Mid Missouri honors veterans on D-Day’s 80th anniversary
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The United States Exercise Tiger Foundation on Thursday held its fifth annual Mid-Missouri D-Day tribute at the Boone County War Memorial Plaza at the Boone County Courthouse.
Thursday marked 80 years since the allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War ll.
Military recruits, veterans and USTF staff placed 137 American flags on the Boone County Courthouse lawn before the ceremony. The flags represented the Mid Missouri servicemembers who died in World War ll.
Mid-Missouri leaders and residents then joined to celebrate World War ll Navy veteran Robert Bartlett and recognize the 137 other Mid Missouri servicemen who died during the war. Bartlett, 99, was a Navy ensign on a sub chaser during the war.
"Huge numbers of us at age 18 had to go into military service, Army, Navy and Marine Corps and I volunteered for the Navy, and I'm glad i did," Bartlett said.
The tribute saw speeches from Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and Boone County Southern District Commissioner Justin Aldred.
Bartlett was also awarded a Meritorious Service Medal. He said it was wonderful to be recognized and that he's never been honored like this before. He also expressed his gratitude for making it home from the war, as many of his friends and fellow servicemen did not.
All veterans who attend the ceremony also received a medal for their service, no matter when they served.
