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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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“The Greatest” died a couple of weeks ago. You might have seen something about it on the news. Actually, it would have been hard to miss it. There was practically around-the-clock coverage when Muhammad Ali died on June 4 at the age of 74.

Two days later, the anniversary of one of the defining moments of “the Greatest Generation” passed virtually unnoticed.

The attention accorded Ali is understandable. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1960, and was a three-time heavyweight boxing champion. He was named Fighter of the Year five times by The Ring magazine, Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and Sporting Personality of the Century by the BBC.

At one time he was arguably the most famous athlete in the world, known across the globe for his lightning-fast fists and outrageous quotes. “The Greatest” is a moniker he gave himself. He also declared “it’s not bragging if you can back it up.”

He was also a cultural icon. Ali was controversial for changing his name from Cassius Clay Jr. (which he called his “slave name”) when he joined the Nation of Islam. He was banned from boxing from 1967 to 1970 after refusing to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

His outspoken beliefs made him an important figure in the Civil Rights movement. Later, even while impaired by Parkinson’s, he achieved renown as a humanitarian and goodwill ambassador.

So yes, the copious amounts of airtime and quantities of newsprint given to the incredible athlete who transcended sports were understandable.

But two days later, it would have been nice at least a little coverage for the other news item involving “the greatest.”

It was the 72nd anniversary of D-Day on June 6. D-Day, of course, was the linchpin of Operation Overlord, when more than 160,000 Allied troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of heavily defended French coastline. Many of them died there. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history, aimed at pushing the German army out of France.

Hopefully “of course” is the correct wording. Surely everyone is well versed in the history of D-Day, and of WWII. Americans still know that this matters, right?

It didn’t matter to most of the national media this year. CNN’s lead story during a random check of news sites on June 6 was about the Cincinnati gorilla, followed by the usual breathless Donald Trump headlines. Fox News had a mix of Trump and salacious entertainment headlines. The New York Times had lots on Ali, nothing on D-Day.

It’s understandable, to a point. After all, it’s old news. Literally seven decades old. The anniversary tends to get more coverage in years that end in zero. There’s nothing particularly special about a 72nd year.

But it would be a shame if D-Day becomes a forgotten day.

Ali was lauded as courageous. But real courage was boarding a landing craft headed for the Normandy beaches, knowing you were about to come under heavy fire. More than 9,000 troops were killed or wounded on Normandy’s bloody beaches. Their sacrifice allowed the Allies to gain a foothold on the continent. It is considered one of the turning points of the war.

“We all knew some of us were going to be wounded, we all knew some of us were going to be killed, but we knew it was a job that had to be done,” said Vincent Haag, in a story on the U.S. Army’s website.

Haag, who visited Normandy for the 72nd anniversary celebrations, was a member of Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder’s Second Ranger Battalion that carried out the incredible attack on the guns atop the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc. There isn’t space here to retell the tale, but look it up. It’s an amazing story of heroism.

It’s not just the men who fought on June 6, 1944, who should not be forgotten. The same goes for all who served.

I’m blessed to be the editorial director for a magazine that has often honored the heroes of the Greatest Generation. In the May issue of Wrightsville Beach Magazine, we had the privilege of publishing a story about the men who served aboard the Battleship North Carolina. It is a poignant article, pointing out that fewer and fewer men are alive to come to Wilmington for the annual crew reunions.

But just as there are fewer and fewer men from that era still alive, so too there are fewer and fewer stories about them. They are easy to overlook, even on the anniversary of D-Day. After all, it was a long time ago. But let’s not let that happen. The men who fought deserve to be remembered.

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