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D-day again
I had the D-Day broadcast on for most of the day while I worked. King George VI's speech was quite affecting. I don't think I'd ever heard him speak. The news reports featured some interesting bits. A former resident of Normandy talking about the terrain and people. The Congressmen & women, including Al Gore Sr, being interviewed at the Capitol. I was mostly struck by the Congressman who was a WWI veteran and kept reiterating this wasn't a carnival and should be treated as a solemn sober occasion. That point was a common refrain.
When the broadcast reached the evening hours, Columbia interpersed their news reports with actual programming. An episode of "Passing Parade" showed the possible 100th anniversary of D-Day, telling our descendants all about the big day. Mostly I found myself amused (and slightly depressed) thinking of myself as the crotchety old history professor teaching the class. I decided I'm really not a Burns and Allen fan particularly. At about 10 pm wartime, FDR gave a prayer to the nation. He sounded tired. In retrospect, I realized he would be dead in just under a year. We heard the occasional "This is London" report from Edward R. Murrow as the BBC provided coverage. CBS gamely tried to stay with it the entire time. At one point, they even apologized for one of their newsman/announcers not being heard at his usual time because he was home getting some sleep, after pulling a long shift. After the umpteenth rendition of "Stars and Stripes Forever" by the Navy Band, I decided I had hit saturation point. The Allied troops would just have to take the beaches of Normandy without me.
When the broadcast reached the evening hours, Columbia interpersed their news reports with actual programming. An episode of "Passing Parade" showed the possible 100th anniversary of D-Day, telling our descendants all about the big day. Mostly I found myself amused (and slightly depressed) thinking of myself as the crotchety old history professor teaching the class. I decided I'm really not a Burns and Allen fan particularly. At about 10 pm wartime, FDR gave a prayer to the nation. He sounded tired. In retrospect, I realized he would be dead in just under a year. We heard the occasional "This is London" report from Edward R. Murrow as the BBC provided coverage. CBS gamely tried to stay with it the entire time. At one point, they even apologized for one of their newsman/announcers not being heard at his usual time because he was home getting some sleep, after pulling a long shift. After the umpteenth rendition of "Stars and Stripes Forever" by the Navy Band, I decided I had hit saturation point. The Allied troops would just have to take the beaches of Normandy without me.