On the anniversary of D-Day, we remember the courage, sacrifice, and resolve of those who stormed the beaches of Normandy in defense of freedom.
The following video is presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society as part of their Path to Honor program, which is a self-guided character development platform with eighteen 5-minute modules designed for middle school and high school educators.
The a free, interactive program teaches six core values: courage, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, citizenship, and patriotism.
This module shares the story of Medal of Honor Recipient Staff Sergeant Walter Ehlers, who landed in France after being separated from his brother, Roland. As Ehlers crossed the beach under intense fire and fought his way up the bluffs, he carried not only the weight of the mission but the uncertainty of whether his brother had survived.
In the days that followed, Ehlers displayed extraordinary courage and leadership, repeatedly placing himself in danger to protect his men, leading attacks against enemy positions, and carrying a wounded soldier to safety despite being wounded himself.
Each year on the anniversary of D-Day, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society honors Staff Sergeant Walter Ehlers, his brother Roland, and all who risked their lives for our country on June 6, 1944. Their bravery continues to remind us of the cost of freedom and the character required to defend it.
