WW2 Veteran Recalls D-Day Memories 

"Courage doesn't mean that you're not scared, it means you go anyway."

I spent the summer of 1997 working in a hotel in the south of England and one of the costumers was a WW2 veteran who had taken part in the Normandy landings. I told him how grateful we French people are that men like him had been ready to sacrifice their life to free our country from the nazis and that I realised I owed him so much. He was really moved and happy to know that people had not forgotten and that French kids are taught this part of their History (he thought English kids hardly knew about it and did not seem to care). Then we talked for a while before I had to get back to work. The next morning, I was looking forward to serving him breakfast but his chair was empty. I was told he had died in his sleep during the night. I have never forgotten him.

They really were the golden generation. Young men, 18 to 20, running into a barrage of artillery and bullets. My friends grandfather was a medic and he landed second wave on Omaha beach.

my grandpa was in the 1st wave Omaha Beach, was in Vietnam war, and the cold war era, he died 3 years ago. shit I will always look up to him

godbless the ww2 generation.

RIP Arthur Raymond Wilton - April 14, 2015 (age 90)

even after going through all that he would STILL do it again if his body allowed it. that's a real man right there ladies and gentlemen. massive respect to every man and woman who has served/is serving.

I'm about to turn 19, I have my dreams, but these men who were the same age as me had their dreams taken from them. I am so grateful and hope to never had to go through what they went through.

History should never be lost. Too much has already been forgotten! I am soon taking a officers course for the Coldstream guards in the british army. And my freinds and family ask why am I joining the army. I reply, not only to better myself, but to honour those who have fell to the hands of other truly innocent and peaceful living soldiers and to aid the world in the fight against those who kill for reputation and 'respect' . I honour you and all fallen dearly. NEVER FORGET

Men, what the fuck happened to us. We need safe spaces in college today, 70 years ago 18 year old were storming the beaches of Normandy while machine gun bullets flew over their heads and all their friends were being mowed down next to them. They were the greatest generation of humans the world has ever seen.

The greatest generation. Brave men.

brave man

god bless the men nd women of ww2. id give anything to shake the hand of these amazingly brave service people of their time.

i always look for a glimpse of my dad in WW2 footages. he was amongst the 1st wave that landed on omaha beach during the normandy invasion. we miss you dad.

Who the FUCK disliked this video?!?!

Nothing better than to hear this from one courageous man. Thank you.

My grandpa fought in WW2 he was a gunner on the New Mexico battle ship. Most badass human being I've ever met. God bless these men nothing but respect for these men.

It's really nice to hear someone else's point of view in WWII, my great grandfather was in it and tells me stroies about it everyday.

My grandfather fought WWII and he survived the war and sadly died two years ago I remember when he used to tell me stories about the war I miss him so much and my dad is still in Iraq I miss him so much too 😢

My late father was an Irish immigrant who emigrated to America in June of 1929. He settled in Bronx, N.Y., enlisted in the army in 1942, and was 33 years olde when he landed on Omaha Beach. He survived that, and the Battle of the Bulge and came home to N.Y. in February 1945 to a Veterans Hospital where they removed two thirds of his stomach. When I was a little boy of 10 or 11 years I used to hear his nightmares. Yelling, pounding on the bedroom walls until my mom settled him down and woke him from his frightening dreams. And he was such a tough rugged man with a soft, compassionate and giving heart. My Dad to the day I die will always be my hero.

Thank you Ray, from America.

He is a true wartime hero. Glad people are able to hear his story.

These guys here, each and every single one are the true super heroes of this world, if I was a wealthy man I would do everything in my power to help all veterans, I'm 30 years old and I thank and salute all of you, May the dead never be forgotten, legends live forever. Thank you

Really felt his pain in his voice. God bless him.

Thanks Ray for your commitment and that sacrifices that you and your mates made for all of us, Myself i am only 36 and even though i was in the NAVY for a short period i was relatively safe, (yes there were some incidents on ship) but nothing to even come close to comparing with what you and yours had to endure. No words are enough to convey my and others like myself''s appreciation for your greatness. Know this your efforts have not been forgotten nor will they every be. This goes for all service members who have fought for our freedoms in the various conflicts we have had in the past to current conflicts we suffer to this day. My one true hope is that the people of the world finally wake up and relies our petty differences don't matter in the grand scheme of things i only hope this happens before its to late. Unfortunately i think it is going to take some cataclysmic incident to truly wake everyone up, or maybe it wont and we will continue to kill one another over BS and tribal god images or a belief in a god. Again thank you Ray for all you have done. Congratulations on your flight and your revisit to Normandy

We owe our freedom by these men. We should never forget that. This (DDay, but also WW2 in general) will be and should be never forgotten, even after all of these men have passed. All of the good things, but also the bad things of WW2 should always be remembered, and expecially the heroic deeds of these soldiers.

now we are little babies we couldn't stay away from the tv or games for more than a day..... let alone run into a death trap and live these guys are the best generation ever coming from a 90s kid

the infinite respect

The courage of this generation is what lets us live our comfortable lives today. God bless our soldiers

Thank you Ray!!

Literally someone to aspire for. Balls of steel here, guys. Respect you massively.

Man. I would never be brave enough to do this. These are real men.

Thank you Ray, for your service and for all that you have done sir. I imagine it to be very difficult to even talk about the war. God bless you for all you've done sir. From America.

The fact that we're losing WWII veterans hurts. There's no way I could ever thank them enough for their service.

Thank u for fighting. Rip to everyone who died in ww2. I feel sorry for everyone who died, and suffered everything.

hearing him get choked up just tears me apart inside

Bless you, Ray. My family was liberated in May 45. My family has never forgotten the sacrifice of these young men. War is so sad. Thank you for all you and your friends have done. God bless them.

