Honoring Veterans

[administrator]

As many of you know, a couple weeks ago, the USA observed Memorial Day. Yesterday, June 6, was the 76th anniversary of the beginning of Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day. Here is a photo that struck me very hard. They look like young boys.

Have any members here served as military musicians, in any nation?

[Kehaulani]

I conduced the U.S. military band at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, for the 40th anniversary ceremonies with Walter Cronkite and Pres. Reagan. Looking down the sheer cliffs that the Rangers had to scale under gunshot right in their faces, weighed heavily on me and the others in attendance.

I couldn't believe that anybody would scale those cliffs under direct fire at them. More than one guy must've lost it that day and with terror. Common people doing uncommon things. That's my definition of a real hero.