fight there so that the shooting war would never progress to their home front and directly threaten their loved ones; very much like in Iraq (a reality that seems to be lost on many Americans today). These heroes of freedom gave all of there tomorrows, so that I could enjoy fond memories of my many yesterdays; and so that their loved ones could live free, from danger, fear, and oppression, for all their days to come.
I don’t pretend to speak for all, but I personally salute their service, revere their sacrifice, honor their memory, and will NEVER forget the principles they fought for!
God bless all of those who were part of that heroic operation 64 years ago.
God bless the United States.
Semper Fidelis