Largo man: "Very, very lucky" to have survived D-Day

Joseph Pisano lived through D-Day. He was just 22 years old when his so-called "Flying Coffin" glider infantry approached Normandy on June 6, 1944.

"The tremendous explosions off the ship and vibration. We felt it through the water," he recalled.

The soldiers then boarded Higgins boats to get on land.

"Some of the guys fell into the water, believe it or not, because you had all that equipment on your back," Pisano explained, "You were carrying everything, your rifles, everything."

"They kept saying, 'Keep moving, keep moving, don't stop!' You couldn't help anybody if they were getting hurt."

When I asked him how he survived, he replied, "I don't know. I have no idea. I have no idea how I survived it. Very, very lucky."

Pisano showed me a picture that he sent home to his parents to let them know he was OK. Seventy years later, D-Day represents his pride for service.

"When the Japs attacked us, we all wanted to go into the service. Wasn't like today. We had lines, you wouldn't believe, three deep, a whole block long, going to enlist into the service," he said.

Pisano had no idea that monumental decision would change the course of history.

"I didn't think it was that extraordinary, because, you know what, we felt we were part of history. But it was every man there was a part of history."

A part of history that's still vivid for Joseph Pisano, even 70 years later.

Tune in for our continued series on D-Day this week on the FOX 13 News at 6 p.m. We'll conclude it with my skydive tribute to the D-Day paratroopers which will air during the 10 p.m. show on Wednesday.