On this day, June 6, 2025, we pause to honor the courage, sacrifice, and indomitable spirit of the Allied forces who stormed the beaches of Normandy 81 years ago. The men and women of D-Day—soldiers, sailors, airmen, medics, and support personnel—faced unimaginable odds to liberate a continent and secure the freedoms we cherish today. They were ordinary people who rose to extraordinary challenges, armed not with the advanced technology of our time but with grit, determination, and an unwavering belief in a cause greater than themselves.
Among them were the young, like 17-year-old Roy Talhelm, barely out of boyhood (two years older than my grandson), carrying the weight of war on his youthful shoulders. There were also the seasoned, like 56-year-old Theodore Roosevelt Jr., a Brigadier General and son of a president, who, despite age and ailments, led from the front on Utah Beach, proudly yet sadly earning the Medal of Honor posthumously. From every walk of life, from farms and factories, cities and small towns, they came—Americans, British, Canadians, French, and others—united in purpose.
The horror of June 6, 1944, remains a stark testament to their sacrifice. As dawn broke, Allied troops faced a hellscape on five beaches, including Omaha, where German defenses turned the shore into an American killing field. Steel Hedgehogs and Tetrahedra, menacing obstacles laced with deadly Teller mines, obscurely littered the surf, designed to tear through landing craft or explode on contact, maiming or killing those who waded ashore. Under relentless machine-gun fire, artillery barrages, and the chaos of sinking boats, young men drowned in the crimson tide or fell on the sand, their futures erased in breaking daylight moments. The air was thick with smoke, screams, and the stench of diesel and blood. Yet, amid this carnage, the Allies pressed relentlessly forward, climbing over the bodies of comrades, scaling cliffs, and breaching fortifications, driven by duty and the hope of a free world.
Their tools were rudimentary by today’s standards: bolt-action rifles, canvas-back radios, and landing craft battered by waves. Yet their resolve was unmatched. They fought not for glory but for each other, for their families back home, and for a world they hoped would know peace. Many never returned, their names etched on memorials and memories carried in the hearts of those they left behind.
Today, we face a quieter but no less urgent challenge: a growing disconnect between the average American and the military that serves them. Fewer of us have direct ties to service members—no cousins in uniform, no neighbors who’ve deployed, no family stories of sacrifice. In 1944, the war touched practically every home; 12% of the U.S population served during WWII, while today less than 1% of the current population are active duty or reserves. It is easy to conclude why in 2025, it feels distant to many. This shift in conscience and connectedness risks fading the memory of what was, like those remembered on D-Day and the lessons imparted.
We must keep this remembrance alive. The horrors of war—the bloodshed, the loss, the scars both seen and unseen—must not be forgotten. The terror of Omaha Beach, where Hedgehogs and mines claimed countless lives, reminds us of war’s true cost. Nor should we lose sight of the price of freedom, paid in full by those who fell and those who carried the emotional burden home. The flag that flies over us, a symbol of liberty, waves because of their sacrifice. Future decision-makers—our leaders, our children—must understand this. Without appreciation for the past, they may too easily stumble into conflicts that could have been avoided or fail to defend what was so dearly won.
Let us commit to teaching these truths. Visit a veteran’s home, read the stories of D-Day, or walk the hallowed grounds of Normandy if you can. Share the names of Roy Talhelm, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., and share the numbers that on this day…over 4,400 Allied lives lost who stood tall against tyranny. Support organizations that preserve their legacy, and engage with your community to ensure the next generation knows the price of peace.
In 2025, we honor the incredible courage of the Allies of 1944. Their sacrifices paved the way for the freedoms we hold dear. Today, we are called to bridge the gap between their legacy and our actions, ensuring their light continues to guide us forward.
At MAU, we take this pledge to heart. Having proudly employed over 4,500 veterans as MAU associates, we are committed to supporting and uplifting the heroes who have served our country. Their resilience inspires us daily, and their legacy challenges us to be worthy of their sacrifice.
May we never allow their light to fade, and may we never forget the courage that shapes our present. Together, let’s strive to honor them—not just in words, but in everything we do.
Lest we forget.
Please enjoy this special song written in Normandy.
“Remember Us”
Wild Bill and the Flying GoCarts
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