Respect to every single soilder who fought during WW2 and definitely during D-Day. Thank you for preserving liberty.

Had this not happened, or had it failed, our world could be very different today. We should be so grateful for what they did.

Really makes you appreciate the brave men who fought and died for our freedoms.

Thank you to everyone who was there. Without you, the world would look different, worse. Thank you, nameless heroes for being able to live in a free country.

I was lucky enough to meet Ray, i was on the tour when he went back to normandy, a true honour to speak to a wartime hero!, His storys are just amazing!

Greatest generation absolutely fearless

We can't thank these brave veterans enough! I live in Europe and Europe would be another place without those brave people.

Thank you so much respect thank you 🙏

Dear Arthur as I write I cry my grandad was on gold beach he was a medic he made it back home with his memory’s that I believe haunted him.thank you for your service.god bless you.

Thank you Ray and many like you. You give us our freedom and we thank you. My grandfather John James Cahill fought in North Africa and through Italy he was Irish as am I. I am proud of him for what he did he told me many stories of his war.

its amazing how he said if he was young and had to go back he would do it, even after all the bloodshed he saw thank you for your service

Thank you for all your Service and bravery

Nothing but respect to these men my grand father was in ww2 coming from Canada

i got a friend whose grandfather just passed away a year now . He described the whistling of the incoming round from MG42 was constantly. It made u nut and crazu. Those who survive after the landing suffered hearing problem. they said they kept hearing the whistling sound . But the nightmare is when u walk along the beach. the entire beach painted with red color. and some guy's brain still stuck in their helmet .

Sir my all respect to u. Its because of u and ur brothers i have the freedom i have. U are a true real hero SIR. God bless u

God bless you sir

Thank you Ray

You can see in his eyes each time his voice breaks a memory come flooding back, as if he were there the day before.

I'm not crying, my eyes are just very sweaty. (Massive respect to the lads who fought so we could have a better future)

Thank you for your service

Great story and a true hero

Granddad on Mum's side trained recruits in Portsmouth. Granddad on Dad's side joined up when he was 16, drove a Sherman during the D-Day landings at 19. Forever Indebted. Never forgotten.

Thank you ray from Scotland

Thanks man if it wasn’t for u and ur brothers sacrifice we wouldn’t be here or even exist today

Here we are umpteen generations down the line and we marvel at what these guys did because our lives are relatively easy. They are the reason this is so.

If I was ABLE and YOUNG, I would go again. ...that just rocked me.

My great grandad fought at sword beach on d-day, respect to every soldier who gave their lives on the beaches, RIP

My great grandfather died in ‘94 of cancer. He was a WW2 veteran and we have his old M1 Garand in his old room that i still visit almost every week for the last 5 years. I read his journal that talked about so many brutal battles including d-day. That shit is fucking crazy R.I.P to all the heroes who died that day

I’m Ezra’s older brother and I’m very interested in ww2 and this video is very great for learning

God bless you !! What a guy

Sehr gut. Vielen Dank für die Offenheit!

Wow people who survived ww2 must be the luckyist people alive

Thanks for sharing Ray

I am relative to him. I am his granddaughter. So proud of him. He is a hero.

Respect🇨🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸🇫🇷 You heroes in ww2 Respect☮️

I am seriously inspired by this

thank you for your service, sir :,)

His memories of that day must be so painful to him, you can see a couple of times that he`s only just keeping it together. Respect to him and every man that fought that day.

My grand dad was born in 1932 he was in ww2 and I have respect for all of those true brave heroes who thought for there freedom.respect and the French and the Canadians and the British and the Americans you have a place in my heart especially this man

hes seen some shit

Thank you for your service Ray Wilton!

I can only imagine the dreams that these guys have, my grandpa’s uncle lived through D-Day and Battle of the bulge and wouldn’t speak a word about it when my grand pa asked, these veterans that fought then and right this second deserve tons of respect for serving our country.✌️🇺🇸

WW2 Was so terrible I have heard so many stories from my grandfather who had fought in WW2 and my Uncle who was drafted into Vietnam. One of the stories that really hits hard was when they where going threw Germany and they where escorting a German POW back and he reached into his front pocket and was shot only for them to realize that it was a picture of his wife and child that he was reaching for.

God bless you dear Sir, I can't even imagine the horrors that day.

God bless these man. Thank you! My Grandpa was there I heard many storie..

Just excellent!

Great salute to you sir, without great men like you, the world like today owes you alot of respect, and i dont think we are worth the losses of D-day

God Bless you sir and thank you.

My grandfather part of a fallschirmjager unit during the battle of Crete in WW2. He sustained multiple leg wound but eventually live a full life

thankyou sir

Aww bless him

God Bless these men! 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸

I can't imagine what this lads been through

May we never forget, for our tomorrow they gave their today.

True hero

My great grandad wasn’t in d’day but was in the navy in 1939 he was 17 and left war in 1941

It's really depressing how this generation will be the last to hear these heroes' stories as s primary source of information. After they're gone, we'll only have what the textbooks say. That, and maybe a few written memoirs from these brave men. God bless you gentlemen. I know you'll have an eternity of bliss in heaven.

Even tho I am a memer I do feel terrible but happy that the men fought for there lives to protect us I think these brave soldiers are beautiful speakers and I couldn't imagine loosing a best friend right next to me in battle Thank you for risking your lives to protect us God bless you

Great respect ...👍

God bless you 😇

we should all look up soldiers who fought for us all

Just because the soldier leaves the battlefield doesn't mean the battlefield leaves the soldier

So sad that they fought for their enemy.