Minnesota WWII veteran reflects on "once in a lifetime" trip to Normandy
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A few months ago, Les Schrenk, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, made his first trip to Normandy, France in June. Schrenk was a prisoner of war during D-Day and wanted to see Omaha Beach for the first time.
Earlier this month, he shared his thoughts on what he's calling a "once in a lifetime" experience.
"What I enjoyed the most? Good heavens, I enjoyed the whole trip. It had very much an effect on me," said Schrenk.
Nine days in Normandy — it's a place Schrenk had always wanted to visit — a chance to see Omaha Beach for himself and to try and understand what happened here.
"Very, very emotional," Schrenk said, describing when he walked down to Omaha Beach.
WCCO was with him when he made that walk. It was the day before the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Schrenk was determined to bring back sand from the beach.
"This is what I personally scooped up," said Schrenk, showing his jar of sand at his Bloomington home.
But that was just one of countless highlights. He made fast friends with active soldiers and retired soldiers. He even became pen pals with a fellow World War II veteran who is seven years his senior.
"The 107-year-old, sharper than a tack, still drives his own car. Wonderful guy," Schrenk said.
He also met Steven Spielberg at the 80th anniversary ceremony. But for Schrenk, it was the people of France who made this trip unforgettable.
"They were lined for blocks and blocks, just to see us — sometimes three and four deep. I wasn't expecting that at all. You'd think we were some kind of celebrity or something," said Schrenk.
Mary Jo Rohrbacher is Schrenk's friend and she was his travel companion to Normandy. A veteran herself, she believes the trip gave Schrenk and other soldiers a chance to heal.
"Seeing him so alive with his story. So open, he's just received like a gift to those people who got to meet him," Rohrbacher said "It was like seeing a whole, new man. To see Les interact with Steven Spielberg and other veterans, it was just pretty amazing."
Through those nine days, Hans Herman Muller was never far from Schrenk's mind. He was the German pilot who shot Schrenk's B-17 during the war. Muller could have finished off Schrenk and his crew at any time but didn't fire again, allowing the crew to be captured instead of killed. Remarkably, the two men met decades later and stayed friends until the German ace died four years ago.
"That is very unusual. Meeting your former enemy and making friends with him," Schrenk said.
Standing in the very place where sacrifices were made, allowed Schrenk to reflect on the French people who were liberated, the German pilot who spared his life and his fellow American soldiers who never got a chance to have a moment like this one.
"Just the whole thing was an absolute dream. Every veteran I talked to said it's the highlight of their life," Schrenk said.
Schrenk says he would go back in a heartbeat.