Hakaros HaTov for D-Day

Today is D-Day the commemoration of the Allied attack on Europe that established a literal beach head for eventual Allied victory. It is a day of importance to all Americans. As Jews, it is of additional import as it set the stage for the eventual liberation of the concentration camps some six months later. Many of our brave soldiers that stormed the beaches on D-Day liberated the camps. Whatever the failures, and they are many, of our government in regard to turning a blind eye to the atrocities being committed by the Nazis, blame cannot be laid at the feet of our soldiers.

Here are the words of Staff Sergeant John N. Petro who liberated Dachau with the 42nd “Rainbow” Division, 232 Infantry, E Company:

Initially, the prisoners thought they were dreaming. “They could not believe it was true that after so long, they were finally being liberated.” The liberated looked like the dead. “They were skeletons,” he told me. It was only later that fear gave way to joy.

We salute Staff Sergeant Petro and all of his brethren.

9 comments on “Hakaros HaTov for D-Day

  1. As long as Steve ‘broke the barrier’…I would recommend the series “Band of Brothers”. It’s about the role of the US 101st Airborne from D-Day up to the end of the war. There is a segment about when they participated unexpectedly in liberating a death camp. There’s also a segment portraying how some of them went into the countryside later and attempted to hunt down Nazis on their own time…

    On another note, I certainly hope this hakarat hatov is applied on Israel’s Memorial Day, as well…

  2. About a year ago I gave a talk @ the JHC entitled “Saving Private Ryanowitz”. I tried using the renown of the film. “Saving Private Ryan” and the calendar proximity of Memorial Day to try (in a nutshell) to get across the following lesson:

    The tag line of that film was “earn this”. It was uttered as the last dying words of the lead character to Private Ryan, whom many members of the platoon had died trying to save. It was understood to be a symbolic demand of the wartime generation to ALL of us who have benefited from the fruits of their sacrifices. Coming from the soldiers who, in Lincoln’s words “gave the last full measure of devotion”, “earn this” is a challenge to be better menthschen to live good and meaningful lives as only free men and women can.

    Particularizing it, when emanating from the dying lips of all the Jewish Holy Martyrs who laid down their lives Al Kiddush HaShem “earn this” is a demand to be better Jews and to live more Torah-informed lives. I.E. to LIVE with some of the Mesiras Nefesh that they died with.

    To be honestly grateful one must feel a sense of indebtedness and obligation to somehow repay the favor rendered. It is not enough to display a flag (or a Menorah) once or twice a year and say Thank-you very much . We ought to exert ourselves to be worthy of their sacrifices of life and limb and “earn this”!

    PS June 14th is Flag Day!

  3. I would like to share this d-day story.

    Growing up my family davened at an orthodox shul although we were more traditional. Every Motzi Yom Kippur, the shul asked the same person to daven maariv. Why? cause he was fast!! Back then it was great. After I became frum it bothered me greatly. We should be davening that first maariv slowly with much concentration. One yom kippur I remarked to my father how it bothered. He related the following story about this gentleman.

    It was d-day and this gentleman was off the boat and in the water appraoching the beach. People from his platoon were being killed all around him. As he is moving to shore he prayed to Hash-em and said, G-d if you get me out of here alive, I will go to shul every day for the rest of my life. My father told me that the man was true to his word and attends shul everyday.

    I was amazed at such an extraordinary feat. I wondered how Hash-em received this man’s Tfillos as he fullfilled his daily obligation for close to 60 years. Whether he davened fast or slow, he lived up to his committement until he recently passed away. I remember meeting him once in shul on a summer vacation and asked after his well being. he informed me that he had cancer and the chemo was rough but he still pushed himself to go to shul.

    How quick I was to judge back then. May we always judge people favorably and be inspired by this man’s remarkable committment. Some d-day inspiration – may it be in his merit.

  4. The Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, Manhattan has an impressive exhibit about the Jewish WW II servicemen and their unique challenges.

    It’s definitely worthwhile. My father, may he live long zol zein gezunt und shtark was a WWII vet. It was very meaningful for all when he was accompanied by his children and grandchildren to this exhibit.

  5. We should also give special thanks to the Jewish soldiers, including many of our own older family members, who served in the Allied armed forces on all fronts around the world.

  6. We cannot understand D-Day or its importance in the printed word. Even if you don’t generally watch DVDs , one can get some of the atmosphere of the valor of the Allied soldiers and the obstacles they faced in The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan.

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