For Their Honor: How The D-Day Prayer was added to the World War II Memorial

By Christopher R. Long

This book was written to tell the eleven-year story of how one of the largest mass prayers in history was added to the World War II Memorial. The D-Day Prayer was one of FDR's fireside chats, but it stands alone as an incredible moment in American history. The date was June 6th, 1944. Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion of western France, was

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Long
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798988526612

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For Their Honor

How the D-Day Prayer was added to the WWII Memorial

Copyright © 2023 Christopher R. Long

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever or stored in any database or retrieval system without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews. Requests for permissions: See contact information below.

ISBN: 9798988526612

Photo Credits:

President Roosevelt addresses the nation. (photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo) pg. 65

A sign outside Trinity Church, New York City, inviting worshipers to ‘Come in and pray for Allied victory’ in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, 6th June 1944. (Photo by FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) pg. 82

P.O. Box 3076, Akron, OH 44309 | 330-887-1922 voice

www.DDayPrayerProject.org | [e-mail]

Cover design: 4FrontDesign (Chris Kairos)

Interior design: 4FrontDesign (Chris Kairos)

Printed in the United States of America

Introduction

For Their Honor - How the D-Day Prayer was added to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

This book was written to tell the eleven-year journey of how one of the largest mass prayers in history was added to the World War II Memorial. The D-Day Prayer was one of FDR’s fireside chats, but it stands alone as an incredible moment in American history. The date was June 6th, 1944. Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion of western France, was already underway by the Allied nations. News reports throughout the day were released from General Eisenhower’s headquarters with short statements, but with few details of what was happening with the landings and on the beaches of France. The American public anxiously awaited throughout the day to hear from President Roosevelt for more details on the historic invasion. What they heard that evening was a President inviting them to join him in prayer. This book tells the story of how this wonderful historic presidential prayer was added to the National Mall in Washington as a permanent addition to an already magnificent monument that was dedicated in the honor and for the memory of the Greatest Generation, the 16 million Americans who served us in World War II.

In the book, you will notice themes that run through the storyline of Ohioans who played a key role in the creation of the World War II Memorial, and another Ohioan who launched the Honor Flights in 2005 that brought veterans from across the country to visit the memorial that was erected in their honor. You will learn of yet another Ohioan who was one of two medics with the 101st Airborne who were dropped into France and set up a med station in a 700-year-old Chapel in Angoville France, demonstrating the western ethic of unbiased compassion as they cared for both German and American wounded troops.

This book details the storyline of the hand of Providence that guided us as we worked through both the legislative and fundraising efforts to see this prayer become a permanent addition to the Memorial. It is a story worth telling as it pays honor to the Greatest Generation in acknowledgment of their sacrifice and service for the cause of freedom and gives glory to the God who answers prayer. It is also written to inspire others to work to advance those same principles and values espoused by the Greatest Generation, and to keep telling their story for generations to come.

Preface

I write this book as the youngest son of a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theater of operation from 1944-46 on an LCS (landing craft support) number 61.The LCS (L) had a complement of 72 men who served on this small vessel that was originally designed to provide close troop support for landing operations in the Pacific Islands. But, like so many military plans that get altered, they were later recruited by Halsey to be the picket line around the 5th Fleet during the Battle of Okinawa. They were the first line of defense against the onslaught of Kamikaze attacks that came in relentlessly over a 90-day period. As Dad said, We had 90 days of general quarters. When interviewed by the Stars and Stripes publication while visiting the WWII Memorial, he said the fear was so great that young men’s hair turned gray overnight. You wonder how that could happen, he said, but the fear and stress was so intense that it had that effect on some of the men. Later Dad would be in Tokyo harbor for the signing of the surrender of the Japanese Empire to the Allied forces and was among the first wave of occupation into Japan. This book is written for their honor and as a tribute to all those who sacrificed and served our nation for the cause of freedom.

Like many of the baby boom generation, we took our freedom for granted. Raised by parents who survived the Great Depression and fought against tyranny in World War II, their hope and prayer was that their sons and daughters would never have to face the horrors of war that their generation experienced and endured. When my brothers and I saw a few war relics around the house, we would ask passing questions about Dad’s service in the Navy. Curious about Dad’s service, I remember asking him, Dad, did you serve on an aircraft carrier, a battleship, a cruiser, or a destroyer? He replied, No, we served on some small tub and barely survived out there in the Pacific. I said to him, How am I gonna tell my friends that? Years later at the World War II Memorial in Washington DC, I had the opportunity to meet some of those Navy veterans who did serve on aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, only to have them tell me, Your dad served on an LCS? He barely survived! Those were flat-bottomed boats on the high seas. You tell your father he has all of our respect. It is with that respect that I tell you the story of how the D-Day Prayer was added to the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Chapter 1

The Idea for the Prayer

How the idea of the prayer came about

In February of 2011, I woke up one morning and said to my wife, I have an idea. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m gonna ask Congressman Bill Johnson of Ohio’s 6th district to offer legislation to add FDR’s D-Day Prayer to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. It will have good bipartisan support. Besides, what good Democrat could vote against FDR? I then reached out to Congressman Bill Johnson. He was delighted and said, It is fortuitous that you’ve asked me because I will be serving on several committees that I think will be helpful to move the legislation. Not long after that I received a call from Senator Rob Portman who said, "Chris, I would like to be your Senate