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6/04/2016 1:57 pm  #1


FDR D-Day Prayer

Franklin Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer 

June 6, 1944

My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

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 fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen. 


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
 

6/04/2016 2:00 pm  #2


Re: FDR D-Day Prayer

Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy.

This figure includes over 209,000 Allied casualties, with nearly 37,000 dead amongst the ground forces and a further 16,714 deaths amongst the Allied air forces. Of the Allied casualties, 83,045 were from 21st Army Group (British, Canadian and Polish ground forces), 125,847 from the US ground forces.

The losses of the German forces during the Battle of Normandy can only be estimated. Roughly 200,000 German troops were killed or wounded. The Allies also captured 200,000 prisoners of war (not included in the 425,000 total, above). During the fighting around the Falaise Pocket (August 1944) alone, the Germans suffered losses of around 90,000, including prisoners.

During the battle, between 15,000 and 20,000 French civilians were killed, mainly as a result of Allied bombing. Thousands more fled their homes to escape the fighting.

Today, twenty-seven war cemeteries hold the remains of over 110,000 dead from both sides: 77,866 German, 9,386 American, 17,769 British, 5,002 Canadian and 650 Poles. The bodies of many American casualties were repatriated to the USA, where they were reburied.

Last edited by Goose (6/04/2016 2:01 pm)


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
     Thread Starter
 

6/11/2016 7:35 pm  #3


Re: FDR D-Day Prayer

Which, if any, of the contenders for the Presidency would be able and willing to offer such a prayer today?


Life is an Orthros.
 

6/11/2016 7:44 pm  #4


Re: FDR D-Day Prayer

Tarnation wrote:

Which, if any, of the contenders for the Presidency would be able and willing to offer such a prayer today?

Let us hope NONE of them will ever have to. 
 


"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
 
 

6/11/2016 8:15 pm  #5


Re: FDR D-Day Prayer

tennyson wrote:

Tarnation wrote:

Which, if any, of the contenders for the Presidency would be able and willing to offer such a prayer today?

Let us hope NONE of them will ever have to. 
 

For at least 36 years (beginning with "America Held Hostage" in 1979) we have been facing an enemy with many faces on many fronts.   Some day, it may be necessary to launch a counterstrike on the ground.

So the question behind my first question is:  "Which, if any, of the contenders would have the political will and the spine of steel to make such a commitment?"

I also HOPE that none will ever have to. 

But I anticipate that they might.
 


Life is an Orthros.
 

6/12/2016 6:55 am  #6


Re: FDR D-Day Prayer

Tarnation wrote:

Which, if any, of the contenders for the Presidency would be able and willing to offer such a prayer today?

Good question.
Here's another.

Ike wrote a message to be released in the event that the landings failed.
He took all of the blame on himself. No spin. No self aggrandizement. No throwing anybody under the bus.
Ike put it all on his shoulders.
Who would do that today?


"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that Bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
     Thread Starter
 

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