A salute to those who came before

Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. Wallace “Wade” Farris, Jr., salutes with American World War II veterans during the playing of “Taps” June 5, 2012, in Saint Mere Eglise, France. American and allied troops marched through the streets of this Normandy village leading up to an official ceremony commemorating the 68th Anniversary of the Normandy D-Day invasion. Leadership from the Army and U.S. Air Force, German military and local French elected officials joined with the veterans to lay ceremonial wreaths at the foot of an invasion memorial in the village. Saint Mere Eglise lays claim to fame of being one of the first villages in the Normandy region to be liberated by Allied forces in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Farris commands the AF Reserve’s 22nd Air Force and is based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

A salute to those who came before

Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. Wallace “Wade” Farris, Jr., salutes with Jerome Welna, an American World War II Navy veteran June 5, 2012, after presenting a ceremonial wreath in Saint Mere Eglise, France. The wreath was laid to honor both American and Allied forces that were killed during the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. Earlier, service members from several nations, including the U.S., marched through the streets of this Normandy village leading up to an official ceremony commemorating the invasion’s 68th Anniversary. Leadership from the Army and U.S. Air Force, German military and local French elected officials joined with the veterans to lay ceremonial wreaths at the foot of an invasion memorial in the village. Saint Mere Eglise lays claim to being one of the first villages in the Normandy region to be liberated by Allied forces in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Farris commands the AF Reserve’s 22nd Air Force and is based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. Welna served aboard the U.S.S. Barton, a destroyer that supported the Normandy invasion. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

March on through

A Frenchman looks on as a U.S. Army color guard leads American and allied troops June 5, 2012, through the streets of Saint Mere Eglise, France, prior to an official ceremony commemorating the 68th Anniversary of the Normandy D-Day invasion. Leadership from the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, German military and local French elected officials joined with World War II veterans to lay ceremonial wreaths at the foot of an invasion memorial in the village. Saint Mere Eglise is one of the first villages in the Normandy region to be liberated by Allied forces in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

A salute to those who came before

Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. Wallace “Wade” Farris, Jr., chats with Jerome Welna, an American World War II Navy veteran June 5, 2012, before presenting a ceremonial wreath in Saint Mere Eglise, France. The wreath was laid to honor both American and Allied forces that were killed during the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. Earlier, service members from several nations, including the U.S., marched through the streets of this Normandy village leading up to an official ceremony commemorating the invasion’s 68th Anniversary. Leadership from the Army and U.S. Air Force, German military and local French elected officials joined with the veterans to lay ceremonial wreaths at the foot of an invasion memorial in the village. Saint Mere Eglise lays claim to fame of being one of the first villages in the Normandy region to be liberated by Allied forces in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Farris commands the AF Reserve’s 22nd Air Force and is based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. Welna served aboard the U.S.S. Barton, a destroyer that supported the Normandy invasion. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

D-Day vets, fallen forces remembered by French, allied nations

Published June 5, 2012
By Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

SAINTE MERE EGLISE, France -- Military forces from several allied nations joined with the people of this French town June 5, to commemorate the 68th Anniversary of the Normandy D-Day invasion.

Led by Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey A. Jacobs and Air Force Maj. Gen. Wallace "Wade" Farris, Jr., U.S. and allied service members paid their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the early morning hours of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. After the military members from Holland, France, Germany and the U.S. marched into the Sainte Mere Eglise square, military and civilian leaders present from each nation came together to pay their respects. Ceremonial wreaths were laid by each nation's military representative, who were also joined by World War II veterans attending the ceremonies.

Saint Mere Eglise lays claim to being one of the first villages in the Normandy region to be liberated by Allied forces in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Farris commands the AF Reserve's 22nd Air Force and is based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. Additionally, Jacobs is the commanding officer of U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg, N.C.