You undoubtedly saw the actor Charles Durning in what might have been a favorite movie or two, including such gems as The Sting, Dog Day Afternoon, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and several others. Those just happen to be my favorite of his films. Durning died in 2012 at the age of 89. His accessible Variety obituary is posted online here.
Durning was also a decorated Army vet who served when called in 1943. His service led him to harrowing combat in Europe on D-Day and after. In 2004, Durning spoke at the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington. In his remarks he provided an emotional account of his experience on D-Day. The reality of his remarks is almost unbearable. I thought some readers might be interested in this clip.
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Charles Durning was among the thousands of Americans who stormed the beaches of Normandy. Today, we honor his legacy by sharing the Purple Heart recipient’s powerful firsthand account from the 2004 National Memorial Day Concert.#MemDayPBS #DDay… pic.twitter.com/bKOYunyr6u
— National Memorial Day Concert (@MemorialDayPBS) June 6, 2026
