![]() Given the ages of the soldiers who fought nearly eight decades ago, Edwards observed, “Nothing is guaranteed. (Thomas Padilla/AP)Ĭheerful crowds applauded, calling out “Merci” and “Thank you.” Children waved, and many families asked for a photo with the men.ĭonnie Edwards, president of the Best Defense Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps World War II veterans visit former battlefields, said, “For us, every year is a big one.” veterans arrive for the commemoration organized by the Best Defense Foundation at Utah Beach near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France, Sunday, June 4, 2023, ahead of the D-Day Anniversary. The last time he stood there was when he landed on July 18, 1944. veteran Andrew Negra returned for the first time to Utah Beach this year. Larson landed on Omaha Beach, where he ran under machine-gun fire and made it to the cliffs without being wounded. You can see me all over: ‘Papa Jake.’ I’m a legend! I didn’t plan this, it came about.” Larson, who has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, explained with enthusiasm: “I’m just a country boy. We were meant to meet,” Larson told Gladden, their hands clasped. ![]() World War II veterans Jake Larson, a 100-year-old American, and Bill Gladden, a 99-year-old British national, met at the memorial where they had a close discussion. On Monday, veterans have been greeted to the sound of bagpipes at the Pegasus Memorial, where they attended a ceremony commemorating a key operation in the first minutes of the D-Day operations, when troops had to take control of a strategic bridge. ![]() The first job of his battalion, he said, was “to guard an ammunition dump and the first night it got struck.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |