Saving lives on D-Day
Witness History
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 6 June 2024
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Charles Norman Shay was a field medic in the United States Army when he landed on the Normandy beach codenamed Omaha on D-Day.
On June 6, 1944, the US 1st Infantry Division faced a bombardment of machine gun fire from the German soldiers on surrounding cliffs.
More than 1,700 men died on Omaha alone. Aged just 19, Charles risked his own life to save his comrades from drowning, for which he was awarded the US silver star for gallantry.
Although he had served his country, as a native American, he was deprived the right to vote until 1954.
Aged 99, he tells Josephine McDermott his remarkable account.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Charles Norman Shay in October 1944 in Germany. Credit: Charles Norman Shay)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You're about to listen to a BBC podcast and maybe it's when I had a hand in. |
| 0:04.0 | I'm Tammy Walker and I produce podcasts for the BBC. |
| 0:08.0 | My role is to give new and diverse creators a voice with the opportunity to build a career. |
| 0:12.0 | That's the thing I love about podcasts. |
| 0:14.4 | You start with just a good idea. |
| 0:16.2 | But then you have the space to see where it goes. |
| 0:18.4 | And doing that at the BBC means we can really run with the best stories |
| 0:21.8 | while developing the most unique audio talent. |
| 0:24.3 | So if you like what you hear, why not check out the huge range of podcast we've got on BBC |
| 0:29.1 | Sounds. You're listening to the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service with me Josephine |
| 0:40.1 | McDermott. In 1944 on D-Day, Charles Norman Shay was a combat medic. |
| 0:47.0 | It's 80 years since the Allied invasion which would determine the end of World War II. |
| 0:53.0 | I'm bringing you the story of one of the last remaining survivors of D-Day. |
| 0:58.0 | D-Day has come. |
| 1:00.0 | Early this morning, the Allies began the assault on the northwestern face of Hitler's European fortress. |
| 1:05.0 | Under the command of General Eisenhower, Allied naval forces supported by strong air forces began landing Allied armies this morning on the northern |
| 1:16.0 | coast of France. |
| 1:17.8 | It's the day that World War II hangs on. |
| 1:20.4 | If the invasion is a success, the Allies can surge inland and liberate Nazi-dominated Europe. |
| 1:26.0 | If it fails, any prospect of victory will be crushed for years to come. |
| 1:31.0 | By the end of D-Day, 156,000 Allied troops will have made it ashore. |
| 1:36.6 | And one of them is Charles Norman Shay making the journey from England. He's from Maine in the United |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.