Battle of Saint-Lô 75th Anniversary Commemoration
Luke and I had the opportunity to attend the Battle of Saint-Lô 75th Anniversary Commemoration at the Atlantic Arch of the WWII Memorial today. Our good friend, Jan Scruggs MC’d the event.
We had the opportunity to meet 94 year old WWII Veteran Harold Radish, who was captured and held in a Nazi POW camp. Realizing his imminent capture, he told us he immediately “understood the situation I was in.” ...“I’m Jewish!” he exclaimed. “So I quickly threw my dog tags away!”
We also spoke to WWII (Korean War and Vietnam War) Veteran Retired Army Colonel Frederick Clinton who joined the Army at 16 years of age.
We spoke to Ms. Judy Davis, daughter of Arthur John Curry who fought in the Battle of Saint-Lô. He was a member of the 70th Tank Battalion, that landed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944 in the first wave of tanks at 0630. He was killed August 27, 1944 in the vicinity of Clichy-Sur-Boisy in northeast Paris. He’s buried at Normandy American Cemetery at Normandy, Plot A, Row 15 Grave 15.
Representing the government of France was Colonel Rémi Bouzereau, Deputy Defense Attaché from the Embassy of France, who is also a veteran of the French Foreign Legion.
TAPS was performed by Master Gunnery Sergeant Christian Ferrari, U.S. Marine Corps Band.
A very warm, humid day in DC, but a great opportunity to honor the service of these great veterans on the 75th Anniversary of that terrible battle.
