Jim DeMint
U.S. Senator, South Carolina
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Then and Now
 
May 26, 2008 - Earlier this month about 100 South Carolinian veterans of World War II came to Washington to see the National WWII Memorial. This magnificent monument fittingly occupies a central place on the nation’s Mall and honors these men and their comrades who fought not just for America’s freedom but also for the liberation of millions under tyranny. For me, the son of a WWII veteran who passed away last year, it was a highlight to rub shoulders with this band of brothers and thank them for their service. The years have not dimmed their love of country nor their pride in defending her. I saw the same passion, pride, and courage among our troops earlier this year in Iraq and Afghanistan -- different generations, different wars, but the same tenacious commitment. It was a personal and powerful illustration that freedom really is a sacred gift from one generation to another -- one that is awesome in both its privileges and its burdens.

Such burdens become even more vivid when the old veterans tell their stories -- stories not about themselves but of those who didn’t come home. A few years ago I had the privilege of hosting the commemorative service for the veterans of the D-Day invasion. Over 200 of them gathered along with their families for a medal ceremony honoring the South Carolinians who fought on the beaches of Normandy a lifetime ago. Time had touched these once jaunty GIs. Their strong, handsome faces were captured in fading photographs on display, but now their hair is silver, their shoulders a bit stooped. Some carried canes where once they carried rifles, others in wheelchairs took their place in the ranks. Congressmen and generals were there to present them with medals, and upon receiving them they snapped salutes with esprit. Their children brushed away tears of pride while some of the old warriors brushed away tears of memories -- memories of friends now resting beneath rows of white crosses in the green fields of Normandy.

Their sacrifice reminded me of a poignant dispatch sent back by the great war correspondent, Ernie Pyle, shortly after the beachhead was secured. He walked along the shore and described:
A thin little line, just like a high-water mark, for miles along the beach. This is the strewn personal gear, that will never be needed again, of those who fought and died to give us our entrance into Europe. Here in a jumbled row for mile on mile are soldier’s packs. Here are socks and shoe polish, sewing kits, diaries, Bibles, and hand grenades. . . . Here are the latest letters from home. . . Here are the toothbrushes and razors, and snapshots of families back home staring up at you from the sand. Two of the most dominant items in the beach refuse are cigarettes and writing paper. Each soldier was issued a carton of cigarettes just before he started. Today these cartons by the thousand, watersoaked and spilled out, mark the line of our first savage blow. Writing paper and airmail envelopes come in second. The boys had intended to do a lot of writing in France. Letters that would have filled those blank, abandoned pages.
We are left to fill in those blank pages, and this Memorial Day we get to write a little note of thanks on them and pledge that we will not forget those who served and sacrificed during freedom’s crucial hour -- both then and now.  

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December 2008  
 
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