Paul Kitchens, a member of the Minden Lions Club, served as guest speaker at the club’s noon meeting on June 19, where he shared reflections from his recent trip to Normandy, France, for the 81st anniversary commemoration of D-Day.
Kitchens traveled to the ceremony with two other veterans, representing the Minden Lions Club. The group was given reserved seats at the event. “We had made arrangements for us to be recognized and have a place on the platform for the ceremony,” Kitchens said.
While in Normandy, the veterans met Lt. General Antonio Aguto Jr., a three-star general who served as the keynote speaker. The Minden Lions Club was also recognized during the presentation of floral tributes. “You were well represented in the floral arrangements,” Kitchens said with a laugh, referring to the large arrangement provided by the club. He later presented club president Rick Buckner with the ribbon from the flowers as a keepsake.
Kitchens described the emotional impact of looking across the 9,387 graves of American soldiers buried in Normandy while Taps played. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” he said.
He also spoke about the story of the Niland brothers, whose experiences inspired the movie Saving Private Ryan, and noted the broader human cost of the Normandy campaign. “There were 1,500 brothers who were killed [at Normandy],” Kitchens said. “These are not just crosses on the ground; they are people that are represented.” He added that between June 6 and August 25, 1944, approximately two million troops landed in Normandy, and the U.S. lost about 206,000 men—roughly 10% of those who arrived.
The meeting closed with a playing of Taps, during which the veterans in attendance saluted the flag.
The Minden Lions Club hosts weekly meetings each Thursday at noon at the American Legion Memorial Home, located at 119 W. Pine St. in downtown Minden.
