The Memorial Day before D-Day

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: William Lambers is the author of “The Road to Peace” and partnered with the United Nations World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.” His writings have been published by The Washington Post, Newsweek, History News Network and many other news outlets. 

It was Memorial Day in 1944 when some visitors quietly came to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his family paying tribute to the Unknown Soldier, who represents the sacrifice of Americans in wars. 

But on that Memorial Day the thoughts of Roosevelt and other Americans were on World War II, which was raging in Europe and Asia. Many more soldiers would tragically be losing their lives in the coming days and months to win the war. 

A Daily Devotional for Memorial Day in the Hartford (Conn.) Courant read “many a wife and many a mother — and many a sweetheart — will feel the bayonet piercing her own soul when she receives the telegram from the war department: ‘We regret to inform you ...’ “

On Memorial Day, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and the Allied troops were preparing for the D-Day invasion of Nazi German-occupied France. The planning was hard enough, but was further complicated by bad weather. A small window of opportunity emerged on June 6, 1944, and the invasion began. The heroic American and Allied troops stormed the beaches of France. The liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany followed in the months to come. Sadly many of these brave soldiers perished. We honor them all on Memorial Day. 

Back home on Memorial Day in 1944, Americans were also thinking of others by supporting charities through holiday events.  At the Belmont Park Racetrack in New York funds were collected for the National War Fund and the American Red Cross. The donations helped service members and brought food, medicine and clothing to civilians suffering overseas. Baseball games that season also raised donations for the National War Fund. As difficult as times were in 1944, facing a two-front world war, Americans remembered the plight of other nations and donated to charity. 

The D-Day invasion started a surge of American and Allied troops and a surge of humanitarian aid into Europe. The National War Fund charities that Americans supported had feeding programs for infants and school children in Norway, France, Italy and other devastated countries. Children were at risk of deadly malnutrition overseas during World War II. American generosity through these charities saved lives during the war and afterward. 

Today we must not forget America’s humanitarian tradition, especially with wars and poverty causing extreme hunger around the globe. The Food for Peace program, started by President Eisenhower, needs increased funding today from Congress so it can fight hunger abroad. There are many children facing starvation today around the world that can be saved.

Two WWII veterans, former Sens. George McGovern and Bob Dole, started a school lunch program that feeds children in poor countries. We need to carry on these great initiatives to help children everywhere and represent the American spirit. 

On Memorial Day, as we honor the service of so many brave soldiers in World War II and other conflicts, let’s also remember what they were fighting for. Our soldiers have sacrificed for us to live free with a goal of a lasting peace. We all must do our part to achieve world peace so that no one suffers from war.