Remember hard-won victory of D-Day

As we marked the 69th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, we did so with an ever-fading connection to the past. Those of us who survived D-Day are rapidly shrinking in number. With that comes the risk that future generations will fail to grasp the significance of World War II. Or, nearly as worrisome, that they’ll learn only the aspects portrayed by Hollywood.

As George Santayana famously wrote, “The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.” Learning from the past requires setting aside nostalgic narratives and movie-studio renditions in favor of often-neglected, sometimes unpleasant facts. We must commit to teaching the history of World War II, and American history as a whole, in all its complexity and nuance.

Such an approach is critical to understanding the true nature of the Normandy Invasion. While D-Day is correctly recorded as the turning point that led to allied victory in Europe, victory wasn’t easily attained. In fact, the early hours of the invasion bordered on failure. At Omaha Beach, the U.S. Army’s 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion, of which I was captain, confronted an elite German infantry division far stronger and better trained than we expected. Fighting poor visibility and strong wind, many landing craft were scattered, landing far from their objectives. We found ourselves leaderless and lost, and quickly became an easy target for the Germans. Many, including those who drowned in choppy waves before reaching shore, were killed before they could fire a shot.

Once ashore, we faced pure hell, running across the beach through a hail of bullets as TNT and burning grease filled our lungs and the cries of wounded men rang out around us. There’s a reason it’s called “Bloody Omaha.” Miraculously, our battalion made it across the bluffs, marching inland to relieve the Ranger force at Pointe du Hoc, France.

Such details are often overlooked in retellings of D-Day. Yet they are critical to understanding the hard-won victories of war. During World War II, Americans faced trials with an attitude of national unity and shared sacrifice, borne from the reality that everyone knew someone in uniform. Today, many of us have a less immediate connection to our armed forces. Nevertheless, it’s our duty to support them.

Looking back provides needed perspective as we seek to honor the memory of those lost and respect those fighting for our nation today. At a time when science, math and technology are rightly being emphasized in education, let’s not forget the importance of teaching history. It’s relevant. It’s meaningful. And now more than ever, it’s necessary.

Retired Major General John C. Raaen is a resident of The Mayflower Retirement Community in Winter Park and author of “Intact: A First-Hand Account of the D-Day Invasion from a 5th Rangers Company Commander.”