Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and turned the tide of World War II 71 years ago tomorrow, June 6, 1944. Many of those young men of the D-Day invasion are now in their twilight years and the battle is a memory that by the grace of God they survived.
I am certain that many of the television channels will present programs about this invasion on the shores of France in 1944. I already have seen a few.
Of the five beaches where troops came ashore, two were assigned to the Americans: Utah and Omaha. Two beaches — Gold and Sword — were assigned to the British and the Canadians were assigned Juno.
Troops in landing craft survived rough water on the only clear day reported for weeks, and overcame seasickness, the weight of heavy equipment packs and the possibility of jumping off the craft and drowning with the equipment. Once ashore, they were open to be fired upon from the German guns.
Overcoming all of the obstacles, the young men made it work and broke through the lines, turning the tide of Hitler’s war. To honor those veterans, Heartland of Mentor will host a display of D-Day items in the hospitality room between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. June 6. The collection of Ron Cigany includes items such as uniforms, weapons and memorabilia from D-Day.

Gunny’s Hall annual garage sale
Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, will host its annual garage sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6 at the detachment.
Saturday hours will be half-price day. The sale will benefit the Marine Corps League. For details, call 440-974-9380.

Legion Riders host Traveling Wall
American Legion Riders Chapter 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a Remembrance Tribute to Ohio Veterans featuring the traveling Ohio POW-MIA Vietnam Memorial Wall on June 6.
At 1 p.m., a ceremony will be presented by Rolling Thunder Inc. Chapter 5 Ohio. The event is open to the public. A dinner will be offered following the ceremony and music will be provided by DJ Woody.
For details, call Steve Anderson at 440-413-1055 or Mike Bodnar at 440-346-2141.

Legion hosts golf outing
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, Burton-Middlefield American Legion will host its annual golf outing beginning at 10:30 a.m., June 6 at Pleasant Hills Golf Course, 13461 Aquilla Road in Claridon Township.
Call Bruce Zupancic at 440-897-2396 for details.

Party helps fund scholarship 
The Lance Cpl. David Baker Scholarship Fund Party will begin at 1 p.m. June 7 at American Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison.
The afternoon will offer food, a raffle, 50/50 raffle and live music by Larry, Larry, Darryl and Cheryl. For information, call Dean Bader at 440-537-6511.

6th Annual Steak Roast at Newbury Post
Newbury American Legion Post 663, 11008 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township, will host its 6th Annual Steak Roast in Hunter Pavilion behind the post home from 4:30 to 7 p.m., June 13.
Tickets are $15 at the door or $12 in advance. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 440-635-6390; 440-567-9061 or 440-269-3184.

Rolling Thunder participates in Military Night
Rolling Thunder Chapter 1 Ohio will participate in Military Night at Classic Park in Eastlake on June 13, when the Lake County Captains take on the Kane County Cougars at 7 p.m.
Tickets for this special evening must be purchased by June 6. The evening will feature a military service personnel parade, pre-game motorcycle procession, Military Jersey Silent Auction, a supply drive, the POW-MIA remembrance ceremony and fireworks after the game. For details, call 440-975-8085 or email JYorko@Captainsbaseball.com.

Painesville color guard fundraiser
American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a fundraiser for its color guard from 7 to 10:30 p.m. June 20 at the post home.
Live music will be performed by Wicked Vinyl. For details, call the post at 440-357-7711.

Father’s Day breakfast
Andy Nowacki , Lake Erie College, American Legion Post 807 will host a Father’s Day pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon June 21 at American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick. Cost is $5 per person.

Annual golf outing at Madison Country Club
The Col. Justice M. Chambers Gene Deka Memorial Golf Classic will be 1 p.m. June 27 at Madison Country Club.
Cost is $80 per person and includes lunch, dinner and refreshments, 18-hole scramble, golf cart, and prizes for longest drives, pin shots and putts.
Tickets must be purchased before June 15. Make checks payable to Col. J.M. Chambers Golf Classic, 8720 Twinbrook Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 or call 440-974-9380 with questions.

