God Almighty! We come before You in remembrance and reverence for the men who faced the shores of Normandy on that fateful day. We thank You for the courage You placed within them, to stand firm against what seemed an unassailable force, to press forward through fear, chaos, and uncertainty.
We mourn deeply those who gave their lives upon those waters, sands, fields and skies. Receive them, we pray, into Your eternal peace. Let their sacrifice never be forgotten, and may their memory remain a guiding light for generations to come.
We lift up those who survived—the wounded, the weary, the brave souls who carried the weight of that day long after the battle was done. Grant them healing in body, mind, and spirit. May they know honor, gratitude, and the quiet comfort of Your presence.
Lord, we praise You not only for their courage, but for the brotherhood that bound them, the unity that carried them, and the hope that endured through the darkness.
Let us be worthy of their sacrifice. Teach us to cherish freedom, to pursue peace, and to walk in humility and gratitude.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; Psalm 144:1 ESV
The man buried beneath this tombstone at West Point Academy, it is Robert Lee Wolverton, Lieutenant Colonel, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, West Point Class of 1938. “Bull” Wolverton commanded the regiment’s third battalion, and, in the years to come, his men long remembered when, on the afternoon of June 5, their 30-year-old commander pulled them together at England’s Exeter Airfield. As they formed around him, the native of Elkins, West Virginia, known by the nickname “Bull” back at West Point, shared these words with them. “Men, I am not a religious man and I don’t know your feelings in this matter, but I am going to ask you to pray with me for the success of the mission before us. I would like you to get down on your knees and pray and while you do this do not look down, but look up, with heads held high to the sky. God almighty! In a few short hours we will be in battle with the enemy. We do not join battle afraid. We do not ask favors or indulgence but ask that, if you will, use us as your instrument for the right and an aid in returning peace to the world. We do not know or seek what our fate will be. We only ask this, that if die we must, that we die as men would die, without complaining, without pleading and safe in the feeling that we have done our best for what we believed was right. Oh Lord! Protect our loved ones and be near us in the fire ahead, and with us now as we each pray to you.” – Lt Col Robert L Wolverton (506th PIR) 101st Airborne Division
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