[dcg1952]

My Dad also served in North Africa (Army) and was also in Sicily, as well as landing at Anzio. When my daughter spent a semester abroad in Italy 2 years ago she went through Anzio and emailed me pictures of Anzio beach and the huge military cemetery there. Told me how sad it was to see thousands of graves like that, but how incredibly beautiful it was. I returned the email quickly and told her to take one last look at that beach and imagine the fear these guys felt when the ramps on the landing craft lowered and they ran through the water trying to get to the beach. The only time I ever saw my father cry was when he described to my brother and me (as little boys) what it was like to walk through the water that had now turned red and see dozens of bodies floating around him as he scrambled to the beach. Told us stories of men vomiting intermittently through the night before an invasion or quietly weeping---certain that they would be killed the next day. And he, along with hundreds of thousands of others, were overseas for 2 1/2 YEARS!
Alzheimers has now taken its toll on his 90 year old mind, and I feel deep remorse that I never got to take him to the WW II Memorial in Washington, D.C. But my brother and I knew he was our hero even before a monument was built.