Looks Like D-Day To Me
So, it’s 6/6/06. Big deal. Let’s make mountains out of molehills. Let’s play with stuff that only gets us more confused. We can get so upset about things like this that we act irrationally. I knew someone once who was scared when their hospital room number was 666. Well, the date today sure looks more like 6,606 me.

It is more to the point that today is the 42nd anniversary of D-Day. On this day in 1944 the end of World War II began. The Allied troops in a massive invasion crossed the English Channel and entered France to liberate the country from the Nazis. As it fades further and further into history there is the danger that we can forget what the day meant and therefore the bravery and fear and importance of that day in American and European history.

I was reminded of that earlier today when I was talking to a person about the date. They had asked me what I thought of 6/6/06 and I talked about D-Day. The person was about my age, maybe 8 months younger. (Note: I was born 4 years and 2 months after D-Day so it is almost contemporary history to me.) They laughed and then looked at me and asked, “What’s D-Day?”

I was stunned, needless to say. D-Day has always been one of those touchstones- a turning point- of modern history for me. I never remember not knowing how important D-Day was. To have someone of my generation and nearly my age not know was shocking. I tried not to show it, but I am still floored. The person has not lived in a vacuum, they have advanced degrees and many interests.

What is it like for the younger generations if there are still people in MY generation who don’t know D-Day?