A Villages World War II veteran who was once singled out by President Trump during a State of the Union Address will be the guest of honor at an upcoming meeting of the John Bartram Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Irving Locker, of the Village of Santiago, will be the featured speaker in honor of the 76th Anniversary of D-Day and Veterans Day. Locker, who oversaw four 90mm guns, was drafted into the Army straight out of high school and later stormed Utah Beach on D-Day. He also was among the veterans who were honored during President Trump’s speech in February 2019.
Locker will talk about his experiences participating in the Normandy invasion and as a staff sergeant in charge of 65 soldiers who manned the mobile anti-tank and anti-artillery guns while advancing across Europe. He also will share details of his participation in the 70th D-Day Anniversary ceremonies in France that paid tribute to both the fallen soldiers and the survivors.
The DAR meeting will be held Friday, Nov. 20 at Eisenhower Recreation Center. Check-in for the gathering begins at 9:30 a.m. and doors close 30 minutes later. Reservations and masks are required.