Cruise In at Willowick Legion
A Veteran Car and Motorcycle Cruise In will be noon to 4 p.m. every Sunday at American Legion Post 678, 590 E. 328th St. in Willowick.
All cars and motorcycles are welcome. Registration fee is $5 or a donation for the homeless veterans shelter.
The event will offer food, drinks, 50/50 raffle and more. For details, call the post at 440-943-9659.

Gunny’s Hall kitchen summer hours
Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, will close the kitchen on Mondays for the summer. New hours will be Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Regular menu items will be available and a fish fry will be available on Friday. The Sunday morning breakfasts will not be available again until September.
For details, call the detachment at 440-974-9380.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

It is not often that we hear of a new group beginning.
Ted Makse, commander of Mentor-on-the-Lake AMVETS Post 109, tells me that the AMVETS Juniors group will have its first meeting and become chartered at noon Saturday. All are welcome to attend.
The junior group is open to those who are ages 5 through 17. The young people will participate in community activities and make trips to visit hospitalized veterans in the area.
If this sounds like something a youngster in your home would be interested in, stop by the post Saturday at 7847 Lake Shore Blvd., or call the post for details at 440-257-9217.

Legion Riders host
health and wellness benefit
The American Legion Riders of Post 678, 579 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a spaghetti dinner to benefit health and wellness. The dinner will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the post home.
The dinner will include salad, rolls and spaghetti with meatball for $5.50.
For details, call 440-943-9659.

Lucky Shoots begin
Saturday
American Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison, will host Lucky Shoots beginning with sign-ups at 9 a.m. Saturday through March 16 at the post home.
Breakfast will be available to shooters for $ 2.50 or $5 for nonshooters.
The post also will offer dinner specials Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Visit the post website for details at www.americanlegionjaywilsonpost112.org.

Burton Legion hosts breakfast
American Legion Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a pancake and sausage breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the post home. For details, call 440-343-1478.
AMVETS Ladies serve breakfast
The Ladies Auxiliary of AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake, will host a breakfast from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Breakfast will be $5 a person. For details, call the post home at 440-257-9217.

American Legion County
Council hosts dinner
American Legion Geauga County Council will host a chicken and dumplings dinner at Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19. Cost is $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For tickets and details, call 440-834-1191.

Burgers and Beer benefit
AMVETS Post 40 and its Ladies Auxiliary, 9141 Jordan Drive in Mentor, will host a “Burgers and Beer for Breast Awareness” 4 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 19. This is a benefit fundraiser for Beth Mills, who is fighting Stage 4 breast cancer.
The evening will include homemade burgers and fresh cut fries for $7; all beef hot dogs and fresh cut fries for $5. Cash bar, 50/50 raffle and a Chinese auction. The event is open to the public. For details call 440-257-5825.

Legion Riders
will host Chili Cookoff
American Legion Post 336 Riders will host a Chili Cookoff and Tasting from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at the post home, 60 Chester St. in Painesville. Cost of the tasting is $4 a person and the tasting also will include a Chinese auction and 50/50 raffle.
There is no charge to enter and the judging will be by popular vote of the tasters.
Each entry requires at least two quarts of chili, so there is enough for everyone to taste.
For details, call 440-357-7711.

Dinner will benefit
Boulevard of 500 Flags
A fundraiser to benefit the Boulevard of 500 Flags will begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick.
Tickets are $20 a person or $35 a couple. The evening will include dinner, open bar, reverse raffle, Chinese auction and side boards.
Money raised will be used to replace flagpoles and the worn American flags. Tickets are available at American Legion Post 678 or at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.

Abbey Rodeo entertains
at fundraiser
Willoughby VFW Post 1500 will present a fundraising spaghetti dinner beginning at 6 p.m. March 23 at the post home, 38295 Pelton Road in Willoughby.
Dinner will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. followed with entertainment by Abbey Rodeo from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will benefit “The Littlest Heroes” as well as the VFW National Children’s Home, and Cleveland Area Veterans Affairs Hospital Treats and Care Packages for the Troops.
Tickets are $18 per person and because of advanced sales may not be available at the door.
For tickets, call 440-951-9233.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094, fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.