Watch a WW2 Veteran Revisit Normandy and Share Memories with a Guitar in Hand

Published Aug 8, 2024 By John Lerit

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When Chester P. Sloan, known to his friends as Buck, set foot in Normandy again, it was not as a soldier, but as a visitor with decades of life behind him. It had been 80 years since he first arrived on these shores, not long after the crucial landings that shifted the tide of the Second World War. As a fresh-faced young man, barely more than a teenager, Buck had joined the ranks of Company B, 38th Infantry Regiment, a unit of the esteemed 2nd Infantry Division. This division, proudly marked by the symbol of the “Indian Head,” had carved its name in the annals of military history with bravery and determination.

Buck Sloan’s War Story

Back then, Buck had a vital role. He was the one wielding the powerful Browning Automatic Rifle, a fierce machine gun that spoke rapidly in the language of battle. His hands, young but steady, were responsible for providing cover for his comrades as they fought to free the city of Brest. The conflict there was harsh, challenging the will and strength of every soldier who participated. Even after achieving victory in Brittany, the war continued its relentless pace, and during the Battle of the Bulge, one of the last major German offensives in Western Europe, Buck’s courage didn’t falter, even when he faced his own personal battle: an injury that marked the end of his combat service at the young age of 20.

In the video below, after enjoying a sip of quality French beer, Buck Sloan, once a soldier of the 2nd Infantry Division, picked up his guitar. His day had been filled with visiting the battlefields of Normandy, places teeming with memories of his youth. As the day came to a close, Buck’s music filled the air, a tribute carried by the strings of his guitar. It was a moment of serenity and reflection, blending the echoes of a gallant past with the peaceful present.