During his time in the war, lives depended on the expertise and selfless service of Seaman First Class Alfonso DiNola. The ultimate victory in the war was the result of winning it on the home front as well as overseas. Where would we be today without our brave pilots and the men like Alfonso who made them battle-ready to take flight and take the battle to the enemy? He made it possible for them to get the wings that carried them to war. We must never allow the patriotism of our veterans to die with them. Every generation should honor their service and sacrifice not only by thanking them but also by carrying on the banner that still waves over the home of the brave and the land of the free. Our Home-Front Warriors
Credit:AnitaDavisPhotography,JupiterFL Alfonso with his daughter Executive Director Barbara Gill.
“We should thank God such men lived.” —General George S. Patton
The veterans who survived battle rarely speak of it except to express gratitude for victory. A silence of respect seals those experiences. They are too horrific to describe, too wounding to remember.
Many things are remarkable about D-Day, the battle hailed as the beginning of the end of WWII, but few are as unexpected as historical photographs of the calm faces of men about to die for their country. Packed into barges carrying them to deadly beaches, every face is introspec- tive yet calm. There are no tears. There is no rage. Among paratroopers lined up in air carriers about to parachute to the field of battle, every face is quiet. How in the world could they do it—jump to earth, jump out of boats and slog through thrashing waves on the way to death—with calm faces? If their hearts were thundering to burst out of their chests, they did not show it. A shoreline of 2,400 miles awaited them, treacher- ous with wooden stakes, metal tripods, barbed wire, and 4,000,000 land mines. On the bluffs above were heavily fortified Nazi artillery positions. Wave after wave of
Allied infantrymen was met with staccato machine gun fire from above as the death-trapped sands exploded and attacked beneath their feet. They did not stop. The beach- es became a bloody carpet of human bodies, and men had to scramble over their fallen comrades to advance. They did not turn back. Their victory turned the tide of the war. Less than a year later, on May 7, 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender. To the incredible bravery of these men, we owe our country and our freedom, our peace and our prosperity. Setting fire to the American flag only requires a match. Keeping the flag unfurled and the flame of liberty alight require matchless courage. Our fallen heroes made the ultimate sacrifice—they gave their lives for the genera- tions to come. For us. For our children and grandchildren. Thank our veterans. We owe them everything. TP
56 JULY 2019 | MELALEUCA.COM
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