D-Day – watercress words by Dr Aletha

June Observances: Father’s Day, D-Day, Juneteenth, and More

The month of June brings the midway mark of the year, with long days of sunshine and significant events such as Father’s Day and the historic D-Day. Students enjoy a break from studies while we honor a day of liberation for African Americans with Juneteenth. Join me in reflecting and remembering these events in this new post.

Are you someone who wonders how the year arrived in June so soon? By the end of this month, the year will be half over. It is another of the short months with only 30 days, but there is much to remember and do. (Pop quiz-what other months have 30 days? Answer at the end of this post.)

Spring meets Summer

Many of us in the northern hemisphere made it through the cold dismal winter months only to contend with spring storms. Near where I live we have had devastating tornadoes. I’ve seen reports of massive flooding in other areas.

June promises warm, even hot, summer days to enjoy outdoor activities and vacations. The first day of summer occurs in June, called the summer solstice. South of the equator you experience the winter solstice.

It’s the longest day of the year, then the days progressively shorten until the first day of winter in December.

graphic of the earth explaining equinox and solstice — An illustration of the changing relationship of the earth and sun throughout the year; original source not known

Summer break or graduate?

Most students are on summer break or graduated and moved into a new phase of life. Congratulations and thanks if you earned and received a diploma, degree, certificate, or any other learning achievement this year.

We can use whatever knowledge and talent you bring to the table. Help us make the world a better place.

Raymond and I enjoyed celebrating our granddaughter’s high school graduation with her parents, brother, and several thousand other people.

Father’s Day

In the United States, we observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. It’s not quite as big a deal as Mother’s Day in May, but it is catching on. I understand other countries have similar observances for fathers.

I wrote a post featuring a well-known Bible story about a father and two sons. It’s popularly known as the story of the “prodigal son” which became the name of a short-lived television series a few years ago.

Honoring Fatherhood: Lessons from the Prodigal Son Story

In the United States, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. A biblical story about a father and his two sons illustrates the concept of forgiveness and celebration. The “lost son,” also known as the prodigal son, represents someone who leaves and then returns, seeking forgiveness. The passage encourages honoring important father…

Keep reading

June 6-D Day

Earlier in June, we observed a more solemn event. On June 6 every year, we pause to remember that day in 1944, simply known as “D-Day.”

This year marks the 80th anniversary of that fateful day. I saw a news video of WWII veterans who traveled to France to observe the occasion. One of them is 107 years old!

D-Day. The Invasion of Normandy. Operation Overlord. It goes by various names, but we’ve all heard about it through history class, older family members, the news, or shows like “Band of Brothers.”

On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied forces landed in Nazi-occupied France as part of the biggest air, land, and sea invasion ever executed. It ended with heavy casualties — more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded in those first 24 hours — but D-Day is considered the successful beginning of the end of Hitler’s tyrannical regime.

Remembering a D-Day Veteran

I was privileged to know one of those soldiers and wrote about his personal experience in the invasion, and how it changed his life. Please read about my late friend, soldier, and artist, Bill Hart in this post.

A Son Reflects on his Father’s Life after D-Day, June 6, 1944

On June 6, 1944, D-Day marked the Allied invasion of Normandy, leading to the liberation of France and the end of World War II. Bill Hart, a WWII veteran, captured his traumatic experiences through art and memoirs, highlighting his struggles with PTSD and the significant impact of his memories on his life and family.

Keep reading

Juneteenth, June 19

Another important liberation day is Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19 since it was designated a national holiday in 2021. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, thus granting freedom to enslaved persons.

The word “Juneteenth” is a Black English contraction, or portmanteau, of the month “June” and the date “Nineteenth.” Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States.
National Park Service

However, slaveholders in Texas, a Confederate state, made no attempt to free enslaved African Americans. President Lincoln’s proclamation was unenforceable without military intervention, which eventually came 2 years later.

Photos by Dr. Aletha -I captured these images when I visited Washington DC. President Lincoln’s and Dr. King’s statues are even more impressive in person.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Now the pop quiz answer-

Months with 30 days are April, June, September, and November. Congrats if you knew all.

