Memorial Day is a day to honor the memory of those brave men and women who paid the ultimate price. They sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedoms. We pay tribute to these men and women by taking the day to reflect upon the time they served as our protectors.
At the beginning of the movie "Saving Private Ryan," the actor who plays the elderly James Ryan has returned to France to honor the memory of his fallen comrades. As he reaches the headstone of some of those men, he remembers the events that happened during the turbulent summer of 1944.
In the movie, Tom Hanks plays an ordinary man caught up in the extraordinary circumstances that occurred June 6, 1944. That was the day the Allies invaded Normandy. The invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day, was perhaps the greatest achievement of the Allies during World War II. The movie highlights the struggle of the average soldier to carry out his duty under nearly impossible conditions.
Last year I had the unique privilege to meet a gentleman who saw firsthand the chaos of the Normandy invasion. I invited Don Faulk into my classroom of eighth-graders to discuss what really happened in Europe while he fought against the tyranny of Hitler's army.
Sometimes we watch historical movies produced by Hollywood and believe this must be the way things really occurred. I have told my students many times to be skeptical of historical movies and not to believe everything they see on the silver screen.
My words must have hit home because one of the first questions they asked Faulk regarded the accuracy of "Saving Private Ryan." He told them it was very close to the reality he faced on the beaches of France in 1944. He continued to tell my students about some of the situations he faced while fighting the German Army.
One of the students asked him what was the most difficult thing he saw during the war. Faulk was visibly shaken at the memory of what he was about to relate. Through choked works, he told my students about the time his best friend was killed. His friend was machine-gunned to death while they stood next to each other. Even after 56 years, this memory is still terribly painful for Faulk.
As Faulk continued to talk to my students, I thought about the other men I know who sacrificed their time and their safety to preserve our freedom. I thought about my father, Howard Stanley, who served his country. He was stationed in Panama during the 1960s while in the U.S. Army. I also thought about my uncles, Ira and Hugh, who served their country faithfully during World War II.
Many of my fellow teachers and administrators at Dayton Christian
have also served in the U.S. military. Some of my students have
parents who are, or were,
in the service of our country. One of my students told me the
other day that his father served during the Persian Gulf War.
That made me realize we often do not know the ones who have served
us best.
The other day I was putting gas in my van at a local gas station when I noticed the license plate of the car in front of me. The owner had those plates that showed he was a World War II veteran. When he came out of the store, I took time to give him my thanks for his service and sacrifice so many years ago. I believe we should all take the time this month to thank those men and women who faithfully serve in our military.
On the last Monday of May, take a few moments out of your busy day to reflect upon the men and women who served our country. Whether they served during a war or in peace, the members of our military are some of the most honorable people in our country.
Kevin J. Stanley is a history teacher at Dayton Christian Middle School.