Thomas J. Madden, Chairman and CEO, Transmedia Group As we just commemorated the 75^th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied northern France by Allied forces, I invite you to continue to be proud of our armed forces who continue to soar today like our mighty bald eagle. It was a particularly proud day for the high-flying, majestic symbol of our country 75 years ago! I hope you enjoy these facts about the eagle as much as I enjoy sharing them.That risky maneuver on the beaches of Normandy involved more than 150,000 American, British and other Allied troops who bravely crossed the English Channel to halt the advance of Adolph Hitler's war machine in northern France. It would cost the Allies some 10,000 men, but it would become the turning point of World War II.

Here are some facts worth knowing about the eagle that continues to inspire us.

The eagle . . .

• Has the longest life span among birds.
• Can live up to 70 years, but first must make a hard decision.
• In its 40’s, its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey for food.
• Its long and sharp beak becomes bent out of shape.
• Its old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, become stuck to its chest and make it difficult to fly.
• Then the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of changes that lasts 150 days.
• The process requires the eagle to fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest.
• There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out.
• Then the eagle waits for a new beak to grow so it can pluck out its talons.
• When the new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-age feathers.
• After five months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for . . .

30 MORE YEARS!

P.S.While most birds like people head for shelter when it rains, the eagle avoids the rain by flying above the clouds. No wonder God wants us to spread our wings and soar like eagles.

God Bless all who spread their wings and fly these eagle facts to others.