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Honoring our D-Day Heroes in their own words

From the beaches of Normandy to here at home, the world is observing the 75th anniversary of D-Day, one of the largest military operations in history. Newswatch...

From the beaches of Normandy to here at home, the world is observing the 75th anniversary of D-Day, one of the largest military operations in history.

Newswatch 16 talked with World War II veterans from northeastern and central Pennsylvania who were there that day. Here are some of their memories in their own words.

D_Day_Heroes

"That day made a man out of you really big in a hurry. The big question was, are you going to survive?" said Jack Davis of Mount Pocono.

"They just ordered us all below deck, prepare to disembark, get yourself ready," remembered Norman Scheutrumpf of Tamaqua.

"I think we had like 45 or 50 soldiers who never got ashore. And we put them on the deck of the ship. Waiting for them to be taken ashore. To be identified and buried somewhere," said Harry Newak.

"I went into Normandy with my hands over my head holding my gun and water up. We went down out of those boats that used to, you know the front loader went down, and we walked in. It was kind of wet, kind of scary, but I guess we were too frightened to worry about it. But like normal, it was war," said Bob Brodbeck.

"Shells started coming in and I released up and said what's that? The fellow that was in the shell hole with me said get down you damn fool, they're shelling us. That's when I got both ears blown out," said Bill Cowles of Sayre.

"Well, I wouldn't say that, but it was a necessary war, we were fighting for the freedom of the world," Bob Defant of Hazleton said.

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