64 years ago today my grandfather, along with thousands of his fellow Americans, British, Polish, French & Canadian allies, stormed the beaches of Normandy and began to reclaim the continent of Europe for freedom and liberty. Time diminishes neither the enormity of the accomplishment nor the debt we all owe to these brave young men, most mere teenagers themselves on June 6, 1944.

I have no problem with these events being used as fodder for video games, even if I prefer not to play them, but I ask you to remember the reality behind the level design. I think games and movies based on famous battles help to keep the history alive for new generations in a certain sense, but don't forget to be grateful to those that lived, or especially did not live, through these events. Without their sacrifice we wouldn't be able to enjoy the freedoms we take for granted today.

I'll link you to the speech made by President Reagan upon the 40th anniversary of D-Day in 1984. It is a moving tribute to those who threw themselves into harms way for love of country and freedom.

An excerpt:

"Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge--and pray God we have not lost it--that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you."

Full text is here.

That dedication still exists in the men & women of our armed forces today. God bless them all.