(The following story continues the Mineola American's efforts to recognize area veterans and tell their stories in their own words).

Ray Vaz was only 17 years old when he first called upon his inner strength to endure some of the most unforgettable images in history.

Vaz, an Army Private First Class, served with the 90th Infantry Division, 359th Regiment, trained at Camp Van Dorn in Mississippi, was inducted at Camp Upton and separated at Fort Dix before serving in Europe during World War II.

He arrived in England in March of 1944. Leaving out of Southhampton - due to inclement weather this was the second attempt in as many days - Vaz landed on Utah Beach at 6 a.m. on June 6, the D-Day invasion.

Vaz and his buddy, "Smitty," sat on the edge of a boat and watched in awe at the explosions and marveled at the seacraft that waged an historical war, as though they were at home watching a movie in their community theater.

The 359th were the spearhead of the 90th infantry, and Vaz's company was the spearhead of his regiment, so he was one of the first US soldiers to set foot in France.

"We probably were the first because I didn't see anybody but us," recalled Vaz.

The soldiers, for fear of Nazi mustard gas assaults, wore three different layers of clothing; undergarments, olive drab or OD impregnated undergarments and impregnated fatigues. Furthermore the soldiers were loaded down with enough ammunition and food to last the soldiers the five days they were expected to be without further supplies.

Already weighed down with the supplies, Vaz for fear of drowning, activated his Mae West, an inflatable device, dropped into the water and arrived on the beach without his gun.

Within moments his buddy was hit by gunfire and down, Vaz picked up his buddy's gun and advanced, having learned an instant lesson on mortality.

Vaz had no time to process this lesson, or even to think. It was up to the senior officers to guide him, "When they say run, you run. When they say stop, you stop."

On the second day of the invasion, Vaz was shot in the leg by a sniper. He spent a month in a British hospital before returning to his outfit in St. Lowes, France, on his birthday, July 31. It was the time of the historical dash across France where the US Troops covered 20 to 30 miles in a day.

On the way the troops liberated Buchenwald Concentration Camp. The senior officers warned the soldiers what they were about to experience and what they were about to see. They also warned them not to feed the prisoners, though they may be compelled to do so, because the starving prisoners would surely die from a piece of food.

At 18 years of age, Vaz refused to enter the camp for reasons he is unsure of though fear has crossed his mind. Though not in the confines of the camp, Vaz witnessed enough.

"That was a scene that I pray that no one would ever see anything like that again," said Vaz.

During the race across France, Vaz was injured a second time by a mortar shell, that sent shrapnel throughout his body, permanently injuring his arm and knocking him out cold. When he awoke he waited for the first aid officer, who was knocked out by the same blast, to tend to his wounds. It was Vaz's first trip ever in an airplane that sent him to six months of hospitals and finally a position in the Military Police.

Through the unforgettable experiences and the serious injuries what kept him going? "God only knows," he replied.

In 1945 Vaz returned to Mineola, where he had lived since the age of six months. He found a job as a salesman, married his wife Ann and had three children; Anthony, Carol and Sue.

Vaz has been decorated with the good conduct medal, the World War II victory medal, European African Middle East Medal, Arrowhead (for his involvement in D-Day), the Purple Heart, Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star Citation from the American Legion and the Citation of Appreciation for War Services for Army Air Force.

Today he belongs to the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) where he continues exercising his inner strength assisting his community with the charities of the veterans.