Andrew "Andy" Negra Jr., a resident of Helen, Georgia, is among the rapidly diminishing number of veterans who participated in the Allied forces' campaign in Europe, which culminated in the downfall of Nazi Germany.
Born on May 28, 1924, near Avella, Pennsylvania, Negra's military service began in the Armys 128th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 6th Armored Division. His journey took him from the shores of Utah Beach in Normandy on July 18, 1944, through the battle of Brest, and eventually to the Occupation of Germany. His honorable discharge came on December 17, 1945.
In 1943, fresh out of high school, Negra had plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh. However, as he recalls, "Uncle Sam had that finger pointed at me. I need you. And, I was drafted." The third of four children born to immigrants from Austria-Hungary, Negra did not hesitate to answer the call of duty. "There was a war going on, so I went along with everybody else. I just went into the service with an open mind," he said.
Today, Negra takes pride in being part of what is often referred to as "The Greatest Generation." When asked why, he simply stated, "Because we saved the world."
Negra has returned to France on previous occasions, but his upcoming trip to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day holds a special significance for both the people of Europe and himself. "Im talking about the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium. All of them are coming to this and therell be 35 different countries," he told The Associated Press. "So its going to be a pretty big event. And at the same time, Im saying to myself, theyre going to celebrate my birthday," said Negra, who recently turned 100.
Despite witnessing the horrors of war, Negra considers himself fortunate to have emerged unscathed. "I saw a lot of bad things. A lot of death," he admitted. However, his time in Europe also brought him love. He met his wife at a dance during his deployment. "Second song they played was 'People Will Say Were in Love.' And I told her, I said at that time, Im 19 I told her, I said, this is going to be our song for the rest of our lives. And I only knew her ten minutes."
As the D-Day anniversary draws near, Negra plans to revisit the site of one of his most terrifying experiences. He recounted a moment when his column was strafed by five German planes while on the road with the 6th Armored Division, attempting to retake the French port city of Brest. He sought refuge behind a well. "These five airplanes all dove for that well," Negra recalled. "And I was behind that well. So, when they strafed, fortunately it was a brick one, and solid." His return to France will include a visit to this location. "They say the wells not there, but the location is there. So, if possible, were going to go see that."
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