The largest amphibious assault on history sat at ports all along the English channel sat waiting to go. The weather was not suitable to such an operation, the men living in cramped conditions and not knowing if it would be the big day, or if it would be delayed again. I won't pretend to know that I can tell exactly how those men were feeling, but I'd bet that the waiting to go was the worst part and when the order was given and 83,115 troops from the British Commonwealth & Empire along with 73,000 from the USA crossed the narrow channel that marked the end of Hitler's expansion into Western Europe.
No amount of thanks will ever be enough for those who fought for all of us, those who died on the beaches or the subsequent campaigns in Western Europe, or indeed in other theatres around the world, or for those who fought through them and had a lifetime of carrying those memories around with them.
May we never forget them and what they were fighting for. Those who landed overnight in parachutes and gliders or in landing craft the next morning.
(I was just sitting thinking what it must have been like for those men waiting for tomorrow and decided to write about it).
They were truly the Greatest Generation.
Something Bill Clinton said at the 50th anniversary observation really spoke to me:
"Their hair may have gone white, and some of the spring may be gone from their step - but never forget, when they were young, these men saved the world."
This song says so much to me about the men who fought on D-Day. (you may recognise the melody, it's the theme from Band of Brothers)
https://youtu.be/FLxD0RUJUYo (https://youtu.be/FLxD0RUJUYo)