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Jill Atwood ReportingThousands of World War II veterans will gather in Washington D.C. tomorrow for the dedication of a monument built for those who served in the war. The monument features two arches -- one for the fighting in Europe, the other for fighting in the Pacific. And every person who died is remembered.
Fmr. Senator Bob Dole, Chairman, National World War II Memorial: "Every star over there represents a hundred people who didn't come back, who gave their life, and you add them up, there are over 400,000."
Grief counselors will be on hand at the opening of the memorial to help Veterans and their families.
Some Utah veterans will be at the dedication of the memorial as special invited guests. Each of the men has an extraordinary story.
Glenn Bartlett was just 20-years old when he hooked up and jumped out into the black sky over Normandy France.
Glenn Bartlett, 101st Airborne Division: "I was standing in the door. I was the first guy out of the plane. I turned around, I grabbed Frank Cochise's hand and said, ‘Good luck Frank,’ and went out."
Like all soldiers of his generation, he's humbled by his involvement in the most awesome military operation in history, D-Day.
Glenn Bartlett "The sky was alive with the tracer's. And the Germans were shooting up at the planes and it was some of our own fire. It was an awful mess."
He says he's no hero; he was just a private with an angel on his shoulder and good men by his side.
Glenn Bartlett: "I was hanging there numb from hitting through the tree limbs, and I was probably in shock. Finally followed the orders, cut yourself out and drop."
After the drop Bartlett tried to catch his bearings. Just steps away the harsh realities of war again slapped him the face.
Glenn Bartlett: "We were supposed to go back in the direction the planes came from. So I started back that way and the first thing I came across was Frank Crochise. He was long since dead. You knew that this wasn't a game anymore. This was no longer maneuvers. You see dead paratroopers all over the place."
Bartlett says over a thousand men were supposed to meet in a designated spot come daybreak; only 73 showed up.
This former paratrooper's memory of D-Day and the days following haunt him. He remembers everything, but certainly would like to forget some things.
Today his purple heart hangs around his neck from a bullet wound to the eye. Medals adorn his wall and his 101st airborne flag sits proudly next to him.
He'll be in Washington this weekend as an honored invited guest for the dedication. But it's a reunion with his army buddies afterwards that he's really looking forward to.
Glenn Bartlett: "We'll have a pretty good reunion this time. It will probably be the last one."
And Bartlett has just been asked to have breakfast at the White House, an invitation only a handful of veterans have received. He may even meet the president.
