Blanketed by darkened skies in the wee hours of June 6, 1944, more than 130,000 service members of the United States, the British Commonwealth, and allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy. By the end of the day, thousands of Allied forces would be lost.
Last month, as we marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we honored the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of those who fought on June 6, 1944. This pivotal day marked the beginning of the end of World War II, as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in a heroic effort to liberate Europe from tyranny. Their courage and determination continue to inspire us, reminding us of the enduring values of freedom, resilience, and unity.
On June 6, 2024, AMSG CEO Jim O’Farrell sent team members an email that read in part:
Lots of emotions on this 80th Anniversary of D-Day. In Spring 1984 (40 years after D-Day!) I enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to Assault Craft Unit 2 in Little Creek, Virginia. Our Mission was to land Marines on the beach using assault craft similar to what was used. Several years later the Navy’s Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) would mostly replace the old “Mike Boat” boats we used.
After purchasing a new flag, Jim received an email from the manufacturer commemorating D-Day, which inspired Jim to continue:
I purchased a new U.S. Flag to rotate in and out with the one that I have flown since September 12, 2001. My “day after 9/11 flag” is the flag my father flew over his submarine USS CROAKER during the Cuban Missile Crisis as they returned from blockade duty, having peered through the periscope at Soviet warships and supply ships – sighting in “targets” as my dad would say, but never firing. The day after 9/11, I drove to my local hardware store and purchased a flagpole, and I flew my dad’s flag for about 4 years straight with the front porch light on at night to keep her company, as required by regulations.
Jim concluded his email with two invitations for AMSGers:
- To sign up to receive a new flag, handmade by Allegiance in South Carolina, courtesy of AMSG
- To share their own personal stories of WWII heroes with Team AMSG
Recounts of heroic actions and legacies flooded AMSG inboxes; words about young men joining up through barely old enough to enlist, final accounts of being shot down during harrowing missions, and shiny medals tucked away out of sight.
Here are a few of those shared stories:
- My grandfather was a member of a PT boat and while attacking a Japanese destroyer his boat was sunk. After being rescued by the Japanese destroyer. The same destroyer was then sunk by a US submarine. After sitting on burning oil, he was rescued and put aboard a US rescue ship to recover from his burns. I didn’t learn this story until his deathbed. His final words to me were never disrespect the nation and love the American Flag. It wasn’t until we cleaned out the house, where he and my grandmother lived for decades, that we found his Purple Heart and Bronze Star for gallantry.
- Thank you for taking the time to honor these great servicemen. It’s an amazing thing to work for a company who understands the importance of this day. My great uncle Flying Officer Roger Knapp, left Galveston, TX and made his way north and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force before America entered the war. Part of the 83 Operational Unit. He was killed in action on May 20, 1944, during a mission over Lille, France. He is laying in rest in Saint Pol War Cemetery, Nord Pas de Calais, France. One day I will make it over there to thank him, and honor him and all the heroes of D Day, and WW2.
- My grandfather was an original frogman and served in WWII. He is pictured below, first row, third from the left. He didn’t talk a lot about his time in the service, but he said he was selected as a seal/frog because he raised his hand when they asked if anyone knew how to swim. Good thing he knew how to swim, because he had to tread water for 24 hours before someone came to rescue him during the war. I also suggest reading the book Naked Warriors, and there is a portion in the book regarding my grandfather, Robert Parmele.
We thank all of those who shared their family accounts of heroism and gallantry.
As Team AMSG receives their new flags to proudly hang around this July 4th, may we remember:
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”
– Unknown
Written by: Sheila Rupp