MILWAUKEE -- Remembering D-Day 75 years later:
It’s the 75th anniversary of D-Day. It was a momentous battle. In fact, it was the largest invasion in history. Around 150,000 Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France in just one day.
More ships and aircraft were used than in any other battle in history. Plus, 12,000 tons of explosives were dropped.
Many political and military commemorations have taken place across the globe. In Milwaukee, some veterans are treating this anniversary similar to Memorial Day.
"Well it means a lot of veterans gave the ultimate price for ensuring the freedom that we have,” Raymond Grabowski, a Vietnam War veteran and American Legion Post 27 commander, said.
For Grabwoski, it’s a time to reflect on all the servicemen and women that have come and gone.
"If you don’t learn from history you’re going to be doomed to repeat it, and you’re going to make the same mistakes that were made in the past because you are not learning from it,” he said.
However, not everyone remembers the day as well older generations. Some younger people said they are well aware of the day, but aren’t closely connected to it.
“It’s tough because we were never we weren’t there, you know? But all we can do is appreciate what we have today,” Colin Howley, a student at Villanova University, said.
Many younger people’s parent weren’t alive then to tell them stories about it. Much of the information would be third-hand. Someone who was 18-years-old on D-Day is 92-years-old.
It’s not for a lack of trying to understand, though. Marquette University junior, Tom Biegler, said he wants to connect with this historic day.
“I think a good way to recognize how things affect you is to talk about how the world would be different if they didn’t happen,” Biegler said.