Notice two are in the first half and two in the year’s second half.

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Dr. Aletha

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A Son Reflects on his Father’s Life after D-Day, June 6, 1944

updated June 2, 2025

Annually, in the United States and in Europe, people remember June 6 , 1944, as D-Day.

On June 6, 1944 Allied troops invaded Normandy, liberating France from Nazi occupation and ultimately ending World War II.

Remembering D-Day by the Numbers

(source-The American Legion Magazine)

156,000 troops from Allied nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Norway, and others
5 beaches along 50 miles of Normandy coast
6000 ships
50,000 vehicles
11,000 planes
12,004 killed, wounded, missing or captured

image from Lightstock.com, affiliate site

Remembering D-Day by a man, his art, and his son

I learned about D-Day from my late friend Bill Hart, who died in 2014. Bill served in the U.S. Army during World War II , and his unit was part of the force that invaded Normandy.

Bill wrote an illustrated memoir about his military experiences. Through his written and visual account, he left us a firsthand account of an experience that changed his life and changed the world.

In this updated version of a previous post, I share some of Bill’s art and memories of Bill shared by his son Terry (my thanks to Bill’s late wife Greta who graciously gave me permission to share from Terry’s social media post)

He was a true artist and entrepreneur who always enjoyed laughing and meeting new and interesting people. He was wise enough to not limit his conversation to only sports, religion or politics most men comfortably slide into.

But instead, he always talked about real thoughts and feelings as well as the history of his Irish roots.
Bill’s son, Terry Hart

Fighting the war in Europe

As a young 18-year-old, he volunteered into World War II seeking adventure way before he was called to serve.
Terry Hart

In 1943, Bill deployed to England, and prepared for the invasion. What he thought would be a grand adventure turned into a nightmare which he vividly captured in his book.

Several days into the fighting on the beaches at Normandy, he was assigned to pick up and transport the bodies of fallen soldiers. Thereafter, as he worked his way across France and Belgium into Germany, he found himself dodging enemy soldiers, liberating concentration camps, dealing with angry and defeated POWs, and famished, humiliated civilians struggling to survive.

Bill described what he saw and felt this way.

“At night I would think about the poor GI’s family when they got the news of his death. I tried not to think too much about this “dead guy” job. It seemed to go on forever.

For the next month and a half I was really alone, not attached to any outfit. I found my own food, water, gas for the Jeep and slept alone beside the Jeep in an open field. I shaved with cold water in my helmet and used my Jeep mirror to see.

The Germans were always near. I was scared I would be killed or captured. “Who knows where I am? Who would tell my mother if I died?”

In the beginning it had been exciting being alone with the invasion action all around me. But now I have panic attacks and nightmares of the dead bodies waking me as I sleep in the open field alone.

Most GI’s have other soldiers around them to feel safety in numbers. I had no one. I can’t get their dead faces out of my mind. I wait for the bright morning sun to erase the terrible images.”

Fighting and winning war within

in Terry’s words

“He had many adventures to talk about later in his adult life. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area he jokingly said he wanted to be the big fish in a smaller pond and made a tactical decision to move to Tulsa Oklahoma and to start up an ad agency “Ad Inc.” And as fate would have it, meet the love of his life Greta and started a family, and had three sons (Patrick, Tim, and Terrance)

A few years later he renovated a classic 1920’s Spanish style two-story house and built a large Art studio off the side, including a photography darkroom and printing stat camera in the basement.

Many years later he admitted suffering PTSD from his unwanted WWII memories, and found a way to deal with his pain by painting his military experiences “as seen through his own eyes”. And then later wrote and published a book full of illustrations. ”

“Later I forced myself to stop thinking about the “dead guys” experience and eventually forgot it.

62 years later, in 2006, when I applied for compensation for war injury during the Battle of the Bulge, the woman who interviewed me kept telling me I was leaving something out, something from my past.

