Greenwich Gathers To Observe 80th Anniversary Of D-Day

GREENWICH, CT — The town of Greenwich on Thursday gathered at Town Hall to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and while a sudden rain shower moved everyone inside, the ceremony was just as poignant.

Several town officials, including Greenwich's delegation to Hartford, veterans and residents were in attendance.

On Thursday, Camillo spoke of the importance of remembering that fateful day, June 6, 1944, when nearly 160,000 land, air and sea forces from the United States, Britain and Canada, stormed five beaches codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword in an effort to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

Of the 4,414 Allied troops killed on D-Day, 2,501 were Americans.

"We think of them as old old men; adults, people who are veterans and family men. But they weren't," Camillo said. "They were 18, 19, 20 years old. Just think about that and how scared they were landing there."

This year, World War II veterans joined world leaders in Normandy to commemorate the anniversary.

With each passing year and more World War II veterans dying, Camillo and other speakers on Thursday urged residents to always remember what happened on D-Day, and to educate others.

"To me, it's the 80th anniversary, but this is something that should be recognized every single year, especially since not many of these men are around today and we're losing them. In a few years, there won't be any left," Camillo said. "We celebrate a lot of things, we put flags up all the time and that's great. This is one day we should all come together every single year, June 6. I hope it's something we can do again next year, and certainly long after we're gone here. I hope it continues."

State Rep. Steve Meskers (D-150) shared a personal story about D-Day.

For years, Dr. William Gaston Chorba served as the Meskers' family doctor, but only last year did Meskers find out Chorba participated in the D-Day invasion.

"He spent seven days going back and forth from England to the beaches to evacuate the wounded and prisoners of war. He then went on to the Battle of the Bulge and liberated one of the death camps. He was a caring and gentle man, and I never knew this about him. That's part of the testimony of all of you who show up every time, and it's the dedication in service," Meskers said, speaking to several veterans in the audience.

Meskers said he will travel to Chorba's resting place on Friday to lay flowers at his grave.

State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36) noted that 80 years ago, the continent of Europe was "shrouded in darkness, dominated by totalitarian rule."

"Eighty years ago this morning, that veil of darkness began to be lifted. It was lifted by men as young as 18 years of age, with their entire lives ahead of them," Fazio said. "It was not inevitable. It was something that required the sacrifice of tens of thousands, certainly, in the end, hundreds of thousands of Allied forces, in order to free a continent and free a world, and deliver basically 80 years of peace and prosperity to the Western world, unlike has been seen ever before."

Fazio, too, reminded residents to pass on the lessons learned and the legacy left from World War II.

"History can very quickly be forgotten, but we should never forget," Fazio said.

Peter LeBeau, commander of the American Legion Post 29, noted it's important for the public to educate children about World War II.

"It's probably more important for those who served to make sure the people who come after us know what happened," LeBeau said. "It changed the world, and it was the greatest generation that did it."