Tori Blogs: Patriotic Moments

As most of you know, I like to think of themes for certain months of the year (November is the gratitude month, December is the celebration month) and for me the summer months are the patriotic months of the year.  We begin the summer with a tribute to all our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day.  We celebrate our independence on the Fourth of July and finally, we honor our workforce with Labor Day.  In last week’s update I noted many of the celebrations and events for the month of June.  One of those events (a patriotic event indeed) occurred yesterday - the somber remembrance of D-Day, that pivotal moment of World War II that turned the war to the Allied Forces favor and ultimately resulted in the defeat of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.  What I did not realize was that yesterday was the 80th anniversary of this momentous event (June 6, 1944).  This day comes with a mix of emotions for me: joy that our freedoms remain protected to this day because of the heroism of so many -- but sadness as well, knowing that so many gave their lives to ensure that very same protection. That said, I think a short history lesson is in order. Read on:

When you think of the scale, it truly was a World at War. World War II was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. It was sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland and the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allied Forces defeated the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy in 1945. A major turning point in the war was D-Day. It was originally codenamed “Operation Overlord”. Approximately 156,000 Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy, France by the end of that first day, but more than 4,000 Allied soldiers were killed by German soldiers defending those beaches. At the time, the D-Day invasion was the largest naval, air and land operation in history, and within a few days about 326,000 soldiers, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed.

Ever wonder what the ‘D’ of D-Day means? This is the most frequently asked question by visitors to The National WWII Museum.  Here is what Time Magazine reported on June 12, 1944 – “The D in D-Day merely stands for Day. This coded designation was used for the day of any important amphibious invasion or military operation whether it be Germany, the Pacific Theatre, North Africa or Italy.” Interesting, huh? 

Personal note: I am the daughter and granddaughter of Navy men, so these military observances always mean a lot to me.  In 1941, my grandfather, Bascom H. Thomas (already a veteran of WW1), was called back to active duty in the Navy to serve as captain of the Pathfinder, a navigation/combat ship in the Pacific Theater.   At 44 years old, his services were again needed by his country, so he left his law practice and young family in Dallas to go serve in the war.  He was away from home for almost 5 years. I am always humbled and honored to think of how he and so many thousands of others answered the call to serve our country when they were needed most. As Americans, I believe that all of us should feel a deep gratitude for the many sacrifices that were made during this horrific war.

D-Day Fact: General Dwight Eisenhower selected June 5th as the original date for the invasion. However, bad weather on the days leading up to the operation caused it to be delayed for 24 hours until June 6th.

And speaking of patriotism, what is more patriotic than our National Bird, the American Bald Eagle. ICYMI – Dallas has been in the national headlines this week, not just for the volume and intensity of the storms we’ve endured, but for some special feathered friends – Nick and Nora, our so-named bald eagles that are nesting at White Rock Lake.  These two have been quite the local celebrities since they arrived. There have been numerous new stories about them, there are cameras watching them and -- they have their own Facebook page!  But there was heartbreak this week that garnered national attention.  Sadly, one of the storms last week scattered the birds and their two eaglets were knocked out of the nest.  Nick and Nora enthusiasts quickly mobilized and a massive search for the eaglets ensued. Unfortunately, only one of the eaglets was found, the other lost to the storm.  But I am happy to report that after a successful recovery, the other eaglet is back in the nest with mom and dad (see the happy family in the photo below).  How cute are they? Did you know that bald eagles mate for life? It’s true.

Fun Fact: If Benjamin Franklin had had it his way, our National Bird would have been – ready for this? The Wild Turkey!  Ewwww ---no way!

Now for some local patriotism, our Dallas Mavericks are in the NBA Finals for the first time since their championship in 2011.  Unfortunately, they were trampled 107-89 in Game 1 last night, but Mavs Fans, let’s rally!  Game 2 is Sunday at 7pm.

Stay safe. Stay strong. Stay positive.

Tori Mannes

CEO & President