Anniversaries of D-Day are always special and meaningful events, but who you are with and who you meet are what make these events truly special.
This week, for the 79th anniversary of D-Day, I had the privilege of guiding David Peretti. David’s father was 2nd Lieutenant Bernaldo Marko Peretti. Lt Peretti served in WWII in the 32nd Field Artillery Battalion part of the 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One”.
A veteran of North Africa (he was awarded the Silver Star following the battle of El Ghettar) and Sicily, Bernaldo Peretti was still a Sergent when he landed on Omaha Beach soon after the first waves. His job on D-Day was to land with an advance party to be ready to organize the unloading of the battalion’s artillery pieces. Moments after he landed, his landing craft hit a German mine, broke in half and killed or maimed all that were still aboard, he was one of the only survivor. To make matters worse, by mid-morning on D-Day, the threat of German obstacles still on the beach as the tied slowly went up prevented the large LCT (Landing Craft Tanks) carrying the artillery pieces from getting close to the shore. Sgt Peretti found himself stranded on one of the most dangerous sector of Omaha beach for hours, first taking cover under the broken up wreck of his landing craft before joining infantry elements to get off the beach.
Sgt Bernaldo Peretti would not only survive D-Day but receive a battlefield commission to 2nd Lieutenant in recognition of his extraordinary heroism and leadership in Normandy. He survived the war, having been awarded a Silver Star, a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Clusters.
As we were making our way along Omaha, and only a couple of hundred yards from where Lt Peretti landed, David and I encountered a contingent of active members of the US military. To our surprise and amazement, they were the leadership elements of the current 1st Division, lead by Major General John V. Meyer III. Gen. Meyer took a lot of time out of what I imagine was a busy schedule to listen to David talk about his father and showed not just genuine interest but seemed truly humbled by the story of Lt Peretti.