SUGAR HILL – Heavily overcast skies and steady rain greeted 160,000 Allied forces the morning of June 6, 1944, as they stormed a 50-mile stretch of beach in northern France. Thursday morning heavily overcast skies and steady rain made the perfect backdrop for Sugar Hill’s commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day.
The commemoration (moved inside the city council meeting room due to the rain) led into a ground breaking ceremony for the city’s new Veterans Memorial Plaza. The rainfall eased enough for the event to happen as planned at the plaza’s site, across the street from city hall on Broad Street.
Included in the plaza will be six monuments honoring the six branches of the military as well as a water feature with an eternal flame.
“The groundbreaking ceremony for the Veterans Memorial… will serve as a lasting tribute to service men and women from every branch who have given so much in service to others and to their country,” Joseph Meyers, Economic Development Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Sugar Hill, said in a media release.
“Because we cannot thank these brave men and women personally for their sacrifice, we will offer this memorial as a display of gratitude and remembrance,” Meyers adds.
Numerous veterans attended the brief ceremony and were recognized for their service. Notably, the senior member of the group, James D. Cox, Jr. of Sugar Hill, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Atlantic theater. He received a standing ovation when introduced to the crowd of nearly 100 attendees.
Cox explained his entry into the war. “The war was started…I had my choice and I took the Navy because I would either come back whole or I wouldn’t come back at all. That was my thoughts.”
Chuck Allen, Pastor of Sugar Hill Church, spoke to the audience and said, “Today’s a big deal. Every American ought to look at today and be extraordinarily proud of our heritage and our freedom.”
Rachel Schmalz of the Suwanee Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution said, “I think every day is a great day to honor military service members and their families.”
Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards said the goal is to have Veterans Memorial Plaza finished in time to be dedicated Monday, November 11th, which is Veterans’ Day.
