To many citizens of recent generations educated in the United States, Omaha and Utah are simply a city and a state located on a map of our country.

Those of you born between 1946 and 1964, known as the “Baby Boomer” generation, likely know that Omaha and Utah are forever identified as the code names for the sacred beaches of the Normandy region of France, where the combined military forces of the U.S. Army, Army Air Corp and U.S. Navy bravely arrived 80 years ago on June 6, 1944 — D-Day. On that day and on those beaches, Operation Overlord — The Battle of Normandy — was fought with great sacrifice and courage by U.S. troops.

And it was there at Omaha and Utah the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II began. To many military historians, June 6, 1944, and the beginning of the Battle of Normandy remains one of the most significant dates in the history of the free world.

Veterans Day is a day of celebration and a day we honor all of America’s veterans for their patriotism, their love of our great country and their selfless willingness to serve and even sacrifice their lives, if necessary, to preserve, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution and the God-ordained ideals of the United States of America.

CPL. ROBERT “BOB” James Strang, of Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain, was a 21-year-old U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 336th Engineer Special Battalion-Amphibious when he was part of D-Day on June 6, 1944, on Omaha and Utah beaches of the Normandy region of France. (Contributed photo)

This Veterans Day 2024, we not only honor all local and regional veterans, we would also honor the patriotic service and memory of one of our own, who, 80 years ago on June 6, 1944, was inspired by these words of encouragement broadcasted to our troops by General Dwight D. Eisenhower as they crossed the English Channel, “Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

Cpl. Robert “Bob” James Strang, of Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain, was a highly trained 21-year-old U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 336th Engineer Special Battalion-Amphibious. The 336th Engineer Battalion was linked to an Engineer Special Brigade, which was under the command leadership of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division and the U.S. VII Corps.

Early on June 6, 1944, Cpl. Robert Strang and his buddies of the 336th waded onto the rocky and treacherous terrain of Utah Beach in the second wave of troops to do the dangerous jobs they had been training to do for many months.

Approximately 25% of the American troops going onto Utah and Omaha on the morning of D-Day would be engineers. The duties the engineers performed were both complex and dangerous. Their assignments were critical to the success of the entire operation and the high percentage survival rate of the thousands of troops who were arriving that day. Under enemy fire the engineers demolished beach obstacles, blew up mines in the water and on the beaches, erected signage to guide the incoming landing craft through cleared channels, established communication signage to prioritize the shipment of supplies and equipment onto the beachhead from ships offshore. They cleared access roads from the beach, blew gaps in the enemy’s antitank walls, established supply dumps and even acted as beachmasters — traffic cops.

On June 6, 1944, Cpl. Bob Strang bravely served his country and was a witness to the arrival of the 23,000 troops who landed on Utah Beach that day. Ultimately, and in short order, the troops that arrived at Utah joined forces from the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and secured the western flank of France from any potential counterattacks by the Germans and famously liberated the towns of Ste. Mere Eglise and Ste. Marie du Mont.

CPL. ROBERT “BOB” James Strang, of Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain, was a 21-year-old U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 336th Engineer Special Battalion-Amphibious when he was part of D-Day on June 6, 1944, in the Normandy region of France. (Contributed photo)

On this Veterans Day we honor and remember the service of Cpl. Robert James Strang, a representative of “The Greatest Generation” whom few remain with us today.

To every man, woman and child of that generation who lived through and survived a worldwide economic depression and then answered the call to unite as citizens and servicemen to defend the democracies and freedom-loving countries of our world we offer our sincere thanks.

Robert James Strang, Nov. 1, 1923-March 6, 2015, wrote a manuscript for a book that documented virtually his entire life. Wonderful stories and memories told of a life growing up in the steel city of Gary, Ind., and events in his life that brought him and his family to “God’s Country” in the U.P. Much of his book details his years and experiences serving in the military. Inspiring stories of sacrifice and survival during the war.

Strang was very grateful for the loving care he received from the medical staff and his caregivers at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Community Living Center during the final months of his life.

In 2015, the publishing of his book he titled “(My Place in) The Classic Generation” was made possible by the diligent efforts of volunteers and the Butterfly Wish Program of the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in honor of Bob who served our country so well.

SCOTT LEWELLYN, retired board member of U.P. Honor Flight, gives a reading to the family of Cpl. Robert Strang at the World War II monument atop Pine Mountain. Lewellyn gives a special thank you to U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman and his staff for helping get the Capitol-flown flag to honor the D-Day veteran. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

The following is an excerpt from his book where he stopped writing about his difficult experiences in the war following D-Day. Overcome with emotion and remembering his buddies and all that he had witnessed, he stopped to offer a prayer and a tribute to those that served and to those that paid the ultimate sacrifice on June 6, 1944, and throughout the war.

In 1999 he writes:

“That defining event of 55 years ago on the beaches of Normandy separated friends for all time. The lads left behind are hallowed. We who served with them and are still around are the survivors. There is a lingering guilt in the unfairness of that. Only God can make it OK. Those that fell are pure.

“God took the best of us. He must have needed them. They didn’t seem to be angelic, but they were something special. God in all his wisdom saw that and must have loved them in a way uncorrupted by human emotion.

“The soldiers were God fearing. I remember them praying for courage not safety. Those prayers were answered as demonstrated by the courage of such men. Those that fell did things beyond the call of duty.

THE PLAQUE PRESENTED to the family of Cpl. Robert Strang, who received a flag that had been flown over the nation’s Capitol to honor his service during D-Day in World War II. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

“Their violent last hours are too hurtful for me to describe without tears. The travails of life since that event are trivial by comparison except for the loss of my beloved wife. I think about those soldiers every day. I loved them. I can only imagine the greater love that God can bestow on them. In 1994, I revisited Normandy with my supporting wife. I looked upon the rows of crosses and wept. Lois comforted me as only she could do. I said to her that maybe I was spared because God thought I was not yet good enough to be interred there with them.

“They all had that one catastrophic moment of glory, giving it all for God, country and their comrades. They were sinners without much chance to sin. They were so young. They shall remain forever young.

“The passing of these soldiers fortified my belief in heaven and the ultimate reward. War is a human endeavor, but I believe these dead were delivered in paradise. God would want such beings, so he took them.

“I am in the fourth quarter of this beautiful life. My generation has left a mark, but not without a question about our buddies in the Colleville cemetery, high on a bluff, overlooking Omaha Beach. How many buried there would have been great presidents, engineers, preachers, teachers or just good ‘daddies’?

“We survivors take pride in having served alongside them and if we appear to boast at times, it is for having been in their ranks.

“I don’t know if God cries, but I do and I would if I were to pray aloud what is in my heart. Please say a proper prayer for them and send a hello from me. My prayer would be clumsy and awkward. I remain a humble survivor among the fallen of Normandy.”

Like many of the World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans, I have had the distinct honor to speak with and hear their stories. Robert Strang appreciated the gift of life, remained so humble regarding his service and lived a life of service to the end. Those who knew him will attest to his fun-loving mischievous side as well.

May God bless Robert James Strang and every man and woman who has raised their right hand and pledged their very lives to protect our great country.

On March 6, 2015, the life of Bob Strang was celebrated. On his prayer card the words to “Taps” were printed to honor him and those he served with in World War II: “Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, From the lake, From the sky. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.”