You’ve seen the black-and-white D-Day photographs taken under fire on the Normandy beaches during Operation Overlord, the pivotal World War II invasion that led to the defeat of Germany in 1945.
Perhaps you’ve visited northern France and looked out over Omaha Beach, trying to imagine the carnage of June 6, 1944, or walked among the gravesites at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.
80 years later: D-Day vets head back to Normandy.
Map of invasion: Where Allied troops landed.
Les Americans débarque: Grandmother’s diary documents D-Day opening.
Looking back: Why D-Day is still important today.
All D-Day survivors carried memories for the rest of their lives, even those who went on to careers in films, books, sports and television. Despite later becoming celebrities, they remained deeply affected.
Here are four men you may recognize. They were there. Here are some of the memories they couldn't forget.
James Doohan, actor
Why you know him: James Doohan played Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott aboard the starship Enterprise on the original "Star Trek" TV series.
Where was he on D-Day? Juno Beach landing.
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Military branch: Doohan was an artillery officer in D Company, Winnipeg Rifles, 14th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Royal Canadian Army.
What happened: After crossing Juno Beach, Doohan shot two German snipers in the French village of Graye-sur-Mer and was shot at least six times – not by a German, but by a nervous Canadian sentry – at about 11:30 that evening. He was hit by four bullets in the leg, one in his hand that took off his right middle finger, and one in the chest that was stopped by a silver cigarette case.
Did he ever talk about D-Day? Doohan wrote to Steven Spielberg to praise the director's film "Saving Private Ryan," which opens with a depiction of the invasion on Omaha Beach. "I suffered through the first 25 minutes of the movie," Doohan later told The New York Times.
Doohan died in 2005 at age 85 .
J.D. Salinger, author
Why you know him: Jerome David Salinger is the author of "Catcher in the Rye" and other stories.
Where was he on D-Day? Utah Beach landing.
Military branch: 12th Infantry Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, U.S. Army.
What happened: Salinger was drafted into the Army in 1942 and became an officer with the Counter-Intelligence Corps. He was in the second wave of the Utah Beach landing. After Normandy, he was at the liberation of Paris, fought at the Battle of the Bulge, and helped liberate prisoners at the Dachau concentration camp in April 1945.
Did he ever talk about D-Day? Salinger committed himself for psychiatric evaluation of battle fatigue after Dachau. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He rarely spoke about the war, but his wartime experiences appear in a number of his stories. “You never really get the smell of burned flesh out of your nose entirely, no matter how long you live,”he once told his daughter.
Salinger died in 2010 at age 91.
Yogi Berra, baseball All-Star
Why you know him: Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was an 18-time All-Star baseball player and cultural icon who was a catcher for the New York Yankees and later a manager and coach. He was part of 10 World Series championship teams.
Where was he on D-Day? Offshore at Omaha Beach and Utah Beach.
Military branch: U.S. Navy.
What happened: Seaman 1st class Berra was a gunner's mate on the USS Bayfield, an attack transport. He was aboard a Landing Craft Small Support boat that fired bullets and rockets at enemy positions on the beaches before Allied troops landed. He was injured by enemy fire and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Did he ever talk about D-Day? Berra was interviewed by NBC in 2004 about the invasion. "I sit and I thank the good Lord I was in the Navy," Berra said. "We ate good, clean clothes, clean bed. You see some of these Army men, what they went through, that's the ones I felt for."
Berra died in 2015 at age 90.
Charles Durning, actor
Why you know him:Charles Durning was a popular character actor who appeared in more than 100 movies, including “The Sting,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Tootsie” and "The Best Little whor*house in Texas." He was nominated for two Academy Awards and nine Emmys.
Where was he on D-Day?Omaha Beach landing.
Military branch:1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army.
What happened:Durning was drafted into the Army. He was in one of the first waves to land on Omaha Beach. He was injured by a land mine at Les Mare des Mares nine days after D-Day, for which he received his first Purple Heart. He recovered, returned to combat, and was later stabbed by a teenage German soldier, whom he killed with a rock.
Durning was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and survived the Malmedy massacre in which German soldiers opened fire on prisoners of war on Dec. 17, 1944. He entered Germany with the 398th Infantry Regiment and was shot in the chest. He recovered and was discharged with three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in 1946.
Did he ever talk about D-Day?Durning was reluctant to talk of his wartime experiences but spoke at a Washington event observing the 60th anniversary of D-Day, Reuters reported. "I forget a lot of stuff now, but I still wake up once in a while and it's still there," he said. "I can't count how many of my buddies are in the cemetery at Normandy."
Durning died in 2012 at age 89. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Source USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; news.va.gov; army.mil; military.com
