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  • Writer's pictureDon Milne

Every D-Day fallen has a story - 2,502 of them

Updated: Jun 4, 2021



The 2,502 Americans, who died in Normandy on June 6, 1944, were not able to participate in a celebratory parade thanking them.


More than 130 volunteers from more than three dozen states, as well as France and England, have written their stories. As you scroll below, passing like a parade, you can see a brief bio of a fallen flag bearer representing his state, a link to his full story, the count of fallen from that state, and a link to where you can find the other stories of the fallen from that state.


Note: Flags reflect version in use in 1945.


Alabama




SSGT Murray B. Roberts

"Band of Brother's" Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division

Plane shot down and burned after crashing

Husband, father, shipping clerk






45 D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Arizona




CPL Jose V. Granillo

505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

Parents both died before the war






12 Arizona D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Arkansas




PFC Raymond C. Sanders

Bronze Star recipient

359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division

Landed on Utah Beach, still missing in action







15 Arkansas D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


California




TEC5 James E. Millican

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Killed during battle of Douve River

Joined army at age 15






85 California D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Colorado




PFC John D. Halls

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Died during Brécourt Manor assault

Farmer, star high school basketball player, National Parks Service worker






19 Colorado D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Connecticut





CPL Ruggiero P. Ginnetti

Silver Star recipient

Medic, 1st Infantry Division

Textile mill worker






40 Connecticut D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Delaware





2LT John M. Butler

Glider copilot

Died in crash with 101st Airborne General Don Pratt

Husband, father, farmer






10 Delaware D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here on Fold3 and here on the Delaware's World War II Fallen website.


District of Columbia




1LT Turner M. Chambliss, Jr.

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Shot by German sniper

Father army colonel, West Point grad






12 District of Columbia D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Florida




PFC James W. DeGraff

81st AA Battalion, 101st Airborne Division

Died exiting landing craft on Utah Beach

Farmer with 10 siblings






20 Florida D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Georgia




PVT Albert L. Cobb, Jr.

502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Infantry Division

Evacuated after wounded, but killed by straffing enemy plane

Telegram messenger







47 Georgia D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Idaho





PVT Sherril Beck

146th Engineer Combat Battalion

Never made it to Omaha Beach

Farmer







10 Idaho D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Illinois




PFC Andrew B. Curilovic

12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division

Died of wounds after blood transfusion

Parents from Yugoslavia, college grad, glass company salesman







121 Illinois D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Indiana




TEC4 Herbert J. Hornberger

741st Tank Battalion

Floating DD tank sank before reaching Omaha Beach

Farmer, his nephew visited Omaha Beach 50 years later






82 Indiana D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Iowa





TEC5 William H. Atlee

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Accountant, nephew of British Deputy Prime Minister Clement Attlee





40 Iowa D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Kansas




SGT Jay B. Moreland

SSGT William W. Moreland

149th Engineer Combat Team

Tasked with clearing path off of Omaha Beach

Brothers, farmers






35 Kansas D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Kentucky




Chief Motor Machinist George A. Kelly

LCI hit mine and sunk with Kelly in engine room

Garage mechanic, high school trumpet player






45 Kentucky D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Lousiana




PFC Houston D. Duhon

397th AA Battalion

Shot disembarking from LCT

Cajun, seven siblings






33 Louisiana D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Maine





PVT Lester A. Boulette

Medic, 1st Infantry Division

LCI hit below the water line and capsized






16 Maine D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Maryland




CPT Bernard J. Sabatino

Field hospital surgeon, 29th Infantry Division

Parents from Italy, doctor, husband






39 Maryland D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Massachusetts





CPL Joseph L. Tate

7th Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Infantry Division

Jewish, born in Russia, lawyer, husband of woman from India, father







84 Massachusetts D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Michigan




1LT LeRoy A. Dyer

Distinguished Flying Cross recipient

B-26 bombardier with 33 missions

Collided with other B-26

Only child, president of high school model airplane club







86 Michigan D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Minnesota




SSGT Jerome M. Helget

B-24 ball turret gunner

Crashed after running out of fuel

Worked at hatchery farm







41 Minnesota D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Mississippi




PVT Noel N. Nichols

29th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division

LCT hit a mine and sunk

Farmer, 9 siblings, husband







23 Mississippi D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Missouri




PFC Charles G. McSkimming

Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division

Wounded on Omaha Beach and drowned

Youngest of 10 children, both parents died, law clerk, husband






45 Missouri D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Montana






CPT Dale A. Roysdon

505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division

Killed at Battle of La Fiere Bridge

Family furniture business, University of Wyoming graduate






11 Montana D-Day Fallen

Find their stories here


Nebraska





PVT Charles W. Tinsley

Silver Star Recipient

16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Unit broke out of Omaha Beach

Husband and father, farmer