Maj. Gen. John Raaen, Jr., U.S. Army, WWII, D-Day Part 1

Veterans Chronicles

John Raaen, Jr. grew up in an Army family and his father was a West Point graduate. Long before World War II, the Raaens were family friends with the Eisenhowers, the Bradleys, and other figures who would become household names in World War II. In 1939, Raaen followed in his father's footsteps and enrolled at West Point just as war was about to engulf Europe.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Raaen, who is now 101 years old, walks us through his commissioning from West Point, becoming an Army Ranger, and preparing extensively for the Allied invasion of France, even though he did not know the exact details until the voyage across the English Channel.
Raaen takes us through his experience at Normandy on June 6, 1944, including being re-routed from Pointe du Hoc to the Dog White sector of Omaha Beach and what he saw as he comes ashore. He also recounts some close calls as the landing craft made its way to shore and how he learned what the earlier waves of American forces endured on the beaches.
He also shares how his men blasted through German barbed wire on the beach, and how several fortunate breaks allowed them to have a relatively smooth journey up the bluff. He also explains how the Ranger motto of "Rangers Lead the Way" was born right there on Omaha Beach.
This is the first of a three-part series with General Raaen, who is believed to be the last living officer who served at Omaha Beach. Be sure to listen to the second part of our conversation next week, as he continues to tell us about his service on D-Day and beyond..