WE SAW A PARADE RECENTLY.
THERE WAS NOTHING VIRTUAL ABOUT
IT.
ON A SIDE STREET IN SUBURBAN NEW
JERSEY, WE WATCHED A REMARKABLE
PARADE RECENTLY.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANK.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FOLKS IN BRIDGEWATER
PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS FOR
THEIR NEIGHBOR.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOD BLESS.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
>> THE 95-YEAR-OLD VETERAN OF
WORLD WAR II.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE,
PAL.
YOU KEEP ROCKING IT.
>> NOTHING COULD KEEP US AWAY.
>> LOVE YOU.
>> FRANK IS BELOVED HERE.
A CHURCH GOING FAMILY GUY WHO
SERVED IN THE COAST GUARD ON A
LANDING CRAFT DURING D-DAY.
SIX YEARS AGO, HE WALKED ON THE
BEACHES OF NORMANDY WITH TOM
BROKAW.
>> WHAT’S THE LESSON FOR THESE
GENERATIONS, AS THE FAMILY COMES
HERE TO REVISIT IT.
>> LOVE YOUR FREEDOM BECAUSE
THAT’S WHAT --
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
>> WE HEARD ABOUT THE PARADE AND
WANTED TO CHECK IN.
FRANK IS STILL SHARP AS A TACK.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU SAW
THE POLICE CARS AND FIRE TRUCKS
COME DOWN THE STREET?
>> MY CUP RUNNETH OVER.
I NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT
IN MY LIFE.
FOR ME.
FOR ME LITTLE FRANKIE FROM
BROOKLYN, NO.
I WAS AMAZED.
I WAS AMAZED.
>> I WASN’T MISTAKEN, I MAY HAVE
SEEN A TEAR OR TWO.
>> I DID CRY A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH, I DID.
>> FRANK WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS
WHO DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THE WAR
FOR DECADES.
HE SPEAKS TO SCHOOL AND CHURCH
GROUPS NOW TO TRY TO MAKE REAL
WHAT FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IS A
FADED BLACK AND WHITE PART OF AMERICA’S PAST.
AMERICA’S PAST.
>> I’LL TELL YOU HOW LUCKY I AM.
WHEN HE HIT THE BEACH, 33
MACHINE GUNS THERE, MG-42s,
MACHINE GUNS IN THE WAR, FIRING
CAPACITY 160 ROUNDS PER MINUTE,
AND THE BULLETS ARE FLYING TO MY
RIGHT AND TO MY LEFT.
TWO GUYS NEXT TO ME WENT DOWN.
WHY I SURVIVED, I DON’T KNOW.
>> FROM COLONIAL TIMES TO TODAY,
MORE THAN A MILLION AMERICANS
HAVE DIED FIGHTING IN UNIFORM, A
SACRIFICE SHARED BY RACE,
ETHNICITY, GENDER AND RELIGION.
>> THESE KIDS 18, 19 YEARS OLD.
THEY ARE NEVER GOING TO SEE
THEIR SON PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE
BASEBALL, WALK THEIR DAUGHTER
DOWN THE AISLE.
THEY ARE NEVER GOING TO HOLD
THEIR GRANDCHILD IN THEIR ARMS.
THEY HAD THEIR WHOLE LIFE AHEAD
OF THEM.
>> THAT PERSONAL PRICE AND
BURDEN OF LOSS FOR SO MANY
FAMILIES DESERVES OUR GRATITUDE
AND RESPECT AS DOES THE
SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO COME
HOME.
FRANK’S BOAT RELOADED WITH
TROOPS MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES
DURING THE ASSAULT ON OMAHA
BEACH.
DEATH SURROUND WILL HIM.
>> PEOPLE CONSIDERED YOU A HERO.
ARE YOU A HERO?
>> I’M A SURVIVOR.
I’M NOT A HERO.
IF YOU GO TO NORMANDY, THERE’S A
CEMETERY UP THERE WHERE 9,400
GRAVES, THOSE ARE MY HEROES.
THOSE ARE MY HEROES.
GAVE THEIR LIFE FOR THEIR
COUNTRY.
THERE’S NO GREATER THING YOU CAN
DO THAN TO GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR
YOUR COUNTRY.
>> DEEP BREATH.
IT REALLY REQUIRES A VETERAN TO
HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT MEMORIAL
DAY IS ALL ABOUT AND SOMEONE WHO
SAW WHAT HE SAW.
KNOW THERE WERE MORE THAN 16
MILLION AMERICANS IN UNIFORM
DURING WORLD WAR II.
THIS IS THE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE END OF THAT WAR.
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW HUNDRED
THOUSAND STILL ALIVE.
GUYS LIKE FRANK, HE NEVER WOULD
HAVE WANTED A PARADE LIKE THE
ONE WE JUST SAW IN THE PIECE WE
SHOWED.
WHAT HIS FAMILY DID WAS WE’RE
GOING TO MAKE IT INTO A
FUNDRAISER.
THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAISED
MONEY FOR THE KNIGHTS OF
COLUMBUS, A FUND THAT HELPS
LOCALLY FUND THE FOOD BANK THERE
IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF FOLKS
WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND ON
TODAY.
>> INDEED.
