NORTH ALABAMA – We see them at the patriotic parades and the memorial ceremonies. Yet each year, fewer and fewer appear. These are the men who, at the break of dawn, pressed on into the surf at Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword Beach 73 years ago. This is the anniversary of D-Day, the event that marked the beginning of the end of World War Two in Europe, and the start of the dominance of America upon the world stage. And these men are almost only a memory.
Daily Photo by Gary Cosby Jr.
Veterans from across the area attend Coffee Call, a breakfast event held at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives in Athens. Bill Duncan salutes the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance. Duncan served as a US Army paratrooper in Korea and did three tours in Vietnam.
There isn’t an estimate as to just how many of the boys remain. But today marks a rightful time for many people of younger generations to seek out and thank our Veterans.
