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CNN Live Event/Special

Veteran Describes D-Day Experience at Dedication

Aired June 06, 2001 - 11:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to tell you about something that is going in right now in Bedford, Virginia. In just a couple of minutes, President Bush will be speaking here. You're looking at a live picture out of Bedford. This is the 57th anniversary of the allied invasion of Normandy. The dedication of a national memorial is going on in Virginia today. The town of Bedford suffered the largest per capita loss among American G.I.'s involved in Operation Overlord.

As you can see, a gentleman is speaking there right now. We want to let you listen in live for just a moment.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .. on Gold Beach. I was with the second-in- command of the company, a captain. He went out with me, close behind. We went to sea to the tops of our thighs floundering ashore with other assault platoons to the left and to the right of us. Mortar bombs and shells were erupting in the sand, and I could hear the burp, burp of the Stendhal (ph) light machine guns through the den.

There were no shouts, only the occasional cry as men were hit and went down.

STOUFFER: A survivor there talking about his memories of landing on Gold Beach.

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