ON THE VANGUARD

D-DAY
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”
I Corinthians 16:13,

June 6, 1944, D-Day. For many soldiers of the U.S. 29th and 1st infantry divisions who made the attack on Omaha Beach, this was their last stance. Many in the unit were drowned during the approach from ships offshore as they sank in waters. Of the 29 DD tanks filled with men from the 116th Regiment launched toward Omaha, only 2 made it to the beach. An onslaught of German firepower met the remaining allied forces as they made their way on land, seeking shelter behind Hedgehogs and other obstacles where they were protected from gunfire. Under the command of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Germans had found defense in their strong points and trenches. Omaha literally became a killing zone. Bodies lay dead floating in the water or scattered across the beach. Remains of Landing Craft litter the front.
By 7:30am a second wave of troops is released and hit the beach, joining the fight. At 8:30am the landings ceased and troops were left on their own to face danger without the possibility of retreat.
In small groups the men made the deadly race across the beach to find little relief along the seawall. Navy Destroyers attacked with pounding arms against the German fortifications at close range. Within hours, German fire had decreased and defensive positions were taken from the rear. By nightfall, the remaining soldiers of the 1st and 29th divisions, now joined with the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions stood their ground around Vierville, Saint-Laurent, and Colleville. Four years of preparation for only hours of combat, and yet, the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, is said to be the beginning of the end of World War II.
It began with a stance. The Allies were determined to stop the advances of the Germans. Germany had already invaded Poland, France, Belgium, and the Soviet Union, among others, and they had to be stopped. General Eisenhower saw the moment to make one of many stands that America would remember by deploying these troops on French soil. As the men bravely fought, they took back the land that had been stolen. These men made their stand.
Although you and I may not be in the military at this time, we too have a General who is giving us orders to make our stand. The Bible states in I Corinthians 16:13, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” Our battle may not literally be against the armed forces of another country, but daily we are waging war with an enemy. The objective of our enemy is known. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The method for how he walks this plan out, however, changes. As such, we then need to stand our ground and be ready for his attack. We must train and prepare now so that when the we are called to the vanguard, the front lines, we are ready. We cannot be ones who shrink back in the times of opposition, but rather lead the army against an enemy we will defeat with God’s power. In this new year, will you be one to dig your feet in, take a stand, and declare to the enemy that he cannot take one more inch from you? Come on, join me ON THE VANGUARD!