Veteran's Day
ABC will be showing “Saving Private Ryan” tonight – Veteran’s Day. ABC has a voice-over advisory on the commercial for the World War II epic – viewer discretion is “strongly” advised. You hardly every hear the word “strongly”. It was needed in this case. The first twenty minutes of this movie shows the landing of the 29th Division on Omaha Beach on D-Day.
Pop was in that division and in that landing.
I’ve only seen the movie once – in a theater on a wide-screen. I saw it with the man in my life – well, the one who was in my life at that time. He was retired navy and a World War II reenactor – he was “into” the movie because of his interests. I was “into” the movie because of Pop.
Those first twenty minutes – the reason for ABC’s strong advisory – show war as it really is – not hundreds of bright lights moving across the dark Iraqi sky backed by CNN commentary. Those first twenty minutes of “Private Ryan” show limbs being blown off and water turning red as the American army – many enlistees – ran out of the amphibian troop carriers, into the water and towards almost certain death from the German barrage. The Germans had the high ground on the cliffs over the beach – they had the strategic advantage but the 29th had the advantage of numbers. By the end of the “longest day” the Americans had the beach – but at terrible price.
And that’s the important thing to remember and why everyone over the age of 10 should see “Saving Private Ryan.” Those first twenty-minutes that show war’s true spirit – not one of patriotism but one of price – the price of the youngest and the bravest.
Watching that movie for the first time I realized why Pop never took our family to Ocean City, Maryland – a short drive from our home. After living through that, how could anyone ever want to see a beach again? After seeing the cost of war, would anyone ever want to repeat it?
“Saving Private Ryan” is on ABC tonight. Will the President be watching?
And just because I probably never said it when you were alive: “Thanks, Pop. For all of your faults you were one hell of a brave guy.”
Pop was in that division and in that landing.
I’ve only seen the movie once – in a theater on a wide-screen. I saw it with the man in my life – well, the one who was in my life at that time. He was retired navy and a World War II reenactor – he was “into” the movie because of his interests. I was “into” the movie because of Pop.
Those first twenty minutes – the reason for ABC’s strong advisory – show war as it really is – not hundreds of bright lights moving across the dark Iraqi sky backed by CNN commentary. Those first twenty minutes of “Private Ryan” show limbs being blown off and water turning red as the American army – many enlistees – ran out of the amphibian troop carriers, into the water and towards almost certain death from the German barrage. The Germans had the high ground on the cliffs over the beach – they had the strategic advantage but the 29th had the advantage of numbers. By the end of the “longest day” the Americans had the beach – but at terrible price.
And that’s the important thing to remember and why everyone over the age of 10 should see “Saving Private Ryan.” Those first twenty-minutes that show war’s true spirit – not one of patriotism but one of price – the price of the youngest and the bravest.
Watching that movie for the first time I realized why Pop never took our family to Ocean City, Maryland – a short drive from our home. After living through that, how could anyone ever want to see a beach again? After seeing the cost of war, would anyone ever want to repeat it?
“Saving Private Ryan” is on ABC tonight. Will the President be watching?
And just because I probably never said it when you were alive: “Thanks, Pop. For all of your faults you were one hell of a brave guy.”
posted by Mitzi at Thursday, November 11, 2004
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