WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Five beaches were part of the D-Day invasion. One location was Omaha Beach where American troops stormed the beach in an attempt to liberate France.
While battleships were bombarding the coast with heavy artillery, coxswain Richard Ramsey was stationed on one of those ships that fateful day, and witnessed the carnage.
"June 6th, 1944, 12:30 - 2:30am. Two planes shot down. Large fires and explosions on the beach. And we could see the gliders and the planes going into Normandy and coming back,” said Ramsey.
At 101 years old, Richard "Dick" Ramsey, remembers June 6, 1944 like it was yesterday.
"We became field artillery for the Army and the paratroopers and we destroyed 91 tanks, and we chased the German infantry out of there,” he said.
He keeps memorabilia from his time in the Navy in his bedroom and is proud of his service aboard the USS Nevada battleship, including the French Legion of Honor.
"I was very honored, and he gave me a bottle of French wine, which we ate, it was like the icing on the cake."
He still has the letter from then General Dwight D. Eisenhower describing the importance of their mission.
“Eisenhower had requested some battleships with big guns.... so, they sent them the three oldest battleships in the Navy: the Arkansas, the Texas and the Nevada."
The centenarian left high school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. He wanted to do his part and eventually landed a job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where he helped build the U.S.S. Iowa battleship.
In 1943 he enlisted in the Navy and was eventually assigned to USS Nevada manning an anti-aircraft gun mount.
“I was in charge of the ammunition supply, on the third deck,” Ramsey recalled.
On June 5th, 1944, the Nevada began crossing the English Channel headed for Utah beach. It was the flagship battleship of the Normandy invasion supporting ground forces.
“Commander Charles Yager he gave the order to commence firing. The Nevada had the honor of firing the first shot. We fired 51% accuracy which means we had a hit every other time."
The battleship then made its way to Omaha Beach.
“The whole beach was on fire, the Navy could not see where to fire but the troops had a schedule to land, and they landed, if you've seen Private Ryan, that’s exactly how it happened.”
Ramsey says combat was grueling and the depths of destruction unimaginable. "The water, all of it was loaded with mines, and some of the big landing-craft got it. They had one survive out of 100 men."
"It breaks your heart. These are the youth of our country. They gave their todays for your tomorrows."