Another great post and a moving story. Thank you for your work finding and posting not only the gist of it but the transcript as well.
I guess it qualifies as minor serendipity that two days ago one brother-in-law was visiting Normandy, and sent the other b-i-l, a CG vet, pics of a plaque memorializing the role and losses of the Coast Guardsmen on D-Day.
Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing the serendipitous.