Henry Langrehr, U.S. Army, WWII, D-Day Paratrooper, POW

As we prepare to mark 78 years since the D-Day invasion, we are blessed to have veterans who can share their stories of that fateful day. Iowa native Henry Langrehr joined the U.S. Army as s senior in high school and volunteered for the 82nd airborne because it paid better. In the early hours of June 6, 1944, Langrehr joined thousands of other paratroopers jumping into the pitch black skies over Normandy in to secure bridges in advance of the amphibious landings on the beaches that morning.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Langrehr tells us about his crash landing in Ste. Mere Eglise, and what he did after he landed. He also shares the riveting stories of hand-to-hand fighting in the hedgerows, being taken prisoner by the Germans, his daring escape from captivity, and his harrowing journey across enemy territory to rejoin American forces.