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At Normandy D-Day commemorations, crowds pay tribute to WWII veterans.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown constraints, D-Day ceremonies have been kept to a bare minimum for the previous two years

By jose Published 2 years ago 4 min read
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At Normandy D-Day commemorations, crowds pay tribute to WWII veterans.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown constraints, D-Day ceremonies have been kept to a bare minimum for the previous two years. When D-Day veterans visit the Normandy beaches and other World War II sites, they are overcome with emotion. The joy of witnessing the French thanks and goodwill toward those who landed on June 6, 1944. They are filled with sadness as they remember their slain companions and the war in Ukraine, which is currently raging in Europe.

On Monday, 78 years later, as a beautiful sun rose over the wide expanse of sand of Omaha Beach, U.S. D-Day veteran Charles Shay voiced his thoughts for his colleagues who died that day. He told The Associated Press, "I have never forgotten them, and I know that their spirits are here." A sage- burning ceremony near the shore at Saint-Laurent- sur-Mer was attended by the 98-year-old Penobscot Native American from Indian Island, Maine. Shay was a 19-year-old US Army doctor when he arrived on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and now resides in Normandy. He expressed his regret at seeing war in Europe once more, so many years later.

"Ukraine is in a terrible state. I feel sad for the people there, and I'm not sure why this conflict had to happen, but I believe that humans enjoy fighting. I'm not sure, "he stated "When I arrived on these shores in 1944, we assumed we'd bring world peace. However, this is not possible." This year, Shay delegated the remembering ceremony to Julia Kelly, a Gulf War veteran from the Crow tribe, who performed the sage ritual. She said, "Never forget, never forget." "War is not good at this time, or at any time."

"Be eternally cautious," Shay's admonition to future generations would be. "Of course, I have to argue that they should defend their current freedom," he remarked. Due to COVID-19 lockdown constraints, D-Day ceremonies have been kept to a bare minimum for the previous two years. This year, thousands of French and international visitors, some veterans in their 90s, are returning to Normandy to honor the almost 160,000 men from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and other countries who landed there to bring freedom.

A commemoration later that day at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach in the French town of Colleville-Sur-Mer was expected to draw tens of thousands of people. Ray Wallace, 97, a former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, was among the dozens of US veterans due to attend. His jet was attacked and caught fire on D-Day, forcing him to jump sooner than planned. He landed 20 kilometers from Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first village in France to be liberated from Nazi captivity. "We were all a little frightened at that point. Then, whenever the guy let us out, we were separated from the rest of the group. That was nerve-wracking "The Associated Press reported on Wallace's comments.

He was taken prisoner by the Germans less than a month later. After ten months, he was finally released and returned to the United States. Wallace, on the other hand, believes he was fortunate. "I recall the nice friends I lost when I was there. As a result, it's a little emotional "With grief in his voice, he added. "I suppose you could say I'm proud of what I accomplished, but I didn't do much." He was questioned about the source of his long life. He joked, "Calvados!" referring to the traditional alcoholic beverage in Normandy. On D-Day, Allied troops arrived by 7,000 boats on the beaches nicknamed Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword, and Gold. On that one day, 4,414 Allied soldiers were killed, including 2,501 Americans. Over 5,000 people were injured.

Wallace, who uses a wheelchair, was one of around 20 WWII veterans who kicked off Saturday's military vehicle parade in Sainte-Mere-Eglise to thunderous cheers from thousands of spectators. He didn't hide his delight, cheerfully waving to the throng as parents told their children about the accomplishments of World War II warriors. Many history aficionados came dressed in period military and civilian attire to stage a reenactment of the events. U.S. Air Force planes will fly over the American Cemetery in Colleville-Sur-Mer on Monday during the remembrance service, which will be attended by Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The gravesites of 9,386 people who perished fighting on D-Day and in the actions that followed are located here. Dale Thompson, 82, was visiting the site for the first time over the weekend. Thompson, who went from Florida with his wife, served in the United States military's 101st Airborne Division in the early 1960s. He was stationed in the United States and did not participate in any battle. Thompson imagined how he would have responded if he had landed on D-Day while walking among the thousands of marble headstones. He explained, "I try to put myself in their shoes." "Could I be as brave as these individuals?"

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About the Creator

jose

I like to write articles about things I know well, like health, profit from the internet, etc. I have spent a lot of time developing online media destinations in many areas of interest.

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