General makes trip to Normandy for 75th D-Day anniversary

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This year marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when forces landed on the beaches of Normandy during World War II.

One general who lives in Wilmington will be going to the anniversary event.

For Brigadier General Robert S. Cooley Jr., the 75th anniversary has a special meaning to him. Cooley’s great uncle fought in D-Day, so he says being able to be in Normandy next week means so much to him.

At the 75th anniversary commemoration, Cooley says veterans will go back to the battles they fought in.

He says there are dozens of ceremonies that will go on for two weeks, and servicemen and women of all ages make the trip across the Atlantic.

“We are absolutely losing living history,” Cooley said. “Our World War II veterans are dying every day at amazing numbers. So that part of our history is soon to be lost. So if we don’t have the opportunity with out youngest generation to go, interact, understand their stories, then it’s impossible for us to understand the absolute sacrifice that those soldiers, sailors and airmen made.”

Cooley says this may be the last major anniversary that they celebrate because there are so few world war two veterans left.

Cooley will be heading to Normandy on Saturday.

He says he will jump into D-Day, so he will jump into one of the drop zones that some of our soldiers jumped into during World War II.