A hero's welcome for the men who helped change the
course of history back on French soil, saluted and celebrated,
most returning for the last time.
These veterans were young men, some teenagers 8 decades ago,
all here on that fateful day.
What do you think, Floyd?
I think it's great.
Let's keep going.
Floyd Blair is 103.
Dick Rung turns 100 in the fall.
He was just 19 on a transport boat taking tanks
to shore.
Floyd flew above giving cover.
To me, it looked like every ship and boat and
the world was right out of there.
And dead bodies were already Washington shower when I got
there.
This was to be the longest day.
June 6th, 1944 D-Day, the US and its allies stormed
the beaches of Normandy, breaking through Nazi defenses, a massive
assault that would lead to Allied victory.
The number of those still alive to tell the stories
of that day disappearing fast.
Their average age now 100.
Ed Berthold is back for the first time at 104
years old.
On D-Day, he bombed a key bridge in San Lo.
It was only his third mission.
Were you scared?
Oh, yeah.
As you as you approach the target, the bombs would
be going off around you.
I hope I don't have one with my name on
it.
Along this fifty mile coastline on D-Day, more than 4000
Allied troops died in the 1st 24 hours.
Ed wrote home the next day.
Dear Mom, just a few lines to tell you we
are all OK.
We flew mission #10 on D-Day.
For so many of these vets, coming back is a
chance to revisit the past.
Dick Rung kept a journal all those years ago, saving
mementos.
What's this?
That's a piece of shrapnel.
Like this tiny piece of shrapnel from a German bomb
that exploded close to his boat.
It's also a chance to honor friends who didn't make
it home, remembering the past with a message for younger
generations.
I want them to learn to live here.
They all respected fellow man and quit doing this stupid
fighting.
Dick and Floyd say this will be their last trip
to these beaches, a place where even 80 years later,
they're still remembered as heroes.
And they really are superstars here.
Everywhere we went with them, people stopped them.
They wanted to take pictures, get autographs, salute them, sometimes
with tears in their eyes.
And this trip for them wouldn't be possible without the
best defense foundation.
They brought 48 vets over this year that each one
travels with a caregiver.
They also have a large medical team to make sure
that the vets are in good hands.
And guys, some of the vets that you just met
are going to join another elite group tomorrow.
Awarded with France's highest military honor, the French Legion of
Honor.
Guys, they're here.
Wow.
Kelly Helicopia.
So moving.
Thank you very much.
When you think about it, I, you know, we throw
the word hero around.
Yeah, a lot.
Probably too much.
But when you you look at these men who were
teenagers back then who literally saved the world about his
advice for all of us.
Now stop the stupid fight.
Yeah.
We saved the world for you.
Don't break it.
Yeah.
Come on.
Yeah.