Normandy
I have to agree with the battlefields post. Im a former US Marine and a history buff. I booked a trip to London with my Brother, Brother In Law and a friend of my Brother In Law's. We got to London and while we were there we found out we could fly to Paris for like 70 Quid. So we booked it and decided to train down to Bayeux and get a cab to Normandy.

So, four relatively hard guys. Its cold out, overcast and drizzling. We get to Saint Laurent-sur-Mer and we walk down that long gravel pathway lined with American flags. We get to the clearing and there are the thousands of white crosses marking the final resting places of American servicemen who died liberating France. Its breathtaking. Beautiful in its symmetry but so quiet and peaceful.

I was fine. Our group seperated though as we started to walk amongst the headstones. I was still fine. Overwhelmed, but fine. Then I saw a cross that said "Here Lies an American Serviceman Known But To God" and the tears started. Somebody's Momma never got their boy back. Some wife never saw her husband again. Some child never knew their Daddy. I had often thought about how my parents would feel if I was ever killed in action, but this made it all come to life...these young men's families experienced this.

As the tears started to roll down my cheeks, I looked around to see where the rest of my party was and noticed we ALL had our heads bowed and our sunglasses on despite the overcast day and all of us were sliding our hands up under the protective dark lenses to wipe away tears.

When we regrouped later to head to the beach, noone spoke. We just walked. Grateful for this generation that sacrificed so much and sorry for their Mothers and Wives and Sweethearts.

Sic Semper Tyrannis.

Sean
( Citadel Because the world needs less morons, Fri 15 Apr 2005, 15:47, Reply)