A sea of faces gathered at the Andrew Jackson Higgins memorial in Columbus, united to salute our brave veterans and Nebraska's pivotal contribution to World War Two's most critical clash.

Higgins, a hometown hero from Columbus, engineered the LCVP, better known as the Higgins boat, a game changer in the Allied forces' Normandy Beach invasion on D-Day.

The Columbus High School choir lent their voices, the Nebraska National Guard stood tall, and Governor Jim Pillen underscored the profound significance of this legacy for both Nebraska and the entire nation.

“The Andrew Jackson Higgins Memorial, as Dwight Eisenhower said, exists because, 'the Higgins boat won the war',” said Governor Pillen. “Most importantly, being here means we are thanking veterans and ensuring that we never, ever forget the sacrifices that our forefathers endured. I had an uncle who lost his life in World War Two, whom I never knew. It's really important that our youth never, ever forget. This is why we have the laying of the wreath and appreciate those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”