Skip to main content
Tags: d day | veteran | world war ii | memorial day | greatest generation

Veteran, 100: 'Greatest Generation' Helped Save the World

Thursday, 30 May 2024 07:33 AM EDT

A profile of Andrew "Andy" Negra Jr., of Helen, Georgia, one of a dwindling number of veterans took part in the Allies' European war effort that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Negra was born on May 28, 1924, near Avella, Pennsylvania.

His service is well-documented: Army's 128th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 6th Armored Division. He landed on Utah Beach in Normandy on July 18, 1944, and he fought in the battle of Brest among other battles. He later served in the occupation of Germany, and was honorably discharged on Dec. 17, 1945.

"BECAUSE WE SAVED THE WORLD"

It was 1943, and Andrew "Andy" Negra Jr. had just finished high school. He was thinking of attending the University of Pittsburgh. "But Uncle Sam had that finger pointed at me. 'I need you.' And, I was drafted."

The third of four children born to immigrants from Austria-Hungary, Negra expressed no qualms about entering the service. "There was a war going on, so I went along with everybody else. I just went into the service with an open mind."

Now, he proudly lays claim to being part of "The Greatest Generation."

"Because we saved the world," he said.

He has made the trip back to France before but says his return this year for the 80th anniversary of D-Day is special for the people of Europe, and for himself.

"I'm talking about the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium. All of them are coming to this and there'll be 35 different countries," he told The Associated Press ahead of his trip. "So it's going to be a pretty big event. And at the same time, I'm saying to myself, they're going to celebrate my birthday," said Negra, who turned 100 on May 28.

He considers himself lucky to have survived uninjured. "I saw a lot of bad things. A lot of death," he said.

But he also recounts meeting his wife at a dance while he was deployed there. "Second song they played was 'People Will Say We're in Love.' And I told her, I said — at that time, I'm 19 — I told her, I said, 'This is going to be our song for the rest of our lives.' And I only knew her 10 minutes."

As the D-Day anniversary approached, Negra was making plans to visit the scene of one of his life's most harrowing moments. He recalled being on the road with the 6th Armored Division, part of a push to retake the French port city of Brest, when his column was strafed by five German planes. He scrambled out of his half-track and hid behind a well.

"These five airplanes all dove for that well," Negra recalled. "And I was behind that well. So, when they strafed, fortunately it was a brick one, and solid."

His plans for his return to France include revisiting the scene. "They say the well's not there, but the location is there. So, if possible, we're going to we're going to go see that."

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.


Newsfront
A profile of Andrew "Andy" Negra Jr., of Helen, Georgia, one of a dwindling number of veterans took part in the Allies' European war effort that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
d day, veteran, world war ii, memorial day, greatest generation
501
2024-33-30
Thursday, 30 May 2024 07:33 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved