D-Day Part III (an exerpt from the congressman’s newsletter)
On June 6, 2019, I joined fellow lawmakers, President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, other leaders, and veterans in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The Normandy American Cemetery stands on above Omaha Beach and the English Channel.
It was a great honor to be on that hallowed ground for the occasion. President Trump and President Macron each spoke, paying tribute to the courage of the Allied forces who landed on June 6, 1944, to free a continent and rid the world of Nazi tyranny.
Afterward, I searched among the crosses of the Normandy American Cemetery for the gravesites of western Virginians killed in the battle. I visited about fourteen in total and took pictures. Although they now lie far from home, they are not forgotten in the places they came from, nor in the country where they died.
One of them was First Lieutenant Benjamin Kearfott of Martinsville. I was able to take a picture of his grave and send it to Martinsville, where a ceremony honoring him and other heroes of D-Day took place later that day.
Later that evening, we went to Juno Beach as part of an international ceremony. On Sunday, we attended a reenactment of the jumps made by the paratroopers over Sainte-Mère-Église.
I will never forget being among the company of heroes at the 75th anniversary. And as long as our country stands, we can never forget the sacrifice and the bravery of the heroes of D-Day.
Further, while on the trip on Friday, we met with members of the French National Assembly. On Saturday, we paid tribute to the fallen of World War I at Suresnes American Cemetery.
If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.
