Seventy years ago last Friday, when most were scarcely older than the current wave of high school graduates, American and Allied troops stormed the beach at Normandy on D-Day and persevered to help defeat Nazi Germany and secure Allied victory in Europe.
Some twenty-three local American World War II veterans, who served their country in many capacities during the war, gathered at the Tryon Depot last Friday, to mark that anniversary. None of the veterans (including one woman) who spoke, glorified what they did, or war in general. One gentleman described war as “silly.”
Regardless, those others present, including master of ceremonies Andy Millard, honored those veterans for their difficult and often dangerous accomplishments.
Millard mentioned that when he first planned the luncheon, he expected only some thirty guests overall, and maybe four or five veterans. Instead, twenty-three World War II veterans, eight veterans of the Korean Conflict, a dozen Viet Nam veterans plus dozens of guests attended.
Leading the group in prayer, John Cash, noted, “We are truly grateful that you are blessing America. We are humbled.” Cash went on to remark that Americans will let these veterans know that “We will never, ever forget the greatest generation . . . They are truly a national treasure.”
Earlier, Cash noted, “We are in the presence of greatness.”
Millard noted that those who stormed Normandy Beach on June 6, 1944,  “weren’t the only people in harm’s way (during the war).”
Millard noted that folks gathered to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and to say “thank you” to those who served in uniform during the war. “We do not need to over-glorify what you did,” Millard told the veterans, but he noted, “I know it was a tremendous sacrifice. If we are blessed with life, we all age. The young person inside is still there.”
The young people inside many of those honored spoke of their experiences.
Veteran Jim Jackson recalled that he was stationed some 15 miles from the Battle of the Bulge, but could hear the fighting rage on. On one occasion, he took a walk on the perimeter of the nearby forest, and noticed a German soldier walking some distance away on the perimeter of the latter’s forest. Jackson said he reflexively waved a salute, which the other man returned.
“This emphasized how silly war is,” Jackson remarked. Another veteran told those gathered that he met a German soldier who related to him that the only reason he was in the war was because he had no choice, something other Americans recognized and still do.
Another veteran recalled passing through Dachau, one of the Nazi death camps, some two days after Allied troops liberated the facility. He observed fourteen wagonloads of bodies of the camp’s many, many captives. These bodies were “skeletons,” noted Taylor, nothing more than skin and bones. “That,” he said, “I remember more than anything . . . from the war.”
Some troops achieved a high degree of resourcefulness. On his way into the luncheon, Joe Williamson, 96, now living in Tryon, recalled some of his service in the Army Air Corps in Asia, where he was involved in providing food and supplies to troops from several countries. Many of the troops wanted fresh meat to eat, but the hot climate made air-drops of such fare impractical, as the meat would quickly spoil. Then, soldiers devised special parachutes, affixed them to live pigs, and dropped the animals to some of the troops, where the pigs could be slaughtered as needed, and eaten fresh.
Harold Taylor, who grew up in Tryon, related that his training was in anti-aircraft artillery. When he was shipped abroad, he said that his reaction was like that of many others.  “We didn’t know where we were going. We didn’t know what we were going to do when we got there. But, we went.” Taylor said that regardless of where he was shipped, his reaction was “Lucked out again,” knowing he had narrowly avoided being sent into combat.
“In all the years since I got out of the Army,” Taylor recalled, “I never had this many people . . . I appreciate you people.” Taylor also emphasized, “All of the German people were not bad. They are good people.”
It is our duty to honor and remember the sacrifices of these brave men and women that allow us the freedoms we enjoy today. Visit www.tryondaillybulletin.com for additional pictures from the event.