97-Year-Old Fort Worth D-Day Veteran Recalls Carnage He Witnessed: 'The Beach Was Littered With Dead People'
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Commemorations for the 75h anniversary of D-Day are happening all over the world, and in Fort Worth, one World War II veteran who stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944 was honored by the staff of the Tarrant County Veteran's Court Diversion Program.
Now 97 years old, George Spears was 22 and an Army First Sergeant on that day.
He was in charge of unloading a Land Craft Tank or "LCT" on Omaha Beach.
"You could see all the dead people around, beach was littered with dead people," he said.
Spears said he hit the beach just 45 minutes after the initial assault began.
He said he distinctly remembers the orders from a senior officer in those moments.
"He said 'for God sakes soldiers if you're going to die, die inland. Don't die here on the beach'."
Judge Brent Carr of the Veteran's Court Diversion Program invited the veteran to lunch and chat with his staff and other veterans.
Judge Carr said it was an honor to have him attend and recognize his efforts.
"The things that we have today or aspire to have tomorrow, somebody made a sacrifice at some point to put is in the position to achieve those things," said Judge Carr.
Spears went on to live in Fort Worth and Mansfield where he worked as an accountant.
To this day he still holds his CPA license.
When asked what message he has for younger generations, he said, "Freedom is not free. You have to fight for it all the time. War is no fun."