Trump, Suozzi, Zeldin - and LV Locals - in Normandy for D-Day

On June 6th, Congressmen Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) joined President Donald Trump, to attend the 75th Anniversary D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, France. The Congressmen landed on the beaches of Normandy 75-years to the minute of the landings.

“This experience was truly sobering and humbling. Seventy-five years later, the sacrifice made on the altar of Normandy must be remembered and revered. These brave souls demand that we earn the sacrifice they made by lifting up our freedom and our democracy and participating in our politics and government in a way that is more noble.” Suozzi said.

While at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer Congressman Tom Suozzi paid his respects, to the 21 soldiers from the 3rd Congressional District who are interred there. Suozzi laid wreaths at the grave of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, as well as at the graves of 15 soldiers, and at the “Tablets of the Missing,” which memorializes the five soldiers who are listed as missing in action.

Addressing the 60 U.S. veterans of Normandy present at the anniversay, President Trump stated, “You are among the very greatest Americans who will ever live. You are the pride of our nation. You are the glory of our republic. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

On June 7th, Suozzi also visited Locust Valley’s sister city, Sainte-Mère-Église, and presented the Mayor, Jean Quétier, with a flag that flew over the US Capitol. Suozzi was accompanied by Kaye Weninger, the president of Operation Democracy, and Reverend Michael Sniffen, Dean of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City (and formerly of St. John’s of Lattingtown).

The concept of “sister cities” began with Locust Valley and Sainte-Mère-Église. In 1944 Life magazine ran a photo of the wife of the mayor of Sainte-Mère-Église placing flowers on the grave of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. The photo inspired residents of Locust Valley to “adopt” the village as a “sister city” sending supplies to the war-ravaged village. Within a year, nearly 200 American cities had followed Locust Valley’s lead, adopting sister cities all over the world.