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World War II veteran Arthur Rose read a letter written days after June 6, 1944, at a ceremony Saturday in Normandy, France, as part of the 82nd anniversary of D-Day.
“Dear mother and father and children, About a month before we arrived, I felt that I might be part of the attack. However, I did not believe that I would do it. I kept thinking, what can I do in the attack? Pull the engines during the war? I thought that men like me would come after that – after removing the damage done by Rose,” read Rose.
“But two weeks before D-Day, I was told that I would go and do whatever I could. We had moved into the invasion port. Thousands of ships and landing craft of all descriptions filled the harbor. Everyone worked day and night preparing fuel, provisions, ammunition and secret materials. Everything was inspected and re-inspected and inspected again. You can imagine the confusion and the work,” he continued.
“Then the day came when we began to load the supplies for the invasion: food, blankets, ammunition, and all the countless things that would be needed once the men arrived in France. We knew that the invasion would not be far away. Then the word came: D-Day would be June 6,” Rose read.
WWII TRAINERS TRAVEL ACROSS D-DAY FEELINGS
I-Day landing craft and boats transport infantry and vehicles from sea to shore during the amphibious assault on June 6, 1944. (Universal Images Group/Getty Images)
“I can’t describe the feeling well. It wasn’t fear, and it wasn’t joy. Just a funny feeling – panic, anticipation, and wondering what would happen next. Then we set sail. The sea was rough, windy, and sad. I was seasick most of the time. Everyone expected bombardments, submarines, warships, but because the first attempt at sea was called out of any hell. very bad, and we returned at the airport.
World War II veteran Arthur Rose delivers a speech during a ceremony at a US cemetery to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings, in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
“The next day, we set sail again. Near the coast of France, we could see a light in the distance and hear continuous explosions. The landing boat came in. We were expecting a terrible destruction, as bombs exploded, men died. But not all of them,” he read.
“Then our work really began: back and forth, day and night, bringing tools, medical supplies, and ammunition. What had once been another French coast suddenly became a huge harbor filled with hundreds of ships and thousands of men.”
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Reinforcements disembark from landing craft in Normandy during the Allied invasion of France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
At this point, Arthur stopped reading and said aloud, “I don’t remember writing this,” before continuing.
“I will always thank my commander for taking me. Don’t worry about me. I’m healthy, and I’m whole, and I’m happy. Love, Art,” he concluded.