I finally remembered after much writing about my remembered events in the 1944 and 1945 war period and was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

I believe, the greatest event of the 20^th century took place during the June 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion. I am very proud of being a small part of that great historical event that will always be remembered.”

Quotes and drawings from Bill’s memoir, D-DAY VET REMEMBERS NORMANDY (copyright) used by permission of his wife

MAN IN A NORMANDY D-DAY HAT — Bill Hart, World War II veteran

“As I was starting my own career in Dallas TX, I would make trips home to see him and my mother as often as I could. And would always enjoy laughing together, plus having real man-to-man conversations at his favorite coffee place McDonald’s…haha.

I often think today how lucky I was to have had a father wise enough to save his own life by channeling his PTSD pain into paintings and sketches, (rather than) losing himself from unwelcome suffering.

He often expressed to me that he never feared death, but instead viewed it as yet another adventure. And looked forward to seeing his tough Irish Uncles and Father in heaven along with meeting Jesus.”

Terry Hart posted these memories of his father on the fifth anniversary of his father’s death, the day after Christmas 2014. My husband and I loved Bill and Greta and were honored to attend the graveside ceremony where a military honor attendant presented his family with the flag which draped Bill’s coffin.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER-PTSD

Once known as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue”, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, has become the most common post-military service disorder. Although it also occurs in civilians who experience severe trauma, it has been defined, studied, and treated among current and former service members.

PTSD develops after exposure to or experiencing significant traumatic events such as interpersonal violence, death or threat of death, serious accidents, disasters and combat.

There are 4 types of symptoms-

Intrusions, such as flashbacks, nightmares
Avoidance- isolating oneself from people and/or certain situations
Negative mood changes, such as irritability, anger and depression
Hypervigilance- being easily startled, always on edge

PTSD can lead to depression, anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse and suicide.

It is also frequently associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain.

The National Center for PTSD (Veterans Administration) is dedicated to research and education on trauma and PTSD, working to assure that the latest research findings help those exposed to trauma. They offer extensive information and resources at this link

PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

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Excess funds are donated to health related charities.
Dr. Aletha

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Spring meets Summer

Summer break or graduate?

Father’s Day

Remembering a D-Day Veteran

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Make a yearly donation

Use these links to share the heart of health wherever you connect.

updated June 2, 2025

Remembering D-Day by the Numbers

(source-The American Legion Magazine)

Remembering D-Day by a man, his art, and his son

Fighting the war in Europe

“At night I would think about the poor GI’s family when they got the news of his death. I tried not to think too much about this “dead guy” job. It seemed to go on forever.

For the next month and a half I was really alone, not attached to any outfit. I found my own food, water, gas for the Jeep and slept alone beside the Jeep in an open field. I shaved with cold water in my helmet and used my Jeep mirror to see.

The Germans were always near. I was scared I would be killed or captured. “Who knows where I am? Who would tell my mother if I died?”

In the beginning it had been exciting being alone with the invasion action all around me. But now I have panic attacks and nightmares of the dead bodies waking me as I sleep in the open field alone.

Most GI’s have other soldiers around them to feel safety in numbers. I had no one. I can’t get their dead faces out of my mind. I wait for the bright morning sun to erase the terrible images.”

Fighting and winning war within

in Terry’s words

“Later I forced myself to stop thinking about the “dead guys” experience and eventually forgot it.

62 years later, in 2006, when I applied for compensation for war injury during the Battle of the Bulge, the woman who interviewed me kept telling me I was leaving something out, something from my past.

I finally remembered after much writing about my remembered events in the 1944 and 1945 war period and was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

I believe, the greatest event of the 20th century took place during the June 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion. I am very proud of being a small part of that great historical event that will always be remembered.”

There are 4 types of symptoms-

Exploring the HEART of Health

please help support this blog; consider starting with the cost of a beverage

I believe, the greatest event of the 20^th century took place during the June 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion. I am very proud of being a small part of that great historical event that will always be remembered.”

`please help support this blog; consider starting with the cost of a beverage`