Hundreds of current soldiers from both units were there, some on leave with beers in hand, some jumping out of aircraft as their predecessors did 79 years before. WATCH: Austin, Milley meet with South Korean President Yoon after nuclear sub deal He is scheduled to retire at the end of September as his term as chairman ends. Milley begins his 44th year of military service on June 10. “For me, being among soldiers is home,” he said. The chairman held commands in both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division, and the Normandy fields, towns and causeways are these divisions’ hallowed ground. The Normandy celebrations were a chance for Milley to linger with troops who consider him one of their own, as he winds down his own four-decade military career. Mark Milley also took part in the American Cemetery commemoration. “Today, I am more determined than ever to stand by them for as long as it takes,” he said. He paid tribute to “brave young men and women from Ukraine who are learning how to fight for their lives and for their country.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking in front of more than 40 World War II veterans and a crowd of visitors, said “it is our duty to defend … the principles for which the Allies fought … We seek a world where civilians are safe from ravages of a war, (and) sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected.” Some of those named have since been recovered and identified. On the Walls of the Missing are inscribed 1,557 names. soldiers, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. On Tuesday, a ceremony took place at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach, which is home to the graves of 9,386 U.S. Kersh, 98, added with a sense of humor: “I’m still in the reserve, I’m waiting to go to Ukraine now. That’s how I feel,” she said.īritish veteran Mervyn Kersh, who landed on D-Day on Gold Beach, said Western allies should send maximum military aid to Ukraine: “The only way to stay free is to be strong.” “For me, war should only be undertaken if it’s absolutely (necessary), if there’s no other way of solving the problem. Scott said she was “disgusted” that another war was now raging on the European continent following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “As a noncombatant, I was still in the war and I realized the enormity of war. Now about to turn 97, Scott said D-Day was a “pivotal point” in her life. “After a few moments of horror, I realized what was happening … and I thought, well, you know, there’s no time for horror. I could hear gunfire, machine guns, bombing aircraft, men screaming, shouting, men giving orders,” she recalled. Eisenhower and senior officers who were supervising the operation. Her job was to pass on messages between men on the ground and Gen. She was just 17 when she was posted as communication operator in Portsmouth, England. Some brought bunches of flowers others waved American flags. On Tuesday, the whistling sound of the wind accompanied many reenactors who came to Omaha Beach at dawn to mark the 79th anniversary of the assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control. READ MORE: Here are some key facts about D-Day ahead of the 79th anniversary of the World War II invasion This year’s tribute to the young soldiers who died in Normandy also reminds veterans, officials and visitors what Ukraine faces today. That’s how World War II veteran Marie Scott described D-Day, as Tuesday’s ceremonies got underway in honor of those who fought for freedom in the largest naval, air and land operation in history. ON OMAHA BEACH, France (AP) - An overwhelming sound of gunfire and men’s screams.