Great Neck resident Walter Blum, who participated in the D-Day invasions as a member of the American military 70 years ago, was initiated into the state Veteran’s Hall of Fame on Friday by state Sen. Jack Martins (R- Mineola).
“It’s a great honor,” Blum said at the Great Neck Social Center, where he accepted the award.
State senators from across New York State are asked every year to pick a veteran from their district to be initiated into the Veteran’s Hall of Fame, which seeks to honor veterans for their service in the military during or after a war.
“These men and women won the war against all odds, came home and built this country,” Martins said at the social center. “We wouldn’t have Nassau County today if it weren’t for them.”
Blum, a Great Neck resident since 1929, joined the army at the age of 18 and was assigned to the Corps of Engineers’ First Amphibious Engineers Brigade.
Only a few weeks later, he was one of the first soldiers to land on Utah Beach on D-Day and was tasked with clearing the way for other soldiers.
“It was our job to get rid of the minefields in the water at the beach,” said Blum, who turned 89 on Thursday.
After surviving the D-Day attacks, Blum fought Nazi soldiers in France as part of Operation Overlord and built hospitals for injured U.S. soldiers.
He was injured twice during his service and after being hit with mortar shrapnel close to his 19th birthday, he almost lost his leg.
After his recovered, Blum went on to build more treatment facilities for injured soldiers throughout Europe.
After being discharged in September 1945, he was awarded the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and New York State Conspicuous Service Cross.
Blum worked as an architect after the war and was also a member of the Great Neck Lions Club, Brook Hill Civic Association, Town of North Hempstead Planning Board and the American Institute of Architects.
Blum also goes to Great Neck schools and talks about his military service.
Martins said he became aware of Blum’s service after reading about it and immediately knew that Blum would be the perfect candidate for the state Veteran’s Hall of Fame.
“After you read about someone like that, how can you not honor them,” Martins said. “Especially this year as we remember the 70th anniversary of D-Day.”
