International Courant
The 100-year-old Andrew “Andy” Negra Jr. of Helen, Georgia, served within the Military’s 128th Armored Subject Artillery Battalion, sixth Armored Division.Negra landed on Utah Seashore in Normandy on July 18, 1944, and fought within the battle of Brest, amongst others. He later served within the Occupation of Germany. He was honorably discharged on December 17, 1945.Negra plans to return to France for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day.
D-DAY VETERAN, 101, HEADS TO FRANCE FOR 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF NORMANDY
A profile of Andrew “Andy” Negra Jr., of Helen, Georgia, certainly one of a dwindling variety of veterans who took half within the Allies’ European warfare effort that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
BORN: Might 28, 1924, close to Avella, Pennsylvania.
SERVICE: Military’s 128th Armored Subject Artillery Battalion, sixth Armored Division. Landed on Utah Seashore in Normandy on July 18, 1944. Fought within the battle of Brest amongst different battles. Later served within the Occupation of Germany. He was honorably discharged on December 17, 1945.
D-DAY VETERAN, 101, HEADS TO FRANCE FOR 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF NORMANDY LANDINGS
“BECAUSE WE SAVED THE WORLD”
It was 1943, and Andrew “Andy” Negra Jr. had simply completed highschool. He was considering of attending the College of Pittsburgh. “However Uncle Sam had that finger pointed at me. ‘I want you.’ And, I used to be drafted.”
The third of 4 youngsters born to immigrants from Austria-Hungary, Negra expressed no qualms about getting into the service. “There was a warfare happening, so I went together with everyone else. I simply went into the service with an open thoughts.”
Now, he proudly lays declare to being a part of “The Best Era.”
World Conflict II veteran Andy Negra Jr. sits in his dwelling in Helen, Georgia, on April 10, 2024. He holds up a photograph of himself throughout his time with the Military’s 128th Armored Subject Artillery Battalion, sixth Armored Division. (AP Picture/Sharon Johnson)
“As a result of we saved the world,” he stated.
He has made the journey again to France earlier than however says his return this yr for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day is particular for the individuals of Europe, and for himself.
“I’m speaking about the UK, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium. All of them are coming to this and there’ll be 35 completely different international locations,” he informed The Related Press forward of his journey. “So it’s going to be a fairly large occasion. And on the identical time, I’m saying to myself, they’re going to have fun my birthday,” stated Negra, who turned 100 on Might 28.
He considers himself fortunate to have survived unhurt. “I noticed a whole lot of unhealthy issues. Plenty of demise,” he stated.
However he additionally recounts assembly his spouse at a dance whereas he was deployed there. “Second track they performed was “Folks Will Say We’re in Love.” And I informed her, I stated — at the moment, I’m 19 — I informed her, I stated, that is going to be our track for the remainder of our lives. And I solely knew her ten minutes.”
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Because the D-Day anniversary approached, Negra was planning to go to the scene of certainly one of his life’s most harrowing moments. He recalled being on the street with the sixth Armored Division, a part of a push to retake the French port metropolis of Brest, when his column was strafed by 5 German planes. He scrambled out of his half-track and hid behind a effectively.
“These 5 airplanes all dove for that effectively,” Negra recalled. “And I used to be behind that effectively. So, after they strafed, happily it was a brick one, and strong.”
His plans for his return to France embrace revisiting the scene. “They are saying the effectively’s not there, however the location is there. So, if doable, we’re going to go see that.”
WWII veteran proud to be a part of ‘biggest technology’ as a result of ‘we saved the world.’
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