Emotional Tribute to Our Veterans: For Our Freedom, Honor and Country … I Fought For You

WOW, this might be one of the best tributes ever to our military, our heroes, our veterans.

It starts out with a grandfather saying to his two grandsons, “some people have short memories and those who are too young to know need to be taught”. The two young  kids obviously had no clue what he was saying. By the videos end, they totally understood.

God bless the brave men and woman of our Armed forced who sacrifice so much for our freedom.

89 Year Old British Royal Navy Vet Bernard Jordan Goes Missing from The Pines Nursing Home in Sussex, England … Found Safe at 70th Anniverary D-Day Ceremonies in Normandy, France (VIDEO)

IF THERE COULD EVER BE CALLED A GOOD MISSING PERSON’S CASE,  THIS WOULD BE IT … A MILITARY VET GOES ON ONE MORE MISSION!

We do so many missing person cases that end in tragedy, heartbreak and unbelievable sorrow. However, the following one just might be one of the more inspirational stories ever.

89 year old British Royal Navy veteran Bernard Jordan went missing Thursday, June 5, 2014 from The Pines nursing home in Sussex, England in the town of Hove. Police were called on Thursday night when the nursing home staff realized Jordan was missing. He had gone out at 10.30am and had not been seen since. However, this missing person story is not your typical one, what would one expect from a 90 year old military vet on a mission? What a story of perseverance and epitomizes yet another reason why those who fought in World War II are called our “Greatest Generation”.

It would appear that veteran Bernard Jordan was determined to get to the 70th D-Day commemorations in Normandy on Friday so he snuck away from his nursing home without warning and made his way across the English Chanel to Normandy, France.  Mr. Jordan slipped out of the nursing home wearing a gray raincoat; however, underneath he had his military jacket complete with war medals. Eventually, Bernard Jordan contacted the Hove police to tell them that he was okay and will be returning after the D-Day ceremonies.

A police spokesman earlier said: “We have spoken to the veteran who called the home today and are satisfied that the pensioner is fine and that his friends are going to ensure he gets back to Hove safely over the next couple of days after the D-Day celebrations finish.”

Some reports had stated that the nursing home would not allow the vet to attend the D-Day ceremonies; however, that does not seem to be the case. It is more like they had tried at the last minute to get him to attend on an accredited tour to Normandy, but failed. So what was any determined veteran to do but find a way to improvise, adapt and overcome. This may be the last D-Day remembrance ceremony that Bernard Jordan ever has an opportunity to attend. For his will to accomplish his mission, we say KUDOS!!! I second Patterico ‘s Pontification comment that “I love this story more than words can say.”  What a metaphor for the “Greatest Generation”.

“Mr. Jordan has full capacity, which means that he can come and go from the home as he pleases, which he does on most days” Peter Curtis, chief executive of Gracewell Healthcare told the BBC.

“At no stage was he banned from going to the commemorations,” Curtis added.

Staff members at the home had actually tried to get Jordan on an accredited tour with the Royal British Legion but he made his request too late so it wasn’t possible.

Les Hamilton, another former mayor of Hove who knows Jordan, told the BBC the vet had attended the 50th and 60th memorial services in Normandy.

“The memorial services meant a lot to him. He clearly didn’t want to miss what might be his last one,” Hamilton said.

Hero’s Welcome For ‘Great Escape’ D-Day Veteran.

A D-Day veteran who went “AWOL” from his care home to see Friday’s commemorations in France has returned to a hero’s welcome.

Bernard Jordan, 90, was cheered and hugged by staff waving Union Flags at The Pines nursing home in Hove, Sussex.

“I had a great time. I’m really pleased I did it,” he said after the Brittany Ferries ship Normandie arrived in Portsmouth.

Quizzed on whether he would go back next year, he replied: “Yes, I expect so. If I am still here, definitely!”

The former Royal Navy officer said his wife had known about his trip.

God Bless you Bernard Jordan.

D-DAY … 70th Anniversary of Our Greatest Generation Who Sacrificed All for Freedom & Liberty

D-DAY, 70th ANNIVERSARY OF HONORING HEROES …

On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion began as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France that would serve to turn forever World War II. Allied forces landed on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches. So many soldiers lost their lives on that “Longest Day”. The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, was the largest seaborne invasion in history as Allied forces invaded Normandy in Operation Overlord in a counter-offensive against German-occupied western Europe. The Greatest Generation gave their lives for freedom on D-DAY. We honor those that fell and those that lived and took the beaches. These are true heroes, do not ever forget the sacrifices these men made on the beaches of Normandy. God Bless The Greatest Generation and Thank you!

On June 6, 1944, more than 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. Gen. 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, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops.

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.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

ALLIED FORCED LAND IN FRANCE … ORIGINAL FOOTAGE

D-Day anniversary events around US and abroad.

D-Day anniversary: ‘World-changing’ day remembered

Thousands gather on Normandy shores to recall ‘The Longest Day’

Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day … “These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc”

And behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there. These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. And these are the heroes who helped end a war. Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender’s poem. You are men who in your “lives fought for life and left the vivid air signed with your honor.”

Ronald Reagan – Normandy Speech: Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day 6/6/84

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead, or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.

We’re bound today by what bound us 40 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We’re bound by reality. The strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies. We were with you then; we’re with you now. Your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.

Here, in this place where the West held together, let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for. Let our actions say to them the words for which Matthew Ridgway listened: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”

Strengthened by their courage and heartened by their value [valor] and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.

Thank you very much, and God bless you all.