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California Today: D-Day Veteran to Return to Normandy for First Time in 75 Years D-Day Veteran to Return to Normandy for First Time in 75 Years
(32 minutes later)
Good morning.Good morning.
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This June will mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when 160,000 Allied troops swarmed onto the beaches of Normandy in an invasion that would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe from the Nazis.This June will mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when 160,000 Allied troops swarmed onto the beaches of Normandy in an invasion that would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe from the Nazis.
The region is preparing for millions of visitors, since it’s likely to be the last major commemoration of the battle attended by survivors. My colleague Thomas Fuller met one who’s getting ready to make the emotional journey.The region is preparing for millions of visitors, since it’s likely to be the last major commemoration of the battle attended by survivors. My colleague Thomas Fuller met one who’s getting ready to make the emotional journey.
Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, wears a pin on his hat with the shield and motto of his military regiment, “To the last man.”Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, wears a pin on his hat with the shield and motto of his military regiment, “To the last man.”
For Mr. Larson, 96, the phrase has never been more meaningful.For Mr. Larson, 96, the phrase has never been more meaningful.
“I am the last man,” he said Tuesday afternoon at his home, an old wood-clad farmhouse in Martinez.“I am the last man,” he said Tuesday afternoon at his home, an old wood-clad farmhouse in Martinez.
Mr. Larson is the last surviving member of his company, a unit that stormed Omaha Beach and suffered terrible losses.Mr. Larson is the last surviving member of his company, a unit that stormed Omaha Beach and suffered terrible losses.
He says he often asks himself: Why me? How did he survive when so many thousands did not?He says he often asks himself: Why me? How did he survive when so many thousands did not?
“I never thought I’d be alive 75 years later,” he said. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”“I never thought I’d be alive 75 years later,” he said. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
He remembers jumping off his landing craft into frigid water up to his neck, the incessant explosions, the German machine gunners raking the beach with bullets. The image that comes back to him again and again is hiding behind a pile of sand and asking a fellow soldier if he had any dry matches to light a cigarette.He remembers jumping off his landing craft into frigid water up to his neck, the incessant explosions, the German machine gunners raking the beach with bullets. The image that comes back to him again and again is hiding behind a pile of sand and asking a fellow soldier if he had any dry matches to light a cigarette.
“I looked again and there was no head under the helmet,” Mr. Larson said. “I thank that guy today. In that instant I had the ability to get up and run.”“I looked again and there was no head under the helmet,” Mr. Larson said. “I thank that guy today. In that instant I had the ability to get up and run.”
More than 9,000 crosses and Stars of David are arrayed with perfect geometry at the arresting cemetery in Normandy that commemorates the American dead.More than 9,000 crosses and Stars of David are arrayed with perfect geometry at the arresting cemetery in Normandy that commemorates the American dead.
Mr. Larson says he has returned to France only in his mind since the war. His modest salary as a technician at a printing business in Berkeley never allowed him the luxury.Mr. Larson says he has returned to France only in his mind since the war. His modest salary as a technician at a printing business in Berkeley never allowed him the luxury.
But this June he is flying from Oakland to Paris with his son thanks to an online fund-raising campaign by two women, Linda Linnell and Angela Larsen, who met Mr. Larson at a coffee shop in Martinez.But this June he is flying from Oakland to Paris with his son thanks to an online fund-raising campaign by two women, Linda Linnell and Angela Larsen, who met Mr. Larson at a coffee shop in Martinez.
“We gave him the check and he was so touched,” Ms. Linnell said. “He said, ‘I can’t believe people would donate to me — they don’t even know me.’”“We gave him the check and he was so touched,” Ms. Linnell said. “He said, ‘I can’t believe people would donate to me — they don’t even know me.’”
Mr. Larson is writing a memoir and he calls the trip to France the last chapter.Mr. Larson is writing a memoir and he calls the trip to France the last chapter.
“It’s unbelievable to this little old farm boy from Hope, Minn.,” he said. “To me I’m in heaven.”“It’s unbelievable to this little old farm boy from Hope, Minn.,” he said. “To me I’m in heaven.”
(We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times stories, but we’d also encourage you to support local news if you can.)(We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times stories, but we’d also encourage you to support local news if you can.)
• Federal initiatives aimed at keeping more migrants in custody have forced ICE to find places to house those who have been detained. But that’s becoming increasingly difficult as existing facilities are packed to their limits, so border chaos has pushed farther into the country’s interior. [The New York Times]• Federal initiatives aimed at keeping more migrants in custody have forced ICE to find places to house those who have been detained. But that’s becoming increasingly difficult as existing facilities are packed to their limits, so border chaos has pushed farther into the country’s interior. [The New York Times]
• The police said they were investigating after a driver plowed a sedan into a crowded Sunnyvale intersection in what seemed to be a deliberate act. Eight people were injured, including three critically. A suspect was taken into custody. [The San Francisco Chronicle]• The police said they were investigating after a driver plowed a sedan into a crowded Sunnyvale intersection in what seemed to be a deliberate act. Eight people were injured, including three critically. A suspect was taken into custody. [The San Francisco Chronicle]
• Officials declared a measles outbreak in Los Angeles County. It’s the latest region to be hit by a surge in cases that’s approaching record numbers. L.A. officials are investigating five cases. [The New York Times]• Officials declared a measles outbreak in Los Angeles County. It’s the latest region to be hit by a surge in cases that’s approaching record numbers. L.A. officials are investigating five cases. [The New York Times]
• A former sports broadcaster sued Luke Walton, the Sacramento Kings coach, alleging he sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2014. His lawyer called the allegations baseless, and the woman an “opportunist.” [The New York Times]• A former sports broadcaster sued Luke Walton, the Sacramento Kings coach, alleging he sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2014. His lawyer called the allegations baseless, and the woman an “opportunist.” [The New York Times]
• Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s largest utility, isn’t the only one asking to raise rates to offset wildfire-related costs. The state’s two other investor-owned utilities, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric Company, are saying they need bigger profits to attract more investment given their exposure to liability. [The New York Times]• Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s largest utility, isn’t the only one asking to raise rates to offset wildfire-related costs. The state’s two other investor-owned utilities, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric Company, are saying they need bigger profits to attract more investment given their exposure to liability. [The New York Times]
• The Supreme Court’s decision on whether or not to allow a question about citizenship to be added to the census could redraw the political map — especially in places with large concentrations of noncitizens, a population that defies easy description. [The New York Times]• The Supreme Court’s decision on whether or not to allow a question about citizenship to be added to the census could redraw the political map — especially in places with large concentrations of noncitizens, a population that defies easy description. [The New York Times]
• Law enforcement groups agreed to drop a provision of their legislation aimed at reducing police shootings in a compromise with backers of a rival bill that would make it easier to criminally prosecute officers who use deadly force. The issue is one of the most divisive before state legislators this year. [CALmatters]• Law enforcement groups agreed to drop a provision of their legislation aimed at reducing police shootings in a compromise with backers of a rival bill that would make it easier to criminally prosecute officers who use deadly force. The issue is one of the most divisive before state legislators this year. [CALmatters]
• The fight between Hollywood writers and agencies has hinged on changes to obscure financial provisions of their relationships. But those changes have been driven by something affecting all parts of the economy: The increasingly visible hand of Wall Street — and in particular, private equity firms pushing for big returns on the infusions of cash they’d pumped into the agencies. [The New York Times]• The fight between Hollywood writers and agencies has hinged on changes to obscure financial provisions of their relationships. But those changes have been driven by something affecting all parts of the economy: The increasingly visible hand of Wall Street — and in particular, private equity firms pushing for big returns on the infusions of cash they’d pumped into the agencies. [The New York Times]
• Like many of the tech companies that have gone public this year, Beyond Meat, based in El Segundo, is losing money. But it’s smaller than many of them, and its revenue grew faster than its losses. Its I.P.O. will test the market for burger replacements like Beyond Meat and its competitor, Impossible Foods. [The New York Times]• Like many of the tech companies that have gone public this year, Beyond Meat, based in El Segundo, is losing money. But it’s smaller than many of them, and its revenue grew faster than its losses. Its I.P.O. will test the market for burger replacements like Beyond Meat and its competitor, Impossible Foods. [The New York Times]
• Car companies have recently acknowledged that autonomous driving is further away than they’d previously said. Teslas have burst into flames and crashed. But Elon Musk told analysts that his company would have a fleet of “robo taxis” operating by the end of next year. [The New York Times]• Car companies have recently acknowledged that autonomous driving is further away than they’d previously said. Teslas have burst into flames and crashed. But Elon Musk told analysts that his company would have a fleet of “robo taxis” operating by the end of next year. [The New York Times]
• Will a pair of beloved Jewish summer camps that burned in the Woolsey Fire be able to come back? [Los Angeles Magazine]• Will a pair of beloved Jewish summer camps that burned in the Woolsey Fire be able to come back? [Los Angeles Magazine]
I arrived in the Bay Area yesterday only to find I was missing a wild hockey game not far away, in San Jose.I arrived in the Bay Area yesterday only to find I was missing a wild hockey game not far away, in San Jose.
Yes, it was the last game of the first-round playoff series between the Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights — not exactly required viewing for more, shall we say, casual hockey fans like me. Or so you’d think.Yes, it was the last game of the first-round playoff series between the Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights — not exactly required viewing for more, shall we say, casual hockey fans like me. Or so you’d think.
The Sharks pulled off a stunning 5-4 victory in overtime, after trailing the Golden Knights, 3-0, with less than 10 minutes on the clock. The final goal sent the SAP Center into what The Mercury News described as “absolute chaos.” They’ll play the Colorado Avalanche next.The Sharks pulled off a stunning 5-4 victory in overtime, after trailing the Golden Knights, 3-0, with less than 10 minutes on the clock. The final goal sent the SAP Center into what The Mercury News described as “absolute chaos.” They’ll play the Colorado Avalanche next.
The dramatic finish stemmed in large part from the fact that the N.H.L. has sudden-death overtimes — the complicated rules of which you can read here. My colleague John Branch took the opportunity to dig up The Times’s first reference to the idea, back in 1909:The dramatic finish stemmed in large part from the fact that the N.H.L. has sudden-death overtimes — the complicated rules of which you can read here. My colleague John Branch took the opportunity to dig up The Times’s first reference to the idea, back in 1909:
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Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan.Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan.
California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.