'They did what they were called to do.' Kent Stark student headed to Normandy for D-Day

EAST SPARTA − A Kent State University at Stark student is heading to the beaches of Normandy, France, next month to take part in the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

For Thomas Fulk, it will be a chance to see history come to life. The 20-year-old East Sparta resident is one of five American students selected to take the trip with World War II veterans under the Best Defense Foundation's Next Generation program. Five students also were selected from other countries.

In addition to visiting battlefields, they will tour military cemeteries, including the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

"I was always interested in history," Fulk said. "I'm getting my bachelor's in history right now and after that, I'm going to get my master's and my Ph.D., and hope to teach history at the college level."

A two-sport athlete and 2022 graduate of Lake Christian School in Lake Township, Fulk said his interest in World War II stems from family members who served.

"It was always just something that piqued my interest because I never really talked to them about it," he said. "But I remember wanting to, and so I think the fact that I didn't talk to them about it almost gave me the drive to find out more."

View history: Photos from D-Day give glimpse into historic World War II invasion

What's significant about D-Day?

On June 6, 1944, 160,000 American, British and Canadian troops were dispatched to Normandy to eradicate Nazis who were entrenched in northern France. The largest air, land and sea operation in history, D-Day resulted in 4,414 Allied casualties and led to the eventual surrender of Germany and the end of fighting in Europe.

"The biggest thing I'm looking forward to is just spending time with the veterans because there's going to be about 50 or 60 of them," Fulk said. "While the experience is going to be incredible, to be able to talk to them for 12 days and sitting down and learning from these guys. I'm going to record those interviews and I'm going to be able to talk about them for years and years in the classroom."

The Best Defense Foundation was started in 2018 by former NFL linebacker Donnie Edwards as a way to honor his grandfather and other veterans from past conflicts, as well as those who have recently retired.

Back to the battlefield: Veteran meets former enemy

To date, more than 100 World War II veterans have participated in the foundation's Battlefield Return trips and video interviews, including the late Harry "Pete" Shaw Jr. of North Canton who fought in Normandy and returned there in 2019 to commemorate D-Day's 75th anniversary. Shaw died in 2022.

The 12-day tour, which begins June 1, will be the last one sponsored by the foundation due to the dwindling number of living World War II American veterans, which currently stands at about 87,000.

Fulk said he learned about the Battlefield Return program from a veteran who had previously taken it.

What is the Best Defense Foundation?

"The Best Defense Foundation is dedicated to safeguarding the legacy of our veterans," said Amanda Thompson, the foundation's executive director. "To honor those who sacrificed, we must entrust the next generation with the sacred duty of remembrance. Through our Next Gen program, students walk the footsteps of history with those who created it, connecting with the past to shape a brighter future. They are responsible for carrying forward the invaluable lessons of courage, sacrifice and resilience for future generations."

Fulk talks to World War II veterans whenever possible.

"Anytime you ever talk to one of those guys, it's always, 'Why would you want to get a picture of me? Why would you want to talk to me?' The humility flows out of them; it's amazing," he said. "They don't think that they deserve anything. They don't have a sense of pride that hangs over generations today. They did what they were called to do. They lived the rest of their lives with what they did, and there was never a complaint about it. They needed to do it and they did it for the people they loved."

Fulk, who collects World War II and Civil War artifacts, laments that today's Americans aren't more appreciative of their history.

"The more recent generations would rather sit around and take apart our past and the things that the nation has done," he said. "There are more people questioning rather than holding up the things that are heroic. For whatever reason that may be, it's something I've seen more and more and more, especially in the universities.

"The things that are being pushed are the things that are divisive and things that make one not want to live in America. All you have to do is step back for a second. There's so much rich history. There are so many people who are still alive that are representations of why this is the greatest country on Earth."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

More details

To learn more about the Best Defense Foundation, visit https://bestdefensefoundation.org, call 858-367-0079, or email to info@bdf.org.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Thomas Fulk visiting Normandy for 80th anniversary of D-Day