Veteran’s Day brings back powerful memories for Castle Pines WWII veteran, D-day survivor
John Pellegrin stands beside a collage that his wife Barbara made for him. It depicts him as a young man with his collection of medals from WWII.
Article and photo by Amy Shanahan
John Pellegrin was only 19 years old on June 6, 1944, but it’s a day that lives on vividly in his memory. Pellegrin, a resident of the City of Castle Pines, was drafted into the army the year prior, after receiving his draft notification on the same day as his high school graduation.
Pellegrin was sent to England to begin training and preparing for the largest amphibious invasion in world history, the invasion of Normandy. On D-Day, Pellegrin and his battalion were part of the second wave to provide cover fire on Omaha Beach. Pellegrin was dropped into three feet of water and spent two hours helping the wounded and attempting to make it to the sand bar by using disabled tanks as protection from enemy fire. A member of Pellegrin’s battalion succeeded in knocking out the last German pillbox, enabling them to move up the hill to the site of the present day cemetery.
Pellegrin’s commander was close friends with General George Patton, and his battalion followed Patton across Europe following the successful invasion. Pellegrin served as a scout, and participated in many significant events including the liberation of American paratroopers in Baston, France, and the liberation of Germany.
Pellegrin still has a high regard for Patton; “He did great things. He was OUR general!” he stated emphatically. Pellegrin saw unimaginable horrors, including the sight of many of his friends who were killed when U.S. Air Force planes accidentally dropped bombs on his Battalion on July 25, 1944. However, he remains positive about his experiences and about the important role that he played in ending a terrible war.
Pellegrin had the opportunity to revisit the site of the D-Day invasion, on both the 40th and 50th anniversaries. He found the site eerie, but was emotionally touched by the cemetery. Pellegrin hopes that Americans will continue to honor the sacrifices that were made by the men and women who bravely fought for our freedom.
