D-Day Memorial

The Silent Wings Museum http://www.silentwingsmuseum.com/ in Lubbock, Texas had a D-Day Memorial on 6-6-2012, and extended activities this weekend. I missed the speeches and the fly in of the C47, but got to tour the plane and listen to the stories the WWII re-enactors told. It was fun to hear the questions of the children in the audience, because they spark the speakers to be more animated. I know a lot of what the speakers share, but I enjoy hearing the oral history.

There was a film about D-Day, using actual historical footage.  One of my favorite movies is The Longest Day, which is about D-Day. While there is a lot of theatrical license in the movie, there is a lot of historical correctness in it too, and the historical film I viewed today confirmed that.

In conjunction with the Texas Tech Museum http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/exhsch11.html, there will be many WWII commemoratives and events this summer in Lubbock. One of the nice things about being in conservative Lubbock, Texas is that the community appreciates and commemorates military heroes.  This is in part due to the ongoing legacy of Reese Air Force Base that was closed in 1997 (which was a WWII Army Airfield), the legacy of the glider pilots training in Lubbock at the South Plains Army Air Field, and the 3000 or more veterans buried in the City of Lubbock Cemetery.  But mostly because the Bible-belters are unabashed flag-wavers.  And, what is wrong with unabashed flag wavers.  We can love our country even if we do not love our countries politics.  

Last year on Memorial Day, I was at a commemorative event at the Lubbock Area Veterans War Memorial.  http://www.playlubbock.com/pk/specialParks.aspx and walked over to the the Willie McCool Memorial Statue http://www.playlubbock.com/pk/willieMcCool.aspx.  I met Commander McCool's father and thanked him for the service of his son to our country.  That was SO awesome.

Someone asked me, just recently, if I was ex-military or a  veteran.  I am not. I have just decided that I need to appreciate anyone and everyone who has put their life on the line for my life: police officer; fireman, security guard, military, EMT.  Thank you.