Today marks an anniversary that should be remembered by each and every American — D-Day.

Our nation is much different today than it was 56 years ago. Then, our world was gripped by war. The Axis powers, led in Europe by Germany’s Adolf Hitler, had the free world living in fear. Hitler had conquered most of Europe and threatened to take control of the world.

Allied forces, led by American troops, were fighting not only for their lives, but for a way of life.

An invasion of German-occupied France was planned.

And Army strategists knew that no easy route into France existed. The invasion proved especially bloody.

Ultimately through the courage and determination of soldiers, such as Natchez’s own Paul Foster, those fighting for the good of humanity proved victorious.

And thank God.

Through the hell of battle, the Allied forces helped save the world. And in doing so in such a humble way earned America’s respect for eternity.

For those men who survived, and for those who did not, we offer our humble thanks for what they did.

Although most of those soldiers shy away from the moniker &uot;hero,&uot; we can’t think of a better way to describe them.

As the title of Tom Brokaw’s best-selling book proclaimed, the men who fought on D-Day are indeed &uot;The Greatest Generation.&uot;

Today, in New Orleans, a museum honoring the heroics and emotion of what those men went through will open its doors.

We believe that the best way to honor those men who risked their lives to protect ours is to never let their accomplishments be forgotten. Take a moment, today, to pause and think about what these men did for us and pray that no one will ever face such wartime horrors again.