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Willard Parker, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was drafted into the Army two weeks before his 18th birthday in 1942.

He did basic training then was shipped to England for further training for the war. He was a sharp shooter and machine gunner.

He was later shipped to France, where he was in the first wave of soldiers to hit the beach on D-Day.

He later was sent to a little town to clear it of any German soldiers remaining. As they were clearing buildings and homes he heard a child crying. He found a 3- to 4-year-old little girl sitting by her deceased mother in a bedroom. After rescuing her, he took care of her for three days until they came to a Red Cross tent. He left her there for treatment and placement.

At some point he was sent to Saint-Lô, France. He was a machine gunner so he and his ammunition loader would always go ahead of the others to clear snipers out of trees. The two were hit with a mortar shell, which killed his buddy. Parker was hit and fell. He said he lay there from 8 in the morning until around 4 that afternoon when medics found him.

What sticks out to him most is the little girl, the streets of Paris being made of bricks, being shot, and the children holding little flags smiling and laughing while hollering,” Americana! Americana!” as they marched into Paris.