Texas family honors “D-day” veteran on 80th anniversary of Normandy invasion

COLORADO CITY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)- On June, 6th 2024, the world will commemorate 80 years since the historic storming of Omaha beach in Normandy France, or D-day as it’s come to be known, the beginning of the end for Nazi occupied Europe. Though as brothers Gilbert Chaney of Colorado City and Floyd Chaney of Granbury know, a victory that large rarely comes without sacrifice.

“The service sent a telegram that he had been killed. Oh it was terrible – my mother and dad took it pretty hard,” said Floyd.

“He was drafted into the service, and he never got to come home and we never saw him any more,” Gilbert said in reference to their older brother, then 20 year old Private James E. Chaney.

Gilbert Chaney and son Gary Chaney (left), Floyd Chaney and daughter Robbie Brandehoff (right)

In 1944 Gilbert was 15 and Floyd just 14 when news of their eldest brother’s fate reached their family. They, their parents, and four other siblings left without so much as a body to bury, and generations more like cousins Gary Chaney and Robbie Brandehoff growing up with only stories of Uncle James.

“They had the choice of bringing uncle James body back but they told them that under no uncertain terms the casket couldn’t be opened. That pretty well tells you right there what he had gone through,” said Gary.

“Did you ever get closure since he never really returned?” Brandehoff asked her father Floyd.

“Well not really. They (his parents) lived through it. They made it alright but it was hard on them,” Floyd responded.

James remains and those of nearly 10,000 other veterans interred at the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Only short distance from the shores they stormed eight decades ago.

“There are certain places that are sacred. That cemetery in France is sacred to us,” Gary said.

Normandy American Cemetery, Normandy France, 2018

That hallowed ground for the Chaney family existing a world away for decades, that is until 2018 when Brandehoff and another cousin, Greg Chaney were able to make the trip to France and finally meet Uncle James.

“It just felt so good to be there because that was as close as we could get. Dad was wanting me to take pictures because he wanted to make sure James was in a nice place, and I told him it couldn’t be any nicer,” said Brandehoff.

A reunion the siblings could only dream of for so many years. In all that time, each of them doing what they could to honor their brother’s legacy, whether through passing down his memory to their own children, or enlisting to serve as well. Margaret, a sister of James’ joining the Navy, and Floyd joining the fight during the Korean war, both of them spurred on by his memory.

“Did you feel like you wanted to serve because of your brother?” asked Brandehoff.

“Oh yes, I needed to. When I was over there, I would think what he went through,” her father replied.

Because each soldier that stepped onto that beach in France knew they had a great purpose to serve, both in ending the war, and like James to protect the ones they love.

“He had brothers and sisters to look after…and he did it,” remarked Gary.

The Normandy American Cemetery will hold a memorial service for the lives that were laid down 80 years ago on their beaches, that event to be held on the day, June 6th, 2024. KTAB will be airing a D-day special on the 6th at 7pm as well.

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