Kenneth J Moore and Robert E Wright
It was D-Day, World War 2, June 6th, 1944 as more than 130,000 allied troops landed in Normandy, in France to begin retaking Northwestern Europe from the Germans.
Everyone knew the fighting would be fierce and the death toll heavy.
Among those arriving allied troops, were two young American medics, 19-year-old Ken Moore and Bob Wright, about the same age as Ken.
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Miraculously avoiding German bombs and machine gun fire. Ken and Bob took over a quaint 12th century village church, and began taking care of the wounded American soldiers, placing them on wooden church pews.
But soon, wounded German troops arrived, and the two young medics treated them as well, side by side with the American soldiers.
"They were young men much like us," Ken said in the 2014 PBS documentary, "Eagles of Mercy," "except they were wearing different uniforms."
"Our training and our job was to stop the bleeding," Ken added, "and administer morphine for pain and bandage up the casualties as best we could."
With bombs exploding near the church, its walls shook violently and the windows were reduced to shattered glass. Part of the roof caved in.
Over the next few days, at times, the Americans held the church and at other times the Germans did.
But the two medics, wearing Red Cross armbands, refused to flee and were unharmed except for Bob getting hit by a falling piece of ceiling.
After the war, this little church located in Angoville-au-Plain was beautifully restored.
But in memory of the medical care provided in the church during the battle, the blood-stained pews were not restored and with their blood stains, are still in use today.
Angouville Au Plain now and bloodstained pew
Next to the church is a memorial telling visitors of the remarkable bravery of Ken and Bob, who were willing to sacrifice their lives in war’s madness to save as many wounded soldiers as they could.
