During the summer of 2008, I studied World War II with the University of Southern Mississippi's British Studies Program. Most of our time was spent in London, but for one week we visited Normandy, France to study the D-Day campaign that took place in June of 1944. Before we arrived in Normandy, I had just finished reading Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day, published in 1959, which documents the events leading up to, during, and after the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. I don't like to romanticize battles and war because the reality of war is that is that it is brutal and deadly and often unfair to the unfortunate people who have to risk their lives and die. But as I walked along Omaha Beach that day, I lifted my thoughts in thanks to all those who sacrificed their lives there on D-Day
At the same time there was another feeling of thanks that hit even closer to home for me. I walked and remembered everyone who had influenced me to want to study history. I didn't know at the time, but all of those for whom I was thankful that day would also have a direct influence on me choosing LIS for my master's degree, which would eventually lead me to Boston to land a job working for the most well-known history documentary series in the United States, American Experience.
Besides this patch, I only brought one item back from Normandy with me. I gathered a gallon bag full of sand from Omaha Beach, and upon my return to Mississippi I divided that bag of sand into individual glass containers, which I gave to the people who had been a direct impact on my decision to study and love history. Among those were first and foremost, my Uncle Craig "Bowie" Davis, as well as Mr. Steve Clyburn, Mr. Terry Joe McKenzie, and Coach Eddie Rials.
Comments