Proud veterans in their 90s and families of fallen soldiers are commemorating the epochal D-Day invasion of Normandy 72 years ago that helped the Allies defeat Hitler.
They’re holding small ceremonies and moments of remembrance along the wide beaches and cliffs where thousands of U.S., British, Canadian and French troops landed as dawn was breaking June 6, 1944. It was a pivotal moment in World War II.
Henry Breton of Augusta, Maine, was among the shrinking number of survivors of the landings to come for Monday’s anniversary. Speaking from the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, 91-year-old Breton recalled the fierce German counterattack and ensuing violence and valor he experienced at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
“It’s all worth it,” he said. “It brings back so many memories.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
I was born in the early 60’s, but I fly the flag today at my house to honor D-Day.
The US Army troops invading Europe, and the Marines and Army troops fighting against Japan faced tough fighting conditions we can only imagine today. One ‘benefit’ this generation had was living through the Great Depression. They were tough before they went to war. Maybe our country needs another such Great Depression to toughen us up again. We have gotten too soft/weak.
Unfortunately, one of our problems now is that the schools have quit teaching (or are rewriting) our history–the Revolution and WWI and WWII. Nationalism and the Flag are considered dirty words by the spineless left/political correct crowd.
Arthur i agree with you.I was born in 1929 the year of the crash and grew up during the depression.it was tough and it was root hog or die and people got tough.
Our Country is being run by a dictator, who despises the once great United States.
My year was 1928. A Lt. (west point) Bill Gardner one of 4 children were neighbors growing up in Beverly Ma. He was killed within minutes after landing at Omaha, I probably would have asked him to be best man for me at my wedding. As it turned out Larry Lane made the same landing as Bill. He served the entire war as a PFC and was never hurt. He was my best man , 1950. Another neighborhood friend Hermie Spear, ( a dam good sandlot baseball coach) is entoumbed in the Arizona. Phil Gardner as a PFC ,( Bill’s younger brother) ,made the landing at Omaha, Served the entire war and was never hurt. Phil gave me Bill Sr. complete set of the razors from his father’s Barber Shop on Cabot St. Beverly. My father’s mug from Bill’s shop I have and I never use.These are my momentos from World War 2.
I was just 1 year, 1 month, 27 days old then. But remember the radio on and Roosevelt speaking to the nation. Now Why can’t i remember what happened 15 seconds ago?
Hound Dog … I was born just about the same time and I know Roosevelt’s words and I, too, can’t remember why I went into a room to get something or where I left my car keys. I had uncles and older cousins in WW2 and I admired them all of their days.
My deceased Mother-in-law’s brother was sent to Germany and they were notified he was killed. For years, everyone thought he was killed in Germany. We only had a picture of his gravesite. A couple years ago, I was looking through a National Geographic Magazine and noticed a Monument of the Soldiers killed during the D-Day Invasion and the days after. I saw the same monument that was in the picture, and realized he was part of the Invasion forces. He died trying to save another soldier who was under fire. He was awarded many medals for his bravery. Regrettably, we never received any of the Medals. My husband also died, never knowing this about his Uncle.
I served in peacetime following the Vietnam War. In my wildest dreams I can’t imagine what these men went through. I know that every few decades our freedom and way of life is paid for by men like these in WWII. And from history books I know the Civil War veterans were equally as brave, as well as the Revolutionary War soldiers. We just need to remember them and honor them.