Paratroopers revisit roots in D-Day Commemoration

1 / 36 A poster advertising the 67th Anniversary of the World War II Allied invasion of France appears in a storefront in Sainte Mere Eglise, a Norman village liberated by the 82nd Airborne Division. This year, as in years past, paratroopers with the stori... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

2 / 36 Staff Sgt. James Brawley and Sgt. Joshua Evans, paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division, compare their modern uniforms with a French re-enactor dressed as a World War II era paratrooper June 2, 2011, Sainte Mere Eglise, France. Much as Civil Wa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

3 / 36 A mock-up of a U.S. Army paratrooper hangs from a church steeple in Sainte Mere Eglise, France, for the 67th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France in early June 2011. The actual World War II paratrooper, John Steele of the 82nd Airborne Divis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

4 / 36 Marcel Jean, mayor of Chef du Pont, France, remembers the heroic fighting of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment along the Merderet River in a ceremony held June 3, 2011, to remember the fallen. After parachuting into , th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

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6 / 36 Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division march with other U.S. servicemembers through the streets of Montebourg, France, June 3, 2011, to honor those lost in the division’s heavy combat in the area as the Allies drove the German army from northern ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

7 / 36 A French officer watches a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules fly overhead during a June 3, 2011, memorial ceremony to commemorate U.S., French, British and German soldiers who fought and died in the area during the World War II Allied invasion of France.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

8 / 36 Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, and a French city official, present a floral arrangement at a World War II memorial to honor fallen troops during a commemoration ceremony June 3, 2011, in Montebourg, France. ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

9 / 36 A city official of Montebourg, France, clasps the hand of a young French girl adorned with uniform insignia and badges given to her by U.S. Army paratroopers visiting Normandy, France, to commemorate the events following D-Day during the first week o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

10 / 36 Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Wakefield, a scout platoon sergeant with the 82nd Airborne Division, marches U.S. paratroopers and other servicemembers through the streets of Montebourg, France, June 3, 2011. The soldiers and local citizens are honoring the c... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

11 / 36 Maugei Louis of Montebourg, France, shares a laugh with Sgt. 1st Class Chastity Wassman, a U.S. Army airborne instructor, during a banquet held by the citizens of Montebourg, France, for visiting U.S. servicemembers. Wassman is in France as part of ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

12 / 36 Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, thanks the citizens of Angoville au Plain, France, for remembering the sacrifices of the 101st Airborne Division paratroopers who fought in the area following the Allied invasio... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

13 / 36 Citizens of Angoville au Plain, France, lay flowers at a memorial to honor the memories of paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who died in and around their town during World War II in a ceremony June 4, 2011. Many of the townspeople dress in... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

14 / 36 A World War II veteran and former paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division salutes the U.S. flag during a memorial ceremony held June 4, 2011, to honor his fallen comrades who died liberating Angoville au Plain, France, and surrounding areas foll... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

15 / 36 A stained-glass window in the church of Angoville au Plain, France, casts a light to the memory of U.S. Army paratroopers who wrested the village from the German army following the Allied invasion of France June 6, 1944. The church was once used by ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

16 / 36 Fireworks explode over the church steeple at Sainte Mere Eglise, France, June 4, 2011, during a week of festivities and memorial ceremonies that commemorate the Allied invasion of France 67 years ago. People come from all over the world to remember ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

17 / 36 Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, recounts to an audience of several thousand the heroic efforts of 82nd paratroopers to capture a nearby bridge capable of supporting armor from the Germans during a memorial cer... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

18 / 36 Several dignitaries, including Maj. Gen. James Huggins, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division (in the maroon beret at left), lay flowers at a memorial to the soldiers who fought and died in the La Fiere, France, area just after D-Day, duri... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

19 / 36 World War II veteran Fred Morgan, who jumped into Normandy as a paratrooper medic with the 82nd Airborne Division during the Allied invasion of France, embraces the current commanding general of the division, Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins June 5, 2011, at La... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

20 / 36 A dozen French re-enactors gather in the back of a vintage World War II truck at the La Fiere bridge over the Merderet River June 5, 2011, to watch paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division and other Army parachutists jump into a nearby drop zone ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

21 / 36 Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, stands with a color guard before the town hall of Sainte Mere Eglise, France, June 5, 2011, to commemorate the division’s role in liberating the area from the Germans on D-Day. ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

22 / 36 French children walk past World War II veteran paratroopers to deliver floral arrangements to dignitaries who will lay them at a war memorial during a ceremony in Sainte Mere Eglise, France, June 5, 2011. The ceremony is part of the 67th anniversary... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

23 / 36 French children and other citizens of Sainte Mere Eglise, France, watch paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division taking part in the commemoration of the 67th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of France in a ceremony June 5, 2011. Liberated by A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

24 / 36 A German army band salutes American paratroopers during festivities to mark the 67th anniversary of D-Day, June 5, 2011, in Sainte Mere Eglise, France. U.S. Army paratroopers with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions liberated the town after parach... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

25 / 36 Zane Schlemmer, a veteran U.S. Army paratrooper who jumped into northern France as a sergeant with the 82nd Airborne Division, walks in his jump boots down the main street of Sainte Mere Eglise with other World War II veterans during the 67th anniver... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original

26 / 36 An organist in a church in Sainte Mere Eglise, France, plays hymns below a stained-glass window dedicated to the memory of U.S. Army paratroopers June 5, 2011, during the 67th anniversary of the town’s liberation. At center is Michael the Archangel,... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) View original