'To This Day, He's Unflappable' Local WWII Veteran Attends D-Day Ceremony In Normandy
SEWICKLEY (KDKA) -- Seventy-five years ago, Warren Goss of Sewickley was a 19-year old with the 531st Engineers assaulting Utah Beach at Normandy.
When the door of his Higgins boat opened, the fight for survival began.
"When it went down, a couple guys in the front didn't make it," recalled Goss in an interview with KDKA's Ross Guidotti a few years ago.
"So I went out the side."
"That saved his life," his wife Mary told KDKA's Jon Delano on Thursday.
Jumping over the side was smart.
"As he was in the water, he said the water was up to his neck and he carried his rifle and all of his gear and tried to hold it above water," said Mrs. Goss.
In chest deep water and under constant German fire, Goss waded ashore.
Goss recalled his orders.
"We trained for a whole year for that. Just get inland as far as you can get. As far as you can get, get in there."
Goss survived the ongoing battles across the continent into Nazi Germany, living to join others at the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday.
In its coverage of D-Day services in Normandy Thursday morning, CBS News captured the 94-year old Goss and a colleague saluting President Trump during the ceremony and the President saluting back.
Watching all this on TV from her home in Pittsburgh, Mrs. Goss thought, "It's too bad that it took so long to recognize these men that came home who had so much to tell us."
An example of courage that too many take for granted.
"These fellows have a courage that is unbelievable. To this day, he's unflappable," she added.
For the 170 veterans who made it to the 75th anniversary in Normandy, memories of that longest day are clearer than ever.
"Your mind, honest to God, is like a photo book, even to this day," said Goss.
But life goes on.
After the ceremony, these roses arrived for Mary Goss with a note from her husband of 70 years.
"I thank God that he gave you to me," reads Mrs. Goss from his hand-written letter, "and for allowing me to share the rest of my life with you."
A man who sends his wife flowers while he is 3,000 miles away in Normandy is truly someone special.
We are running out of time to say thank you to those who served in World War Two.
Over 16 million Americans served in the armed forces in that war, and only an estimated 450,000 remain.
We are losing at least 10,000 of these veterans every month.
We shouldn't wait until anniversaries like this to say thanks to this, the greatest generation of veterans.
