[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 80 (Wednesday, June 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1084]]
RECOGNIZING 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALLIED LANDING AT NORMANDY DURING WORLD 
                                 WAR II

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 2, 2004

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues a 
poem written by one of my constituents, Benedict Panzarella of 
Plainview, NY. Mr. Panzarella is an author, journalist and poet. He 
served as a U.S. Army Glider Crew member at the Invasion of Normandy on 
June 6, 1944. I was proud to present him recently with the Liberty 
Medal for his service and courage on that day. The events of D-Day 
inspired Mr. Panzarella's poem ``Normandy.''

                                Normandy

                      (By Benedict P. Panzarella)

     Sleep tight tonight.
     Pack your gear
     Check it twice
     The time is near

     Tomorrow we go
     On board the craft
     to take us
     We know not where.

     THEY know the place
     We are to land.
     It's marked by them
     on tables of sand.

     With children's toys
     They play their games
     But this is war, WE
     May go down in flames.

     A ship of canvas
     On tubes of steel
     A motorless ship
     Pulled by a rope.

     A trailer load
     Filled with life
     (K Rations)
     And death (Gas and ammo)

     We pray the pilot
     On this night
     Will guide us true
     On this fateful flight.

     We fly in darkness
     On this flimsy craft.
     We reach our target
     At last.

     We know we're there.
     We know for sure
     Hitler's greetings
     Are loud and clear.

     The rope is cut!
     The shaking stops.
     We smoothly glide
     Over tall tree tops.

     We stop abruptly
     As we hit some poles.
     Planted by Rommell
     To clip our wings.

     We are here
     For us
     The battle
     Has just begun.

                          ____________________