“That is the worst of the many terrible parts of war. Things that we do not want to do become the things we must do to survive.”
Ray Lambert, Every Man a Hero
Title: Every Man a Hero: A Memoir of D-Day, the First Wave at Omaha Beach, and a World at War
Author: Ray Lambert (with Jim DeFelice)
Genres: Non-fiction, Memoir, History
Length: 7 hrs, 39 mins (Audiobook)
Published: May 28th, 2019
My Rating: ★★★★★
Read: 6/5/2022
Review:
It feels odd to say, but this was an endearing memoir of WWII. Perhaps it’s because the author was 98 while recounting this or it could be his overall positive outlook even in the face of mayhem. Whatever the reason, this was a quick and enjoyable read. The depictions of D-Day reminded me of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Now the memories of those exhibits have a more personal story attached to them. I also admired Ray Lambert’s reasons for telling his story — so the next generations will remember and continue to learn from this universal tragedy.
Afterthoughts:
As mentioned in the book, there are not many people left who fought in WWII. In a sense, it’s sad to think about. There’s still so much we don’t know and will probably never know. I’m grateful to those who have put their stories out into the world. So many others kept quiet (which is understandable given what they likely went through). I didn’t know a great-uncle of mine served in WWII until he passed away. I only met him a few times, but even as a little kid, I think I would have liked to have known. For those who have shared, we can only hope their experiences won’t be lost to time.