The Communications Vault

Memorial Day. For most of us, it means the start of summer; the three-day weekend that ushers in days at the beach, picnics and outdoor projects. Officially it is a day set aside to honor Americans who sacrificed their lives defending our Nation and its values and, above all, our freedoms.

Here at JPL Productions, we have been working on “Their Sacrifice, Our Freedoms: WWII in Europe” the third documentary in an educational series about GIs who served during WWII. To bring to life the experience of D-Day, when Allied Forces launched their assault against the Nazis on the beaches at Normandy, France, we dressed our host of the documentary in authentic uniforms and equipment of an infantry soldier from that day.

It was an all-too-real experience for the cast and crew to see our 20-year-old host weighed down with 50 pounds of ammunition, grenades, rifle, shovel, rations and other survival gear. How did these guys run up the beaches with all this gear weighing them down and enemy bullets whizzing past their ears? How brave they were. How many died fighting Nazi tyranny, defending the freedoms that we enjoy today?

Which brings us back to the original intent of Memorial Day. Enjoy the three-day weekend. Have fun at the beach. Enjoy the picnic. Good luck with the deck building. But between trips to the Home Depot or the shore, stop by a cemetery, with your kids, and pay respect to the men and women who gave their lives defending our Nation and its values.