Charles Norman Shay, the decorated Native American medic who courageously saved lives during the historic D-Day landings at Omaha Beach, passed away peacefully on Wednesday at age 101. His longtime friend and caregiver Marie-Pascale Legrand confirmed his passing at his residence in Bretteville-L’Orgueilleuse, Normandy, where he had lived since 2018.
Shay, a Penobscot tribe member from Indian Island, Maine, was merely 19 years old when he participated in the largest amphibious invasion in military history on June 6, 1944. His extraordinary bravery under fire earned him the Silver Star – one of America’s highest military honors – for repeatedly entering treacherous waters to rescue critically wounded soldiers from drowning amidst the chaos of battle.
In 2007, France recognized his valor with the Legion of Honor, the nation’s highest distinction. Shay had become a permanent resident of the Normandy region, living in close proximity to the hallowed shores where nearly 160,000 Allied troops from the United States, Britain, Canada, and other nations commenced the operation that would ultimately accelerate Germany’s defeat within the following year.
The Charles Shay Memorial organization, dedicated to honoring approximately 500 Native Americans who participated in the Normandy landings, announced on social media that their “hearts are deeply saddened” by the passing of “our beloved Charles Norman Shay.” The group’s statement celebrated him as “an incredibly loving father, grandfather, father-in-law, and uncle, a hero to many, and an overall amazing human being” who leaves behind “a legacy of love, service, courage, spirit, duty and family.”
For years, Shay conducted traditional sage-burning ceremonies at a memorial site overlooking Omaha Beach – now named in his honor – paying homage to the fallen soldiers. In 2022, he formally passed this solemn duty to Julia Kelly, a Gulf War veteran from the Crow tribe, ensuring the continuity of this sacred tradition.
The D-Day invasion claimed 4,414 Allied lives, including 2,501 Americans, with over 5,000 wounded. German casualties numbered several thousand. Reflecting on his experience in a March 2024 interview with The Associated Press, Shay demonstrated characteristic humility: “I guess I was prepared to give my life if I had to. Fortunately, I did not have to. I had been given a job, and the way I looked at it, it was up to me to complete my job.”