Logan County native part of 75th anniversary
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jason Conley, third from the left, walks this week with children from a village in France who were commemorating the June 1944 deaths of service members from four planes which crashed into the village. (PHOTO | SFC DANIEL WALLACE)
Seventy-five years ago today, more than 160,000 Allied troops supported by thousands of ships and aircraft landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline in a risky move to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France.
The sacrifices made in the DDay invasion weighed heavily on the troops, their families and their nations, with more than 9,000 Allied soldiers killed or wounded.
However, these heroes enacted a turning point for World War II, leading to the eventual defeat of Adolf Hitler’s troops in Europe.
However, these heroes enacted a turning point for World War II, leading to the eventual defeat of Adolf Hitler’s troops in Europe.
As many world leaders and other distinguished guests gather today in Normandy to mark the historic anniversary of D-Day, a Logan County native is part of a select group of military personnel who are assisting with a number of commemorative activities.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jason Conley of the 82nd Airborne Division is one of 122 paratroopers in his division to participate in DDay 75 around Normandy, which involves multiple ceremonies and events throughout a 10-day period.
“This is by far the highlight of my career,” the paratrooper who also served in Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq said Wednesday via text message. “It is truly an honor and my humble service to serve for this great nation. It is beyond an amazing experience and I am truly humbled to walk in the footsteps of the greatest generation known.”
Click here to view an interview with Staff Sgt. Conley
Read complete story in Thursday’s Examiner.
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