On D-Day anniversary, top generals salute veterans at MacDill

TAMPA, Fla. - Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France, and while much of the focus is on ceremonies overseas, there was also a very moving ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base. 

Eleven D-Day veterans were the guests of honor, introduced to a standing ovation. They were all given a folded flag during one of the most emotional moments of the entire event. 

“I have a feeling for the flag,” veteran Bob McKlintock said, fighting back tears. "To me, it just has a meaning, I can’t explain it. It just means a lot to me. I know that so many men and woman have died for this emblem."

Also in attendance today was the chief of staff for the U.S. Air Force, Gen. David Goldfein. He met with the honored guests before the event started. 

Both he and the veterans really all lit up around each other, sharing stories back and forth. 

MacDill's heritage dates back to the late 1930s. The Army Air Corps accelerated its construction as events threatened to pull the U.S. into the war. The base opened in 1940 to train bomber pilots and crews who would later serve in Europe bombing Nazi Germany.