Fox News’ 3 p.m. program Shepard Smith Reporting marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day with a dramatic in-studio interview with a man who was in the middle of it all that day in 1944: Army veteran Corporal John McHugh (Retired).
Smith introduced the 95-year-old D-Day veteran of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division:
On this day in 1944, he landed at about 7:30 in the morning. He says there were about 10 others in his landing craft, and as they tried to get to shore, a German shell blew up the boat behind them. Corporal McHugh was carrying a tripod for a 30-caliber machine gun. But along with the tripod goes the actual 30-caliber machine gun. And the soldier who was carrying that, died. So Corporal McHugh had to crawl along that beach without any gun at all while the Nazis fired at him all day.
AdvertisementOn day two of the invasion, Corporal McHugh says that the Allies faced enormous hedgerows, and they had no way of knowing if the enemy was behind them. There were just so many obstacles to overcome in a long and bloody push. After surviving The Invasion at Normandy, Corporal McHugh spent months fighting the Nazis in other historic battles including the Battle of the Bulge. He earned several medals and awards, including the Silver Star for gallantry in action, the Bronze Star for meritorious service, the European Theater of Operations ribbon that includes the Silver Arrow or Silver Arrowhead I should say, for the Normandy invasion. Two presidential unit citations and the Combat Infantry Badge.
After the Allies triumphed in 1945 Corporal McHugh came home to New York and married his childhood sweetheart. The couple has three children three grandchildren seven great-grandchildren he’s a first generation Irish-American. His family says Corporal McHugh has a beautiful Irish tenor voice and they still ask him to sing ‘Danny Boy’ on special occasions. And he’s with us now, on-set. A member of America’s greatest Generation Corporal John McHugh. Welcome.”
We honor you today sir, thanks for being here.”
McHugh recalled the D-Day invasion of Normandy as he best he could, saying “You’re so, you’re petrified. You’re absolutely petrified. A guy falling over there, a guy falling over there. It’s hell. It’s just hell on Earth. I can’t describe it any better. I don’t think anyone can really describe it. It’s a– needless to say, I had a bad day.”
McHugh then described the mass of dead bodies. He became emotional.
“A lot of dead bodies,” Smith replied.
“A lot of dead bodies, said McHugh again, before pausing. “But… but you just keep going up, that’s all. Gotta keep moving.”
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