This photo, taken on the evening of June 5, 1944, in England, shows Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Wolverton from Elkins, West Virginia. He was the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Before heading to Normandy, he gathered his men and said, “I’m going to ask you to pray with me for the success of our mission. […] In a few hours, we’ll be in battle. We do not fight in fear. We do not ask for favors. […] We ask that if we must die, we die like men, without complaining, knowing we did our best for what we believed was right.”
A few hours later, Robert parachuted into Normandy but was killed by enemy fire before reaching the ground. He is now buried at the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery in West Point, New York.
Today, we honor Lt. Colonel Robert L. Wolverton and all the brave men of the greatest generation who served, sacrificed, and died during the D-Day invasion of WWII. We will never forget you.