Fleming Randy Buelens has succeeded in his aim of raising 4,000 euros thanks to a crowdfunding initiative. The money will be used to pay for United States World War II veteran Chester P. “Buck” Sloan and his wife to make the trip to the Normandy beaches to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
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Mission accomplished thanks to Randy: WW2 vet and liberator of Belgium gets his trip to Normandy
Colin Clapson
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The landings signalled the start of the liberation of western Europe from Adolf Hitler’s Nazis. Buck landed in Europe a few days after the D-Day landings and took part in the liberation of Belgium and the Battle of the Bulge in eastern Belgium, when he was seriously injured.
Fleming Randy Buelens knows how much D-Day has always meant to Buck. He met Buck during commemorations of the Battle of the Bulge and stayed in contact.
Randy has now raised the 4,000 euros needed to pay for Buck and his wife to travel to Normandy for the ceremonies on 6 June. Buck, who turns 100 days before the commemorations, has thanked all who contributed in a video posted on Facebook.
The crowdfunding initiative was a great success. Buck’s story not only spoke to the imagination of people in Flanders, but donors in Germany, the Czech Republic, the US and France all contributed. “The money will allow Buck and his wife Shirley to pay for their flight and hotel stay” explains Randy.
“He was 20 when he arrived on Omaha Beach. It’s probably the last time he will be able to attend a commemoration. I called him to tell him the news. He was on Cloud 9. He’s tremendously looking forward to it!”