BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the largest military invasion by sea in history, World War II Veterans everywhere are being honored.
The Made In America store in Elma hosted an 80th anniversary prelude to D-Day event on Wednesday. I had the opportunity to speak with emotional veterans about why they served and what they remember.
US Army Air Corps Veteran Herman "Pat" Pawlicki is 103 years old. He was a bomber pilot. He told me he wanted to serve his country and said, "I'd do it again if I could."
Clayton Bihl was in the US Army. He remembers being drafted and told me, "I really didn't want to go. I really didn't want to leave home."
Joseph Cozenza was 18 when he served. He's now 99 years old. Decades after the war, he told me the memories haven't faded with time.
"Our companies were split up on platoons along the beach," recalled Cozenza. "They were asking for volunteers and I told them I'll be there in the morning but what happened was a Japanese airplane came through and dropped a bomb right on top of them and killed them all. It got dark and it lasted all night long and we had to hide in a hole because we were getting the shrapnel over our heads and it's just something that you shiver from."
Cozenza told me he's thankful he made it home alive but the sadness remains surrounding those who never made it home. He said it's tough to talk about. But through his tears, he explained, "It was so long ago but still back here...just can't help it....good friends of mine went and said guys we're going to come back in the morning. They didn't come back."
