99-year-old veteran remembers Normandy on D-Day

Henry Pelak, a 99-year-old veteran who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. (June 6, 2024)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — June 6 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the day Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France.

The images and stories of the terrible loss of life as the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy that day are well known. But the Grand Rapids veteran also wants people to know about the dangers thousands of people faced even before the invasion.

“I was assigned to be the first boat in the first wave on D-day,” said World War II veteran Henry Pelak.

However, a few weeks earlier, the World War II Navy veteran had been in England as part of training for the planned D-Day invasion. At the age of 19, he was assigned to the role of a car mechanic on a landing craft.

During training, a German boat attacked an Allied convoy.

“In Operation Tiger… 749 people died during pre-D-day exercises,” Pelak said.

Pelak showed photos from that period. He collected information and put it in a book.

“It took me 80 years to piece together what happened in Operation Tiger,” Pelak said.

The survivors, including Pelak, later went to Normandy.

“It was a special task because they put us in a boat carrying soldiers. We transported a combat demolition unit,” Pelak said. “(Most of them) didn’t survive because of the explosives, machinery, fire and so on.”

During the invasion, Pelak was able to help rescue some of his comrades.

“There are two sailors. They’re running towards us because we’re still there. We pulled them onto the boat and managed to save the two sailors,” Pelak recalls.

Others could not be saved.

“I had to pick him up and I took him and held him. I’ve got this soldier and look what’s happening, it’s really scary, you know. McGregor died in my arms,” ​​Pelak said.

The 99-year-old veteran is grateful he survived D-Day.

“You have to count your blessings,” he said.

He is surrounded by family and friends at his favorite place, Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center, where they greet him.

“The greatest joy in my life is playing golf and watching people have fun,” he said.

After almost a hundred years of life, Pelak shares a message of kindness.

“Try to do something nice for everyone you meet. You should practice this every day of your life, do you know why? Because it is the best medicine in the world,” Pelak said.

He will be 100 years old on July 24.