Wlaf1450TOP PHOTO: As State Representative Dennis Powers stood among the U.S. graves at Normandy in 2017, he said, “I thought about the sacrifice of those young soldiers who ran directly into enemy fire to help liberate countries thousands of miles from home where their families were hopefully awaiting for them to return – many never did. Then, I remembered a quote: “The U.S. has sent many men and women to fight in foreign lands and all we ever asked for was place to bury our dead.”
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – In the summer of 2017, State Representative Dennis Powers and his wife Traci walked the beaches and toured Normandy. Today, on this 76th anniversary of D-Day, Dennis Powers shares his thoughts on this historic anniversary.
Dennis Powers said, “On that historic day, what we now call D-Day, nearly 1,500 paratroopers were captured or killed when they landed in Normandy, France. Several thousands more shed their blood on the beaches, fighting back against the Nazi forces that were on this shore and hillsides.”
Traci Powers stands near the huge bunkers caused by bombers that dropped bombs to help the allied forces. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the drops were not as accurate as hoped and when the Allied Forces came ashore, they were on their own.
Normandy hits close to the heart for Powers because of his father, Hugh. Brothers Hugh (left) and Bill (right) Powers are shown here in a photo snapped at England during World War II. Powers father, Hugh, and his older brother Bill served together in the war.
Omaha Beach is where Traci Powers is standing. Omaha Beach is a landing area in Normandy and used by Allied forces in the WWII D-Day invasion.
Some of the more rugged beach terrain along Normandy’s beaches.
Traci and Dennis Powers visited Normandy, France, in 2017, and have Omaha Beach in the background.
Dennis Powers stands beside the reflection pool at the Normandy Memorial.
This is a monument in memory of the Allied Forces that came to the aid of France. The day Dennis Powers visited Normandy, it was a rather busy day. Today, on this 76th anniversary, it is mainly quiet due to the pandemic.
Dennis Powers said, “I heard a story while there on that particular was one I had never heard. There was a large battalion of Nazi forces that just happened to be in the area taking target practice, and that added to their firepower when they were quickly deployed to assist the troops guarding the beach. We will never forget.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/06/2020-11AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS POWERS)