D-day anniversary; Omaha Beach,

ST. PETERSBURG - Like many other young men who fight wars in distant lands, Salvatore Santoro went from a simple life in the United States to achieve an enormous responsibility in places you never imagined.

He has worked 25 years in a bakery in Queens Village, New York, when Hitler invaded Poland. On June 6, 1944, Omaha Beach is the 741st Tank Battalion in Normandy, directing 17 tanks during the first wave of the Normandy landings. He will receive four Purple Hearts during the early days of the invasion.

At the age of 96, he still has a visible swelling in the nose, where a bullet. "Sal" Life on Shore Acres Rehabilitation and Nursing Center with his wife, Joanne, who is quick with a smile and can play any song requested on harmonica.

On the anniversary of D-Day, who recently donned the Army uniform, full of decorations with the invasion, and comrades lost everything that meant to end World War II.

Are you involved or have written?

On 1 September (1939), when Hitler invaded, heard on radio, in Poland and said, "Mom .. Come listen to this" One year later, I committed. I did not tell my mother that I am involved. I told him I was prepared.

When you are ready for the big day, I knew what would happen?

The way I'm training, I knew something big was going through all the different weapons (used in training). Therefore, the practice in the boat so you know what to do. The tanks were below deck.

Were you scared?

He was too busy with fear. Predicted it all in my mind.

Think you can die or you think you were young and invincible?

We were told that "10 percent of you will die in the first round.''There is an obvious fact.

It has five purple hearts. Are all of the operation of D-Day?

The first four were in Normandy. The last was held in Germany during the Battle of the Bulge.

What was his mission on D-Day?

I was a sergeant. I would like instructions (reflection). If the tanks needed to cover I want to start a smokescreen. I was right next door. For a Purple Heart, June 10, shrapnel hit my leg and I was six points. I told the doctors: "Send me back on July 31 I'm bien''Le a bullet came through the nose that had a purple heart, because they put the tape in the same report of the tape ....

You have friends who are dead?

Ah, yes. I lost many, many. Both the first day, so (deaths) became smaller.

Where were you when the war ended and how you felt?

It was a new day. A new day. We were so happy. We ended up in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, and people were so happy. We were there about six months. We found a family. A beautiful family. There was a husband who was a captain of the Czech Republic. The woman was Lydka. They had two children. We went in and she was at the door and invited us to visit. We had for dinner. Two or three colleagues and myself. We went to the supermarket and buy fresh to do.

Have you been back to Europe after the war?

I returned to France in 1994 on a tour (with other veterans). We visited the cemetery in Normandy. Were captured in the D plus one (07 June). I went up and down in search of names. I could imagine their faces. It was very different. No one shoots you. He was calm.

What else do you travel?

We have to visit Paris. We went to Notre Dame. ... We ate on the Champs Elysees.

How do you think today's wars are different from the war fought?

Today, more computerized.

At least today it is easier for soldiers to stay in touch with their families back home. This was not the case during the Second World War?

We can be a letter once a month. I wrote to my family before the big day, when I knew we were in France and said, "Give me Frances''Y to know that we were going to France ..