Fox News: Reporter’s Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day

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Reporter's Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day

The 81st D-Day commemoration drew large crowds to honor the 75,000 US troops who fought at Normandy, while centenarian veterans share reflections on their time in combat.
                       
                       
                           

I've covered many anniversaries of D-Day, and they never lose their power to move.

We were at the 81st anniversary at the stunning American cemetery in Normandy near Omaha Beach on Friday. American and other allied forces landed on that and other beaches, as well as parachuting from the skies, to go on to defeat Nazi Germany in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

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Some 75,000 U.S. troops were involved. 2,500 were killed. 5,000 injured. Just on that day itself.

One of those who made it across Omaha Beach is the still-very spry 102-year-old Minnesota-born Jake Larson. He declared to us jubilantly, "Not only did I make it through six battles ... I made it without a scratch!  Somebody 'upstairs' loves me."

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at the ceremony marking the day and met with the dwindling number of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

He told us that alliances were important on D-Day and still could be important in these troubled times.

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" America first' hasn't meant and doesn't mean 'America alone,'" he added. "Working with our allies and partners, there's a lot we can accomplish now with gathering threats in the world."

Still, some of those who saw You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login and around the globe in World War II are not sure the message has gotten through.

Two centenarian combat veterans and native New Yorkers, brought to France by the Greatest Generations Foundation, have their own thoughts.

Flushing-born Ray Sweeney asked rhetorically, "What did we learn? I don't think we learned much. We gave up a lot of bodies. We had a lot of bodies."

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And Brooklyn-born Harold Radish noted, "War is heroic in the movies. But in real life, it's killing. It's not getting along with somebody."

Still, the crowds who came Friday to the now-peaceful You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login were steady and large. A strong sign that sacrifices have been remembered. And maybe some lessons learned.

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