Chapel Hill students plan D-Day trip for veterans

Ahead of Veterans Day, some students in Chapel Hill are already looking toward D-Day.

Matthew Griesedieck, Kaelyn Elien and Catherine Charles are raising money to send two World War II veterans to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Griesedieck, as part of a school trip, recently left his own footprints on the beach.

"When I was on the beach, I remember just thinking that's a long way to run," he said. "Then, add in the fact there were machine guns, barbed wire, land mines, all that stuff attacking you."

Also add in the fact that the U.S. soldiers were so shortly removed from high school – barely older than the three 15-year-old students.

"This commemoration could very well be the last one, to be honest with you," Elien said.

One of the men the students are raising money to send to Normandy is George Chall, a 95-year-old doctor, who tended to the wounded. A second veteran has yet to be named.

Teachers Tony Carter and Robin McMahon put together a similar trip for the 70th commemoration they called "Envoys of Honor."

But since the greatest of generations is still among us, they figured they could do it one more time.

"They've seen it in one perspective, in war, and how to see what has blossomed as a result of their effort and their sacrifice is just a tremendous opportunity," Carter said.

The three students, who all speak French, will accompany the veterans and serve as translators.

"[They can] really listen to their stories before their stories are forgotten," Charles said.