Remembering D-Day
SANNERVILLE, FRANCE - JUNE 05: 280 Paratroopers from the DAKS Historical Association take part in a parachute drop onto fields at Sannerville on June 05, 2019 in Sannerville, France. Veterans, families, visitors and military personnel are gathering in Normandy on June 6th to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Landings which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory in Europe 11 months later. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Today marks the anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944 is a day to remember especially for 90 year old Jim Radford…
Jim Radford was only 15 when he served as a ship’s galley boy on June 6, 1944, making him the youngest known D-Day veteran.
Jim helped build the Mulberry harbor at Gold Beach, which allowed the British Royal Navy to get personnel, vehicles and supplies onto the beaches of France.
Seventy-five years later, Jim has released a new version of a poignant ballad he wrote in 1969 to honor those who died in Normandy.
His song, “The Shores of Normandy,” has been at No. 1 on Amazon’s singles chart for most of the week, beating the likes of Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber.
Profits from song sales will support the British Normandy Memorial, due to be inaugurated today by UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I’m obviously delighted and extremely surprised to be No. 1 on this particular chart, and I hope it does well because the more copies are downloaded, the more money we’ll have to pay for this wonderful memorial we’re building here,” Radford said in a recorded statement.
Hey It’s Ryan, let me start off by saying…YES, I was born and raised in Wixom, Michigan although a lot of listeners like to joke that I am from Arizona. WCSX has always been my radio home, I have been at the station since I was a 23-year-old intern, co-host of Big Jim’s House, married with kids. Family and radio are what I love, but don’t get me started on golf!
Like some, I have become obsessed with golf and you can hear all about that on “The Ball Washer Pod” right here on WCSX. One of my other passions is helping out the Vets. Since coming to WCSX I have been apart of raising hundreds of thousands for local vet groups. Other than that, I am a goofy guy, loving life, my family and talking to you on the radio. Ryan writes about golf, family and what happens on “Big Jim’s House.”
