The Fallen 9000
- July 4, 2014
- Posted by: Stephen Johnson
- Category: Vistage
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
Thomas Jefferson
Almost exactly a month ago we commemorated the great allied invasion at Normandy that was to spell the end of Nazi tyranny in Europe. A couple of days later, one of my readers sent me this article.
I had not previously seen or head of this tribute to the men who died at Normandy.
On September 25, 2013 British artists Jamie Wardley and Andy Moss, accompanied by numerous volunteers, took to the beaches of Arromanches, France with rakes and stencils in hand toetch 9,000 silhouettes into the sand. Titled The Fallen 9000, the piece is meant as a stark visual reminder of those who died during the D-Day landings.
The original team consisted of 60 volunteers, but as word spread nearly 500 additional local residents arrived to help with the temporary work that lasted only a few hours before being washed away by the tide.
As we enjoy food, friends, and family on this 238th celebration of our country’s independence, let us first pause for a moment of silence to honor those who have made ourliberty possible, and then let’s join our fellow citizens to ring the bells of freedom across the land at 2 PM.
Happy 4th of July, and God Bless the USA