The Greatest Generations Foundation

Happy Independence Day. Student of Hillsdale College visit a Normandy to pay homage to Heroes of World War II.

Connecting Generations program transforms the lives of resilient, high-potential youth through immersive educational journeys to Normandy, France—where history, healing, and hope converge. By engaging students and educators in rigorous, emotionally resonant explorations of World War II’s enduring legacy, we foster intergenerational dialogue with veterans that ignites civic responsibility, preserves historical memory, and nurtures mental well-being. Rooted in the power of connection, our programs inspire purpose and direction, empowering the next generation to rise from adversity and lead with meaning in their communities and beyond.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation.”
Web: www.TGGF.org

NEVER FORGET — Seventy-five years, more than 135,000 North Korean troops invaded South Korea, starting a war that cost millions of lives and left scars that linger to this day.

Yet, the Korean War has been forever overshadowed by World War II, a much larger conflict that ended less than five years earlier. Even the US Army refers to Korea as “the Forgotten War” – despite more than 36,000 American lives lost.

War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces stormed across the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea. An armistice signed on July 27, 1953, stopped the conflict, but the war never officially ended because there was no peace treaty.

While the twists and turns of today’s US-North Korea relationship have put a spotlight on the Korean War’s legacy, it is still a widely overlooked conflict.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS — One of the last survivors of the assault on the D-Day beaches in 1944 has died. Cecil Newton was 101.

Cecil Newton, from Aldbourne, was 20 on D-Day when he joined a tank crew attacking a German blockhouse. His Sherman Tank landed on Gold Beach on June 6.

Newton was a trooper in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and a loader in an amphibious Sherman Tank crew.

Under the 8th Armored Brigade, the regiment landed on King Green, Gold Beach, at 07:20 on 6 June 1944 as part of D-Day, supporting the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division. Newton and the regiment later fought in the Battle of the Falaise Gap and Operation Market Garden, pushing as far as Driel on the Rhine near Arnhem.

Later in the war, in November 1944, he was severely wounded with a leg injury and was shot three times when his tank came under attack in a German village.

He described himself as “exceptionally lucky to survive” the later attack.

Amongst those he knew who died in the war was Mr Newton’s brother Frederic - shot dead by two Germans who raised their hands to surrender, but then opened fire.

In June 2024, Newton travelled back to France to take part in the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations.

On behalf of a grateful nation, we extend our profound gratitude to Cecil Newton for his unwavering dedication and invaluable service to the preservation of our freedom.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS — George Leitmann, a 99-year-old N**i fighter and Nuremberg interrogator, has died.

Born on May 24, 1925, in Vienna, Austria, he fled N**i terror with his mother and two grandmothers to the United States in 1940, settling in Queens, New York. His father, Josef, escaped to Yugoslavia but was killed in a concentration camp in Serbia.

Leitmann graduated from Newton High School in December 1943 and enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the European theater in 1944. During the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre for a reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines. His unit liberated the Kaufering concentration camp near Munich. After the war, he became the youngest special agent of the U.S. Army’s Counterintelligence Corps, serving as an interrogator at the Nuremberg War Crime Trials.

Leitmann enrolled in Columbia University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1949 and a master’s degree in 1950. From 1950-57, he worked as a rocket scientist at the Naval Ordnance Test Station in China Lake, California, where he met and married his wife, Nancy.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.tggf.org

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTs — It is with a heavy heart. We learn the passing of Wayne Mills, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering dedication and service. He was 99.

As a proud graduate of Westerville High School in 1943, Wayne answered the call to serve his country during World War II. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1944 at the tender age of 18. He was wounded in combat on February 2, 1945, but his service and sacrifice were recognized with the award of the Purple Heart.

Wayne was honorably discharged in 1947, and returned to Nebraska, where he devoted his life to farming and family. His memory will forever be etched in our hearts.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.tggf.org

Happy Birthday to the United States Army.

What a proud moment it should be—a celebration of the oldest branch of our military, steeped in valor, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication.

But what a great shame it is that our own government did not have the courage or foresight to extend invitations to the very people who forged the greatness of our Army across generations.

According to countless veterans—men and women loyal to the Republic—this year’s commemorative events failed to honor those who should have been front and center.

From the aging heroes of Omaha Beach, to the brave souls of Bomber Command, to the long-overlooked veterans of the Korean War, and the few remaining warriors from America’s most harrowing battles in Vietnam, all were left out.

Blinded by non-invitation, these guardians of our history were cast aside during a moment meant to honor their legacy.

This was more than an oversight. It was a painful reminder of how quickly a nation can forget the living embodiments of its own freedom.

As we mark another year in the Army’s storied history, let us not forget that it is not medals or machinery that shape legacy—it is the people. The soldiers. The veterans.

Let us hope that in future celebrations, we remember not just the institution, but those who gave it meaning.

Timothy Davis
President

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
“Every Day is Memorial Day”
Web: www.TGGF.org

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS — Raymond F. Chambers, the last known World War II veteran to have served as a Glider Pilot during Operation Overlord, the Allied landings in Normandy, has died. He was 102.

Raymond carried an anti-tank gun, a jeep, and two 82nd Airborne artillery men, landing near Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France. After Normandy, he flew as a C-47 copilot, dropping paratroopers for Operation Market Garden.

RIP Raymond F. Chambers.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

On the 81st anniversary of D-Day, a poignant moment unfolded as a young French girl was embraced by a 103-year-old World War II veteran, Lester Schrenk. This heartwarming gesture serves as a poignant reminder of the immense sacrifices made 81 years ago.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

Happy 81st Anniversary of DDAY, the people of France will never forget.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

After 81 years, the Airmen Over Europe finally receive their memorial, honoring the memory of all 26,000 killed in action. Special thanks to The Normandy Institute. Today is June 06, 2025.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

NORMANDY - 81st Anniversary —-

During World War II, over 26,000 American Airmen from the 8th Air Corps lost their lives in Europe. After 81 years, tomorrow, their memorial will be unveiled.

Lester Schrenk, a 103-year-old veteran who was shot down during the 10th mission, will unveil this poignant tribute to their unwavering sacrifice.

Lester Schrenk joined the U.S. Army Air Forces on his 19th birthday in November 1942.

At 5’11”, he was much bigger than most men tasked with the cramped space. He was deployed to Europe a year later. Assigned as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 bomber crew, he flew with the 92nd Bomb Group of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.

Schrenk described the missions of a ball turret gunner and a harrowing mission where his damaged bomber barely made it back to England.

On his 10th mission, February 22, 1942, to Denmark, his bomber was badly damaged by a German JU-88. He bailed out and was captured, held prisoner at Stalag Luft IV, surviving harsh conditions and interrogations. Near war’s end, as the Russian Red Army approached, he was forced on a death march west until reaching the British Army and liberation.

For decades, Schrenk wondered why the German fighter who wounded his bomber didn’t finish them off. In 2012, he found the German pilot, Hans-Hermann Muller, who had spared the American bomber because he knew the entire crew would drown if it went down over water. The former enemies became friends.

Lester is back in Normandy for the dedication of the Mighty Eighth Air-Force memorial to honor the 26000 Airmen Killed Over Europe during WWII.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest Generations Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org