A Day That All Americans Should keep Sacred

Ted Nugent's Perspective: Today, June 6th, is a day that all Americans should study, know and remember. It is as important as July 4th.

It was today, 69 years ago, that heroes of the U.S. Army stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny and the end of that evil.

Knowing the importance of victory, General Eisenhower issued the following to every soldier prior to the invasion:

“You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely . . . The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

General Eisenhower kept in his pocket a message to be delivered in the event the Normandy invasion failed. The failure message would remain in his pocket.

As the U.S. Army stormed Omaha beach they were met with devastating Nazi machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire.

Even when some U.S. commanders considered abandoning Omaha beach after the initial wave of Army warriors was cut down by Nazi fire, landing craft full of our warriors kept coming. They were Army strong.

Wave after wave of young Army heroes kept storming bloody Omaha beach to attack the most heavily fortified and entrenched Nazi strongholds. By day’s end Omaha beach would be secure at a cost of 2,400 brave Americans that kicked royally kicked butt.

Should these brave Americans have failed on the early morning of June 6, 1944 on Omaha beach, the war in Europe would have surely been lengthened with many more American causalities — and good over evil hanging in the balance.

But they did not fail. What they did on that day was to begin the liberation of Europe with a good old American butt whoopin. The war in the European theater would be over in less than a year.

Hitler’s war machine would be destroyed, and the evil Hitler himself would be dead.

If June 6th is a reminder of anything it’s that brave men and women of the U.S. military have liberated more people from tyranny than any other entity in the history of mankind. The world would be wise to never forget this.

June 6th is also a day of celebration. Today, as you read this, an American hero of the U.S. Army is retiring.

Major Gen. Grimsley has honorably and heroically served America for decades. He met the enemy of freedom and oppression on the battlefield and crushed them. General Patton would be proud.

It was my privilege and honor to have had the opportunity to meet Gen. Grimsley and other U.S. military warriors a year ago in Iowa, as I have met countless other warriors during more than 45 years of touring this great country.

It was my honor to sign a guitar and a guitar strap for Gen. Grimsley on the occasion of his retirement. I am confident that he will relentlessly thrash the guitar on a daily basis creating pure American rhythm and blues howitzer bombardment sounds of Army Strong defiance with a Chuck Berry throttle.

I do not humble easily, but I am deeply humbled to constantly meet our brave American warriors such as Gen. Grimsley and their families while on tour for these many inspiring years. These brave men and women have enabled me to pursue my own unique American musical dream and I will be forever indebted to their service and sacrifice.

Father time is doing to the brave warriors who survived Omaha beach what Hitler’s Atlantic Wall war machine could not. To those few brave D-Day men still with us and to the families of those heroes who have passed away, know that the Nugent family and millions and millions of other Americans will forever keep June 6th sacred in their honor.

We will never forget The Greatest Generation. We know freedom is not free. May God bless the U.S. military and their families.

Ted Nugent is a musician and award-winning writer and author of The New York Times best-selling “Ted White & Blue: The Nugent Manifesto” and “God, Guns and Rock 'n' Roll,” along with “Kill It and Grill It,” “BloodTrails,” and “BloodTrails II.” He also is a member of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association. Read more reports from Ted Nugent — Click Here Now.