People In The Valley Remember D-Day
By: Elyse Miller News Channel 3 Reporter emiller@kesq.com
PALM SPRINGS – The Palm Springs Air Museum was busy on Saturday. Dozens spent D-Day there, getting an up close look at the historical event.
June 6th, 1944 is a day that will always be remembered.
“I was 12 years old, sitting on the couch,” says Bob Andrade. ” They broke through on the radio and said the invasion of Europe has began. It’s something you don’t forget.”
During the bloody battle, tens of thousands made the ultimate sacrifice; many were teenagers.
“I was 23, a lot of them were only 19,” says Michael Pappas, World War 2 Veteran.
On D-Day, Mike Pappas was getting ready to go to England to support the invasion. At that time, he didn’t know his fellow soldiers were storming the beaches of Normandy.
“It was a secret, they couldn’t tell us or the Germans would find out,” says Pappas. ” We had to surprise the Germans, we dropped bombs on them trying to get them to surrender.”
After thousands lost their lives, the Germans were defeated. D-Day is an unforgettable event forever changing the world, those who fought and generations to follow.
“We have to thank them (the veterans), I just can’t say enough about them,” says Andrade.
