The Ocean County Board of Freeholders will hold a special ceremony honoring D-Day veterans who live in the county. The ceremony will be held 11 a.m. Friday, June 4.
"We want to honor these veterans with a special certificate and a ceremony that recognizes the importance of their actions 60 years ago," said Freeholder Gerry P. Little, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau. "Had it not been for their bravery and the valor they showed, the world today would be much different."
Veterans who participated in the D-Day invasion are asked to contact the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau at (732) 929-2096 to apply for a commemorative certificate. The deadline to register for a certificate is June 1.
The certificates will be distributed at the ceremony to be held at the Ocean County Administration Building at 101 Hooper Ave., Toms River.
D-Day was June 6, 1944, when the United States and Britain launched a secret invasion of northern France. Designed to re-establish an Allied presence in continental Europe, this invasion eventually led to the fall of the Nazi empire and the end of World War II.
"Ocean County is home to more than 63,000 veterans, many of whom served in World War II," said Little. "On June 4 we want to recognize those veterans who participated in what President Franklin D. Roosevelt described as a ‘mighty endeavor’ to preserve our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity.
"We encourage our veterans to be a part of this special ceremony," Little said.