June 6 is the anniversary of D-Day, the Allied landing at Normandy, France, in 1944.

Some 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi troops in an operation that Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said required “nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot hold in Normandy and turned the tide of the war in Europe.

The D-Day cost was high — more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded, but more than 100,000 soldiers began the march across Europe.

For another year, sacrifices would continue to be made in Europe and in the Pacific. Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos’ father, Richard C. Prima Jr., was serving aboard the USS Louisville in the Pacific when it was struck by a kamikaze in January 1945. Remembering the courage of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, Prima-Sarantopulos shared this letter.

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Hi Richard,

With Howard’s recent article on WWII vets and our conversation yesterday about the tank on your ship, I thought I would share this photo of the USS Louisville being hit by a kamikaze in January 1945. My dad, Richard C. Prima Jr., was aboard during the attack.

On the rare occasions Dad talked about his experience during the war years, it was about how much he enjoyed his duty in the South Pacific, including Pearl Harbor. He never spoke of the atrocities and hardships of war, and only once, when specifically asked, did he say anything about this incident. He told of how he saw the captain of the ship standing on the bridge, giving commands, blood seeping though his shirt. The captain asked a crew member to bring him a fresh shirt, then very calmly removed his shirt and put the fresh one on. Dad said the man’s back was burned beyond belief. Eventually the captain collapsed, and soon died from his injuries.

Regardless of my political leanings, I am continually in awe of the men – and now women – who serve in combat. What courage!

Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos
Friday Harbor