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A contingent of local Rotarians were attending the club’s International Convention
Rotarians, congressman travel to France for ceremony marking 75th anniversary
YOUNGSTOWN
A contingent of Youngstown Rotarians and a U.S. representative for part of the Mahoning Valley attended the emotional 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of World War II in Normandy, France, on Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, said, “I was extremely proud to be here – not as a congressman, but as an American. It is a day I will never, ever forget.
“The course of mankind was forever changed – for the better – on June 6, 1944, as brave Americans and our Allies undertook the largest seaborne invasion in history and landed in Normandy to free the world from Hitler’s tyranny,” he added.
In addition to Johnson, several members of the Rotary Club of Youngstown were among the 20,000 who attended the official ceremony.
In a telephone interview from France, David Stillwagon of Boardman, president-elect of the Youngstown Rotary, said everybody was in awe of what they experienced touring the American Cemetery and walking along Omaha Beach.
Other Youngstown Rotarians with Stillwagon, and his wife, JoAnna, who are renewing their wedding vows Saturday in Paris, are Samantha Turner of Youngstown, vice president; Josh Prest, secretary; and Scott Schulick of Youngstown, governor of Rotary District 6650, which includes the Youngstown Club.
In total, there were 18 members from District 6650, who were attending the Rotary International convention in Hamburg, Germany.
The group left Friday evening from Pittsburgh International Airport, landed in Frankfort, took a train from Hamburg and stayed in a little town about 40 miles outside of Omaha Beach, and rented a van and drove to Normandy.
“We were there for the entire ceremony at the American Cemetery at Normandy where more than 9,000 Americans are buried. We got to shake hands with some of the Normandy survivors,” Stillwagon said.
“It was one of the most impressive moments of my life,” he said.
The ceremony, which included speeches by French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald J. Trump as well as the recognition of World War II and Normandy veterans, lasted about two hours, Stillwagon said.
“We got to walk along the beach where there are still huge craters made by American bombs and pay our respects to those in the cemetery,” he said.
“Everybody was in awe of the site and the significance that D-Day played in all of our lives. It was hard to take in,” Stillwagon said.
“We got to Normandy at 6:30 a.m., had to be in our seats at 9:30 a.m., and stayed until 5 p.m.
“It was an awe-inspiring sight ... something I’ll be able to pass along to my daughter so she understands the price of freedom and that we never forget that sacrifice. I absolutely hope to come back as a family in the future,” Stillwagon said.