Of all the events in the history of the United States, none has had a greater effect on the world than our involvement in World War II. WWII started in September 1939 and ended in August 1945. For me, it’s hard to fathom over 30 countries at war resulting in over 80 million folks dead. WWII created and destroyed leaders, heroes, cowards, allies, and enemies. Boarders and political policies were altered to the point that they shaped the world we have today. For better or worst most of these international bonds are as strong today as they were in 1945.

Operation Overlord is the largest amphibian landing in the planet’s history and took place on June 6, 1944. It is called D-Day. The numbers are staggering with nearly 2 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen from 15 allied countries involved in this operation. The D-Day estimates of American dead, wounded and missing are in the 6,600 range.

. . . these men came here – British and our allies, and Americans – to storm these beaches for one purpose only, not to gain anything for ourselves, not to fulfill any ambitions that America had for conquest, but just to preserve freedom. . . . Many thousands of men have died for such ideals as these. . . but these young boys. . . were cut off in their prime. . . I devoutly hope that we will never again have to see such scenes as these. I think and hope, and pray, that humanity will have learned. . . we must find some way . . . to gain an eternal peace for this world. (“Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life,” by Carlo D’Este, p. 705.)

April showers bring May flowers and lots of May history!

May 1, 1960, an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over central Russia. The pilot, CIA agent Francis Gary Powers, survived, was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released in 1962 in a prisoner exchange.

May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Special Operations Forces. Enough said.

May 4, 1970, National Guardsmen opened fire on a crowd of 1,000 students at Kent State University killing four and wounding eleven others while protesting President Richard Nixon’s decision to invade Cambodia.

May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed St. Louis to explore the Northwest. They returned in September of 1806, completing a journey of about 6,000 miles.

May 20, 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, in the Spirit of St. Louis at 7:52 a.m. This first solo nonstop flight between New York City and Paris was worth $25,000 in prize money.

May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart departed Newfoundland, Canada, at 7 p.m. She landed near Londonderry, Ireland, completing a 2,026-mile flight in about 13 hours becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

May 30, 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

May 30, 1868,  Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in the line of service, defending the United States of America. Remember Them All!