Pointe du Hoc

My son and I were talking over high points of our tour of the World War II Battlefields. The one that was both our favorite was Pointe du Hoc. We arrived at the site after a long day of touring and travel. The group gathered at a long, stone memorial wall and we got a brief explanation and then were told to go ahead and investigate. We rounded the wall and were amazed at the immense battle fortifications still remaining. We were able to walk at will in and out of the concrete battlements. There were remains of guns still in place. We walked through actual bomb craters from the war. Naturally, the grass was growing over some of the scars but the place held a quiet finality. There was such a contrast between the peaceful sea below the high cliffs on one side and the fortification field on the other. It was hard for us to fully comprehend the magnitude of the battle that day. We couldn’t imagine how the peaceful scene could be any other way. I’m thinking that the soldiers on both sides of the war, long ago, also wondered how the noise and bombing could ever be any different.

Here is a bit about Pointe du Hoc. The maneuver was complicated with mixed results. It makes for an interesting read if you have the time to do a little computer research. This is just the bare bones of the battle that day.

Pointe du Hoc is located on a cliff top on the coast of Normandy in northern France. It lies 4 miles west of Omaha Beach, and stands on 100 foot tall cliffs overlooking the sea. It was a point of attack by the United States Army Ranger Assault Group during Operation Overlord in World War II.

This was built by the Germans as part of the Atlantic Wall. With Pointe Du Hoc situated between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east, these guns threatened Allied landings on both beaches, risking heavy casualties. Intelligence reports assumed that the fortifications were too strong, and would also require attack by ground forces. The U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion was given the task of destroying the strong hold early on D-Day.

The Ranger battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder. The plan was for the three companies of Rangers to land at the foot of the cliffs, scale them using ropes, ladders, and grapples under enemy fire, and engage the enemy at the top of the cliff. This was to be carried out before the main landings. The Rangers trained for the cliff assault on the Isle of Wight, under the direction of British Commandos.

What a Joyful Outcome . . .

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/miracle-joey-the-boy-who-refused-to-die

Life Site News always has some amazing stories. This one is no exception. You have to wonder how many lives are lost to those who do not trust and believe?

Amazing song . . .

I hope everyone can access this link! The little girl has an amazing voice and the song, written by her uncle, has a message that should be heard. It cheered up my day!

http://www.staged.com/video?v=NtK

Nothing like a library . . .

In our family, a library is a treat to visit and my children have grown up enjoying reading. My older son fought learning to read but once he got through the first book of HIS choice, there was no stopping him. His younger siblings basically taught themselves to read in order to find out what adventures each book had in store for them.

On our trip, we got to visit Littlecote House in Hungarford, England. One of our favorite places on the tour was the library. We took some time to just sit and think about the history of the place right down to when it was used by the military during the war and a intelligence center and such. It was amazing to be among the historical artifacts, some going back to the years of Henry VIII along with the rooms maintained as they had been during the war. As you can see, the library was beautiful and we were wishful of having permission to delve into some of the books

More to the first quote than just being amusing . . .

"On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog."
-- Peter Steiner

"Every man is wise when attacked by a mad dog; fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion."
-- Robertson Davies

"I believe that professional wrestling is clean and everything else in the world is fixed."
-- Frank Deford

"I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up."
-- Tom Lehrer

My Beloved Philippines by Father James Reuter, SJ

I have a lot of friends from the Philippines so wanted to pass this on to as many people as possible. Even if we think that this small country isn't going to effect us, any economy or moral structure that fails is, eventually, felt by the entire world.

 

 

My Beloved Philippines

 By Father James Reuter, S.J.

 BY HER own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades, our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors. Forty years ago, we were second only to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia and Thailand .. Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where Thailand is. 1. A population of 160 million; 2. Of those, 70 to 90 million (equivalent to our current population) will live below the poverty line; 3. Our national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos fled, and US$53B today); 4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh ; 5. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we’re already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International)...

THE SIGNS are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We’ve seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups and people’s organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. But not even two people’s revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward. We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm. It’s time to claim God’s promise of healing of the land for His people. It’s time to gather God’s people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. Is prayer really the answer?

Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I’d like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history. England ’s ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers. The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today -- a strong faith in God and a disciplined prayerful life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movements swept across the land. In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Chris tian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering. Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For where there is genuine humbling and seeking of God through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. Yes, we believe prayer can make a difference. It’s our only hope.

TODAY, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for five minutes of your time in a day, to forward this email to your close friends and relatives. This is the kind of unity that can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center. We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it’s time to try prayer power. God never fails. Is there hope? Yes! We can rely on God’s promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, God will heal our land.. By God’s grace, we may yet see a better future for our children. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). If you care for your children and grandchildren, PLEASE pass this on.... Let’s not just abandon the Philippines .