Proud of dad's D-Day experiences

Proud of dad's D-Day experiences

As I read your articles marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I could not help but be moved to tears at the stories of survivors, and the sacrifice and honor they truly gave to our country.

My dad, Joseph Corrao Sr. is a D-Day survivor as well as a survivor of the Exercise Tiger battle at Slapton Sands in England which was a pre-Normandy practice which took place in April 1944 which took the lives of hundreds of American soldiers ambushed by the Nazis in German subs.

For over 60 years, my father along with his comrades never whispered a word about the events of April 1944, for they were sworn to secrecy forever. Nor did he speak of the events of D-Day. He is a Silver Star recipient but he will not tell us what he did to receive it.

In the past several years he has begun telling us "bits and pieces" of his experiences, possibly due to his new fear of mortality at the age of 91 and a Stage 4 melanoma survivor going into his third year of bimonthly chemotherapy treatments. He is of sound mind and vivid memories and details of his war experiences.

Reading your article about Mr. Don Carter recording his experiences for the Library of Congress made me think of how little time we may have left for Dad to recall his experiences. I am forever a very proud daughter and proud American, due to my brave and honorable father.

Donna M. Murar

West Dundee