June is a month filled with summer vacation plans, picnics and fun. It is also a time to remember those who have fought for our country’s freedom and show our pride in the land we call home. We have two days in June specifically for those remembrances--D-Day and Flag Day.
This year is the 60th anniversary of the attack on Normandy beach, also known as "D-Day." On that day in 1944, 150,000 troops, mostly young men, were sent to invade France. Before the day ended, there were nearly 10,000 casualties and 4,000 dead. However, more than 100,000 men had made it ashore, and the plan had succeeded. The Allies had captured the surrounding towns and were well on their way to defeating Hitler. D-Day signified the beginning of the end of WWII and continues to be an important milestone in the history of our great nation.
There are many events planned in honor of the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Call your city/county office to find out about gatherings in your area, where you can volunteer your time or take your children to learn more about the brave men who fought in WWII. If you would like to learn even more about D-Day and the events surrounding the 60th anniversary, please visit these websites: National D-Day Memorial Foundation, The National D-Day Museum Foundation and PBS.org: D-Day.
Flag Day is the celebration of the birth of our nation’s flag. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress declared the Stars and Stripes the official United States flag. And on the 100th anniversary of the declaration, people all over the country began to display the flag in honor of its birthday. In 1885 a Wisconsin school teacher named B.J. Cigrand decided to have his students celebrate the flag’s birthday, and thus Flag Day, then called Flag Birthday, began. However, it was not officially adopted as a national holiday until 1916.
Today, most homes around the country display our nation’s flag on Flag Day and other patriotic holidays—some families even do it year round. Regardless of when you fly “Old Glory,” you should always remember the importance of what she stands for. To learn more, you can read about The History of Flag Day; and, for the kids, Kid's Domain: Flag Day.
No matter how you spend these days, make sure you stop and remember all the sacrifices that have been and are continuing to be made to ensure and protect our freedom—in the United States and across the world.
~Julie is a wife and mom living outside Chicago with her husband and two sons. She plans to spend D-Day remembering her Grandfather who fought in WWII and praying for the safe return of all our troops abroad.
