Charles Shay, D-Day Hero and Native American Veteran, Dies at 101

Charles Shay, a decorated Native American veteran who braved the D-Day landings as a teenage medic, has died. He was 101 years old. Shay was a 19-year-old U.S. Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Amid heavy enemy fire, he repeatedly risked his life to treat and rescue wounded soldiers. His heroism that day earned him the Silver Star, a top military award for bravery. Shay was a member of the Penobscot Nation, a Native American tribe from Maine. After World War II, Shay continued to serve in the U.S. military during the Korean War. He later lived in Europe for decades, often participating in D-Day commemorations in Normandy, France. Shay’s death marks the passing of another direct link to the historic Allied invasion that helped turn the tide of World War II.