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BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Soldiers with the 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, were on hand to contribute their skills and provide coverage of D-Day commemoration events in Normandy, France, June 1-9, 2026.
This year marked the 82nd anniversary Operation Overlord and the historic airborne jumps in and around the Normandy region. D-Day has been widely recognized as a major turning point in World War II and events are held every year in honor of the Allies’ actions that day.
The 109th MPAD, a subordinate unit of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 213th Regional Support Group, provided public affairs coverage and participated in some of these events.
While in Normandy, Master Sgt. Zane Craig and Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Nelson, senior public affairs specialists with the 109th MPAD, had the unique opportunity to re-enlist during one of the key commemorations. U.S. Army Gen. Chris Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, presided over the mass re-enlistment held at the Normandy American Cemetery in which approximately 40 service members raised their right hands and recited the oath of re-enlistment June 6.
“It’s something I’ll definitely remember for the rest of my career and it’s something I’ll be able to tell my kids that I was able to participate in,” said Nelson. “Not a lot of people have the opportunity like that, and that situation was so unique and special.”
Maj. Travis Mueller, commander of the 109th MPAD, represented SOCEUR when he spoke at a ceremony in Carentan, honoring paratroopers who fought in Normandy.
“My role was to serve as a commentator for the crowd in Carentan, translating the scheduled airborne demonstration into a meaningful tribute to the heroes of 1944. I wanted to bridge the gap between past and present, showing that the same courage that defined the ‘Greatest Generation’ is carried forward by today’s Soldiers,” Mueller said. “It was deeply humbling. The center of attention was supposed to be the airborne demonstration, but to be even a small part of an event like that, where we honor sacrifices made by so many, really made me pause and reflect.”
U.S. service members in Normandy for D-Day commemorations also participated in Carentan family dinners, a tradition where U.S. service members are invited into local French homes for a meal. The experience helped U.S. troops and local French citizens connect on a personal level. Many of the French locals who host those dinners personally witnessed, or are direct descendants of those who personally witnessed, the Allies’ actions on D-Day.
Capt. Christopher Booker enjoyed a five-course meal in a historic home that proudly displayed photographs of members of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment that visited the same home in 1944. The home was once an office for a Nazi contingency before being taken over by the Allies and still bore the scrapes and damages of World War II.
“The most impactful thing I experienced was the love and admiration the local French population had for U.S. Soldiers. It was something I’ve never experienced before,” Booker said. “During the visit with the family, you could feel how deep that gratitude, love and respect ran. It was palpable and made me feel extremely welcome, which is rare today.”
The mission for the 109th MPAD was to publicize U.S. Special Operations Command Europe’s participation in D-Day events, primarily through photography, videography and media relations.
“History is preserved by the storytellers, and our role ensured the legacy of D-Day remains vivid by visualizing what readiness and alliance look like,” Mueller said. “We help capture that visualization when we show U.S. and NATO allies jumping side-by-side during an airborne operation, Soldiers giving patches to French children, or U.S. and French service members saluting each other’s flags to honor their shared sacrifices.”
The 109th MPAD, who was awarded the Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Organization of the Year (Large) by the National Guard Bureau for two out of the last three years, had the opportunity to provide coverage for 16 events and ceremonies. Those events varied between airborne jumps, musical exchanges, French-American sports competitions, the Normandy American Cemetery ceremony and multiple ceremonies involving Special Operations Command senior leader engagements.
“I started my career in the 29th Infantry Division that fought its way onto Omaha Beach,” Mueller said. “My brother-in-law is an elite Soldier who recently served in the 75th Ranger Regiment, that carries the legacy of those who fought at Pointe du Hoc. My father served in the 1st Infantry Division, which was also in Normandy on D-Day. I also served in the 28th Infantry Division, that fought in the Battle of the Bulge.”
Mueller added that despite the poor weather and multiple flight cancellations, the MPAD remained committed to the mission and was able to capture over 300 photos and videos during the week of events while simultaneously reflecting on the impact the historic events have had on present day Soldiers.
“I think seeing the beaches hit me the hardest,” Nelson said. “It leaves you speechless, especially if you have ties to the military from WWII. This is the beach they landed on, fought on, died on. I thought about the whole aspect of brotherhood and selfless service. They threw themselves at the Germans.
“And they won.”
| Date Taken: | 06.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2026 16:45 |
| Story ID: | 570161 |
| Location: | CARENTAN, MANCHE, FR |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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