May 31, 1944 we were moved to Uppottery England for final preparations for the invasion. I was starting to get nervous. In six days, we were going to drop under the cover of darkness deep into the German occupied territory of Normandy. It was something I had only ever read about, maybe seen a movie or two about. But now I was on the eve of one of he greatest military movements ever recorded in history... and I was terrified.

I knew what was going to happen on the night of June 5th. I knew what was going to happen on June 6th. What I didn't know was if I was going to live to see D plus 1.

0000000000000000000

It was June 4th. We were dressed for jump. I knew it wasn't going to happen tonight, but kept up the farce that I was as ignorant to the future as the rest of the men.

“Why are they springing these things on us now?” Malarkey complained as he tried to figure out the new bag.

“Its just an extra 80 pounds strapped to your leg.” Luz deadpanned. He lifted up one of the straps to the new bag. “Does anybody have, any idea, how the hell this thing works?” He asked looking at me. I scrunched my eyebrows together and shrugged.

“Colonel Sink.” Julian said as he handed out fliers to each of the men.

“Soldiers of the regiment.” George began, imitating Colonel Sink. “Tonight, is the night,” He realized the depth of what he was reading and turned serious. “Of nights. Today, as you read this, you are in route to the greatest adventure to which you have trained for, for over two years.”

“So that's why they gave us ice cream.” Bill said as handed the letter off.

“EASY COMPANY!” Lt. Meehan yelled. “LISTEN UP!” We gathered around the jeep he was using as a platform. “The channel coast is socked in with rain and fog. No. Jump. Tonight. The invasion has been postponed. We are on a 24 hour stand down.”

0000000000000000000

June 5th, 1944.

“So, this is really happening.” George said to me. We were headed from our tents to the airfield where in just a few short hours we would be dropped into Normandy. “No stand downs this time.”

“Yeah, this is happening.” I had decided to tell Luz the day when the invasion would start. He was my most trusted friend, more like a brother. We stopped as Buck Compton, the new 1st platoon Lt., called his platoon, Luz's platoon, over to one plane, and Lt. Winters called second, my platoon, over to another.

We stood and stared at each other for a moment. A sick feeling started creeping through my stomach. George lifted his hand and I grasped it.

“See ya on the other side.” He told me as he firmly shook it. I nodded.

“You better.” The truth was, I didn't know what was going to happen. I feared for my life, but even more so, I feared for Luz and all the men of Easy. I knew that the loss of paratroopers was great, but when I was studying this moment in history, I'm ashamed to admit, these men where just statistics. They were brave soldiers who gave their life for the freedom of others, and I had learned to respect that, but most of them didn't have a name, just a number. They would be written in history books as just that, a number, a statistic, a nameless face in a photograph of a Times magazine. I looked around me and wondered who was going to make it, which of these men were going to see D plus 1. I prayed with everything that was in me that George would be one of those men. That Nixon would be one of those men. That Lipton, Martin, Toye, Guarnere, Perconte, Roe, Talbert, Popeye, Bull, Cobb, Web, all of them, all of Easy, would make it to see D plus 1.

Luz looked me in the eye, then brought me into a brief, but needed, hug. “Love you kid.” He told me. I smiled.

“You too, Luz.” He nodded at me and squeezed my hand before letting go. We both turned away, refusing to look back at each other as we made our way to our platoons.

“Gentlemen, Doc Roe is handing these out for airsickness. Orders are every man takes one now, another thirty minutes in the air.” Meehan said to us as Doc handed us the packets of pills. Meehan shook Winters' hand and left.

“Second Platoon, listen up.” Winters began. “Good luck. God bless you. I'll see you in the assembly area.” He nodded to us, then helped us up, one by one, shaking our hand as we went. I was next to Doc Roe, in the line. Winters grabbed my hand and pulled me up as he did with the others. I knew right then that what we did, that going to Sink at risk of our own lives, was worth everything. He was always destined to be a great leader of men. He was worth risking my life for, as he would risk his life for any of the men here. I nodded and gave his hand a firm shake.

“Sir.” He nodded back. I smiled slightly and took my place in line. We had to be pushed up the ladder because the cumbersome leg bags, but we finally pushed our way in. Winters was the last person on and I reached my hand out to help him in.

The ear shattering roar of the engines sent shock waves though my body. I could feel it as it reverted in my chest and made breathing difficult... or was that because of the fear of what was to come? I looked at each man, studied their face, saw the fear in their eyes, but also saw the adrenalin, the excitement. They had been training for the last two years for this... they were ready. I looked out the open door as night started to fall around us. Black shapes were outlined in the water below us. The fleet, carrying thousands of soldiers to the single biggest invasion in the history of the US Military.

June 6th 1944

June 6th 1944

1 oh 1st went to war

1 oh 1st went to war

from the skies of Normandy

from the skies of Normandy

Rondevu with destiny

Rondevu with destiny

“World War II” Running Cadence