Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is James Lair.
James enlisted in the Navy, as he’d tell you, “when war was declared” and separated “when the war was over.”
He sailed aboard the USS Charles Carroll, and crewed Higgins Boats, ferrying assault troops to the beaches of North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy.
On June 6, 1944, James’ boat was among the first to hit Omaha Beach. His crew took two more round trips before the end of the day.
James is now 96-years-old and recently had the opportunity to visit the memorials in Washington D.C. with the West Central Florida Honor Flight.
Thank you for your service, James.
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service..
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much of the information as you can put together with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating for how to create the best submission.
Topics in this story
More Stories
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Coast Guard Veteran Alan Spielman, who served in Alaska.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Air Force Veteran Jan Klebukowski, who served in the United States, United Kingdom and South Korea.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Navy Veteran James McDonald, who served as a Chief Metalsmith during his service.
Mr. Lair obviously served in the USCG, not the Navy. USCG coxswains ferried many of the Higgins boats ashore at Normandy and in the Pacific. Although the Coast Guard was made a branch of the Navy Department by executive order on November 1, 1941, it remained a separate service and reverted back to Treasury Department control at the end of WW II.