Ever Forward - D-Day Prayer

by Weston Westmoreland

Title

Ever Forward - D-Day Prayer

Artist

Weston Westmoreland

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

Four D-Day Veterans of the 116th Infantry Regiment Foundation unveiled of the "Ever Forward" Monument to commemorate the Regiment's 70th Assault Landing Anniversary on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944.

This is a really impressive statue. It stands in the limit of Dog Green sector with Charlie, where the 116th attacked, probably the part of Omaha Beach that caught the worst of it. The name of the statue is quite illustrative, ever forward, as the only chance of survival lay ahead.

I tried to find a point of view from which both faces could be seen because the whole composition is so moving. There is fear in the runner's face, there is pain in his companion's, but both keep their guns doggedly. The runner leans forward, and looks ahead, full of determination to advance, but carrying his brother in arms in the air. His companion, wounded though he is, holds his gun fast and tries to make himself into a ball so he is easier to carry than hanging limp. There is no courage without fear, and no bigger friendship than that of the men who risk their lives for one another. All this feelings and notions are masterfully captured in this wonderful statue.

The more I look at it the more it impresses me. And the older I get the bigger my admiration and compassion for those brave kids who fought and died so young so we all could live in a better world.


The quote, an excerpt from FDR's D-Day Prayer, reads:

FOR THESE MEN ARE
LATELY DRAWN FROM THE
WAYS OF PEACE.
THEY FIGHT NOT FOR THE
LUST OF CONQUEST.
THEY FIGHT TO END
CONQUEST. THEY FIGHT TO
LIBERATE... THEY YEARN
BUT FOR THE END OF
BATTLE, FOR THEIR RETURN
TO THE HAVEN OF HOME.

The background image is from the graves in the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.

There is an untexted version of this picture.

You can learn more about what drives me in my blog:

http://inspiringthoughtsandimages.com/

Uploaded

October 24th, 2014

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags