Maj. Gen. John Raaen, Jr., U.S. Army, WWII, Brittany, The Bulge Part 3

John Raaen, Jr. entered the U.S. Military Academy in the summer of 1939, just weeks before World War II broke out in Europe. During his four years at West Point, there was no question his class would be going to war. Commissioned in 1943, Raaen soon joined the elite Army Rangers. Just a year later, as a captain, Raaen led men ashore at Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944. He is believed to be the last living officer to serve at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

In our previous two episodes, retired Major General Raaen offered a gripping moment-by-moment account of coming ashore at Omaha Beach and reaching the the top of the bluff above the Dog White Sector. He also told us about the days following D-Day, including a deadly incident of friendly fire and fending off a German counterattack.

In this final episode of our three-episode series with General Raaen, we move forward to the Battle of Brittany and specifically the Rangers' efforts to take out the German forts along the Atlantic coast and neutralize the powerful Graf Spee gun battery. He also shares two incidents in Brittany that nearly took his life.

From there, Raaen takes to his service near the Battle of the Bulge, the work he did there and the injuries that ultimately ended his service in World War II.

Finally, General Raaen tells about the balance of his 40-year career in the Army, most of it spent on armament logistics and development, including two types of ammunition that he invented.

Don't miss this final chapter of our visit with 101-year-old World War II and Vietnam veteran Maj. General John Raaen, Jr.