WASHINGTON  -  With summer nearly here, one of the top activities on the minds of Americans in their late teens and early twenties is heading somewhere warm and hitting the beach. 

I am going to the seashore, too, because sixty years ago Sunday, June 6, Americans hit a beach of a different kind.  To honor the memory of the brave soldiers who turned the tide of World War II on D-Day, I am going to Normandy.

Neither was it for rest and relaxation that American men stormed the beaches of Normandy – the fate of Europe, Hitler’s brutal dictatorship, and the freedom of the world all hung in the balance.

America and her allies prevailed in this battle with evil.  The sacrifice and selfless
contributions of millions of dedicated men and women, from the front lines of battle to the assembly lines back home, made our victory possible.  Our nation was united for a single purpose, and everyone pitched in to help.  The result was a testament to what a people can do when they band together for a just cause, for liberty, and for the preservation of freedom.

The headstones at the American Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer are a grim reminder of the sacrifice we made.  The gray sand of Utah Beach is smooth and unbroken.  But for the memorials, you would never guess that the boots of American troops dug in on those shores.

I will be proud, and humbled, to represent our district and our nation at these ceremonies.  But most of all I will be thankful to say a silent prayer, and to pray aloud, for the souls of those who gave their lives for freedom on that day.  By turning back the aggression of Hitler and Hirohito, we freed Europe village by village, and we freed the Pacific island by island.  We never looked back once an American boot made the first
impression in the sand of those foreign shores.

From the sands of Omaha Beach to the sands of the Iraqi desert, American troops are still pursuing the enemies of freedom around the world.  But unlike our fight to keep the light of liberty from going out in Europe, today we are lighting the way to freedom for the Middle East.

In Congress, we have passed a crucial piece of legislation to support our troops in their
mission.  The Defense Authorization Act will fund the equipment our troops need to complete their missions as quickly and safely as possible.  This act will also make sure they have the pay, the insurance, and the resources they and their families need to endure the difficult time of their deployments.

In Southern Missouri, our patriotism is evident in the flags lining the streets of our  towns, stuck to the bumpers of our cars, and proudly adorning our homes and businesses.  Beneath the surface, however, is the generations of men and women who have left their homes and families to serve our country.

It is a proud tradition that includes my own family, too.  My stepdaughter has recently
been deployed to the Middle East in the U.S. Army.  I know how other mothers feel when they kiss their daughter one last time before she joins the battle in Iraq.  I imagine, too, how difficult it was for mothers in the 1940's to pack their sons off to war.  While they were gone, there was no Internet for E-mail, no calling cards for the telephone, and certainly no opportunity to fly home for a week of leave.  I shudder to think about what happened when those young American men, 400,000 of the more than 16 million who
served, did not return home from WWII.

So while I am in Europe for the anniversary of D-Day, I will also be meeting with the Commanding General of the U.S. Army in Europe, Gen. B.B. Bell to discuss the quality of life programs for deployed soldiers and their families.  With me, I will carry the concerns of Southern Missouri families for the safety and welfare of their loved ones serving in Europe and the Middle East.

Just as I did last November on my return from Iraq, I will visit the Landstuhl Army Medical Center and Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, to check on our troops and visit with the wounded.  I remember how buoyed I was by their remarkable spirit.

Whether it is Operation Overlord or Operation Noble Eagle, there are three things that
remain the same: the dedicated U.S. troops, the American flag flying overhead, and the sand beneath their feet.