On Saturday, about 100 North Carolina veterans – including about a dozen who reside in our State Veterans Nursing Homes in Fayetteville and Salisbury – will pause to remember their roles in one of the most storied undertakings in America’s military history: the D-Day Invasion of Normandy.
They were young then, most of them not even 20. They had expected to land on the beach days earlier, but rough weather kept them confined on small boats in choppy seas. Combined with nervous anticipation, many were literally sick with fear.
On that gray morning, against what seemed like insurmountable odds, they joined thousands of other troops from across our nation on the long road to the end of World War II. Sixty-five years later, they still recall their experiences vividly.
Most who survived did so with physical injuries or mental anguish. They remember being the only one from their platoon to make it past the beachhead. They remember the brother in arms whose last words were wishes of consolation to his family. They remember the intense camaraderie that united them in the darkest times and the elation at seeing the hopeful smiles of those later liberated from tyranny.
We invite all North Carolinians to join us as we remember them, too, and honor their service and sacrifice. Special remembrances are planned at our nursing homes, and other activities – including a major celebration at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans – will be held.
No matter how you choose to mark the occasion, remember the valor of those who served our nation on that dramatic day. Remember those who died in service, and celebrate the survival and strength of spirit of those who came back home.