On June 6, 1944, countless Allied troops and equipment hurtled onto the beaches of Normandy, France, initiating an immense operation that marked the largest amphibious landing of World War II.

The D-Day invasion lasted more than two months and essentially broke the German occupation of Europe, liberating Nazi concentration camps and ending the conflict that left Western Europe in shambles.Today marks the 70th anniversary of that momentous fight, an occasion that will be commemorated with innumerable ceremonies, both at home and abroad.While many of the services will look similar to those that are held each year, it's apparent that future anniversaries of the pivotal battle will look far different. With fewer and fewer veterans remaining, it's fair to wonder what the legacy of the event will be when there are no more survivors left to share their stories.Fortunately, the Coaldale Veterans Memorial Garden offers a place where those who served in World War II, and all of the country's wars, can be honored and forever remembered.The World War II Memorial, dedicated in 2006, consists of 15 granite columns that contain the names of 1,346 men and women who served. The number of designations may seem staggering, but all have a story."I've documented the date and the conditions under which every one of them were killed, and they're really fascinating stories," said designer William Gaddes, who served in the Korean War. "The first Marine killed on Wake Island during World War II was from Coaldale PFC John Katchak, who was only 19 years old."He was a neighbor of mine. I remember him being home on leave in his blues in September. And on Dec. 7 (1941) he was killed."But the memorial isn't limited to those who served. Designed by Gaddes, the Women's Memorial Garden was created "to honor all women, not just those who served in the military, but those who cherished, supported and prayed for their loved ones' safe return from harm's way."There are also special honors for the 54 Gold Star Mothers, who lost sons during World War II.Despite the numerous murals and monuments that adorn the garden, some stories can only be told by those who lived them.Nicholas Paraschak, 93, is one of Coaldale's last remaining World War II veterans; something not lost on Gaddes, a longtime friend."There are very few of these guys left," Gaddes said of Paraschak. "Of all the names on that (Memorial) wall, there's only about three of them left in Coaldale."Paraschak joined the military in 1942 after graduating from Coaldale High School and promptly began his training in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida. He attended X-ray school at O'Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, and surgical school at Robins-Warner Air Base in Macon, Georgia.He was assigned to the 467th Service Squadron at Syracuse Air Base in New York, and left for Europe in December of 1943. Paraschak would later be reassigned to the 364th Fighter Group, where he served as an X-ray technician and flight surgeon's assistant during the war.With so much of Hollywood's focus on the war directed toward those who fought, Paraschak takes great pride in his role and the services he was able to provide throughout his time in Europe."I always had nice people working with me and they appreciated what I was able to do," he said. "I was glad that we were able to save people. Some of them died, of course. But I'm proud of what I did there. I was definitely in the thick of things."Coming from a military family, it's not surprising that Paraschak chose the path he did."I realized what war must be like when I was young," he said. "My father (Anthony Paraschak) was from Russia and he was in the first World War. He was wounded twice and gassed another time."When I came about, I didn't even know the man; he was always in the hospital, getting treated for something from the war."Paraschak retired from military service as a master sergeant in 1984, which ended a decorated career that spanned three decades. During his tenure, he received two Presidential Unit Citations one from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the other from President Harry S. Truman plus many other honors.Since retiring, Paraschak has helped Gaddes with the Veterans Memorial, routinely sending out programs to nearby schools to schedule visits in an effort to continue the education of younger generations and keep them interested in what happened during a critical period in the world's history."They've done a good job recently on TV of covering World War II," said Gaddes. "And there have been programs where they've interviewed World War II veterans, and all of those tapes are sent to a repository in Washington, D.C. So, it's there to be researched, but there aren't many guys left to talk to."And Paraschak knows that the circumstances under which he served were unlike anything that is encountered by military personnel now."It's all together different than when we were in," he said of his time. "When we were in, it seemed like you were called to do your duty and you went in and did your best. It was a lot simpler then."There's no doubt that changes have, and will continue to take place for veterans of the war moving forward."Since I was a boy during World War II, what I'll remember most are the men and their experiences," Gaddes said."The research I didon the 54 (from Coaldale) that were killed allowed me to understand thecircumstances behind their deaths and appreciatetheir heroism during the war."