D-Day veteran Charles Shay, who saved lives on Omaha Beach, dies at 101 in France

By SYLVIE CORBET and JEFFREY SCHAEFFER Associated Press PARIS AP Charles Shay a decorated Native American veteran who was a -year-old U S Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and helped save lives died on Wednesday He was FILE World War II and D-Day veteran Charles Norman Shay from Maine poses at the Charles Shay monument on Omaha Beach in Normandy France Wednesday May Shay was a combat medic assigned to an assault battalion in the first wave of attack on D-Day June AP Photo Virginia Mayo File Shay died at his home in Bretteville-L Orgueilleuse in France s Normandy region his longtime friend and carer Marie-Pascale Legrand announced Shay of the Penobscot tribe and from Indian Island in the U S state of Maine was awarded the Silver Star for repeatedly plunging into the sea and carrying critically wounded soldiers to relative safety saving them from drowning He also received France s highest award the Legion of Honor in Shay had been living in France since not far from the shores of Normandy where nearly troops from Britain the U S Canada and other nations landed on D-Day on June The Battle of Normandy hastened Germany s defeat which came less than a year later He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones Legrand described The Associated Press Related Articles Federal demarcation agents launch immigration crackdown in New Orleans Practitioner to be sentenced for selling Matthew Perry ketamine before Friends star s overdose death In the current era in History December U S military opens all jobs to women Camp Mystic announces enhanced safety plans after death of girls counselors Why did the San Bernardino mass shooting happen The Charles Shay Memorial group which honors the memory of about Native Americans who landed on the Normandy beaches disclosed in a announcement posted on Facebook that our hearts are deeply saddened as we share that our beloved Charles Norman Shay has returned home to the Creator and the Spirit World He was an incredibly loving father grandfather father-in-law and uncle a hero to several and an overall amazing human being the report disclosed Charles leaves a legacy of love amenity courage spirit duty and family that continues to shine brightly For year Shay performed a sage-burning ceremony in homage to those who died at a site overlooking Omaha Beach where the monument bearing his name now stands In he handed over the remembrance task to another Native American Julia Kelly a Gulf War veteran from the Crow tribe On D-Day Allied troops lost their lives of them Americans More than were wounded On the German side several thousand were killed or wounded I guess I was prepared to give my life if I had to Fortunately I did not have to Shay declared in March in an interview with The Associated Press I had been given a job and the way I looked at it it was up to me to complete my job he recalled I did not have time to worry about my situation of being there and perhaps losing my life There was no time for this