COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France — As waves rolled onto Omaha Beach during the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, Soldiers assigned to the 1st Infantry Division reflected on the actions of a combat medic whose courage under fire became part of the division's history.
On June 5, 2026, Soldiers, leaders, and family members attended a ceremony in honor of Master Sgt. Charles Norman Shay, a 1st Infantry Division combat medic who earned the Silver Star for his actions on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion.
During battlefield tours across Normandy, Soldiers learned about Shay's service and the legacy he left behind. For many, his story provided a personal connection to the events of D-Day and the sacrifices made by the generation that fought there.
Maj. Gen. Monté L. Rone, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, said Shay's story represents the courage displayed by countless Soldiers who landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
“Here, freedom was purchased at a tremendous cost,” Rone said. “Ordinary men performed extraordinary deeds, and courage was measured in actions, not words.”
Rone encouraged Soldiers to picture the conditions Shay faced as he came ashore on Omaha Beach.
“To understand Charles Shay’s service, look toward the beach,” Rone said. “Imagine the ramps of the Higgins boats dropping, cold water rushing around you, equipment pulling you down, naval gunfire overhead and artillery shells tearing into the shoreline. Smoke, confusion and fear surrounded those Soldiers, yet they continued forward.”
Retired U.S. Army Col. Paul Herbert, former executive director of the First Division Museum, knew Shay for nearly 20 years and accompanied him on numerous visits to Normandy.
“Charles Shay was one of the nicest men I’ve ever known,” Herbert said. “You would never know from his awards and everything he had done in combat that he was such a humble man.”
Herbert said Shay rarely focused on himself and instead spent much of his life honoring the Soldiers who never returned home.
One of those Soldiers was Pvt. Edward Rużyński, a fellow member of the 16th Infantry Regiment whom Shay attempted to save during the invasion. Decades later, Shay was reunited with members of Rużyński's family and shared details about his final moments.
“Charles was able to tell Eddie’s sister exactly what happened to him,” Herbert said. “That meant a lot to the family.” As Soldiers walked the same ground Shay crossed on D-Day, Herbert described the conditions he and thousands of other Soldiers faced before they even reached the beach.
Troops carrying heavy loads climbed down cargo nets into landing craft while rough seas battered the boats offshore. Many arrived exhausted, seasick and frightened before the fighting had even begun.
“When the ramp dropped, they were exhausted, scared and under fire,” Herbert said. “But they kept moving.”
The landing itself quickly descended into chaos. German artillery, mortars and machine guns tore into the assault waves while many Soldiers landed far from their assigned locations. Small groups formed on the beach and fought their way forward through confusion and heavy casualties.
“The division succeeded because of leadership and training,” Herbert said. “They trained over and over again before D-Day, and when things fell apart, small-unit leaders took initiative.”
U.S. Army Retired Staff Sgt. Victor Binkoski, a Vietnam War Veteran who served with the 1st Infantry Division, said the lessons of Normandy are a reminder that military service is built through effort and preparation.
“Soldiering is not an easy task,” Binkoski said. “It's not something we come in and automatically have. It's something we develop through training, discipline and experience.”
For Soldiers attending the ceremony, hearing Shay's story while standing on Omaha Beach made the history feel real.
“We have a legacy to uphold,” said U.S. Army Spc. David Kosciusko, assigned to 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Armored Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Seeing what those guys went through makes you want to work harder and live up to what they did.”
Looking across the shoreline where Shay once carried wounded Soldiers from the surf, many reflected on the example he left behind.
For the Soldiers of today's Big Red One, Shay's story served as a reminder that courage is often found in ordinary people who choose to act when others need them most.
“When you're lucky enough to serve with people like this, that's what makes us proud to have been members of the United States Army,” Binkoski said.