Remembering 80 years since D-Day at the Reagan Library
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Thursday marks 80 years since D-Day, the historic invasion of Normandy during World War II. The anniversary was marked at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.
"The beaches of Normandy were consecrated by the blood of our heroes," said the announcer's voice, over old historical footage. The historical footage reminds us of the massive Allied troop operation on June 6,1944.
Among those who stormed Omaha Beach was Peter Robert Zanatta. And, as she sat at the remembrance event, Peter's daughter, Lisa Zanatta Henn, thought about her dad. She thought about how brave he was storming the beach, and how scared he said he and other troops were as they headed toward land.
Peter Robert Zanatta
"Guys were praying, they were crying," Lisa said. "Some were calling for their moms. There was a lot of seasickness because it was really rough."
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The observance at the Reagan Library drew a large crowd, speakers like former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and WWII veteran Early Gentry, who, when he heard about the invasion, said "I wanted to go help."
One-hundred-year-old Bud Lewis wasn't active when the invasion happened. He was in training, but he said he was profoundly moved by it.
For Lisa Zanatta Henn, she said the invasion shaped the rest of her life.
"I had written a story just one day about my dad and about D-Day," which she said she sent to President Reagan, who was going to Normandy for the 40th anniversary of the invasion, in 1984. Henn said the President made her letter part of his speech:
Lisa Zanatta Henn's letter to President Ronald Reagan, ahead of the 40th anniversary of D-Day.
"Someday Liz, I'll go back, said Private First Class Peter Robert Zanatta of the 37th Engineer Combat Battalion, and first assault wave to hit Omaha Beach," read Reagan that day. "I'll go back and see it all again. I'll see the beach, the barricades and the graves."
Peter Zanatta never made it back. He died before the 40th anniversary, at the age of 51. But, as President Reagan said in that speech about Lisa's dad, "the Normandy Invasion would change his life forever."
It did. It changed his daughter's life too.