![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/a35280ce59814993b0f597d4b5a468b7/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez A soldier of the First U.S. Army shows the Distinguished Service Cross while another holds the portrait of of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/512f204287894ac993b46d0a15adb60d/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
A soldier of the First U.S. Army shows the Distinguished Service Cross while another holds the portrait of of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez A Soldier of the First U.S. Army holds a portrait of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/632d6f377d2b4ae69b375f1e45584065/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
A Soldier of the First U.S. Army holds a portrait of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/4707fd7b573344e9a400e28bbff0cd79/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/090085d519df4f279e9dd8a5c7d6e895/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/e1c6ecaa48244cd9bc1c0ddb36a2184f/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez A soldier of the First U.S. Army holds a portrait of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/9dc966963bef4efc9740cf415ab79009/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
A soldier of the First U.S. Army holds a portrait of Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire , on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. The Distinguished Service Cross is seen on the sand of Omaha Beach . (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/3cccafa19f1848b5ab42f83c14423bb5/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. The Distinguished Service Cross is seen on the sand of Omaha Beach . (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
![Jeremias Gonzalez Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/9be86cc6d3a8443c936a2d577c07c881/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Soldiers of the First U.S. Army hold a ceremony on Omaha Beach in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 7, 2024, to honor Waverly Woodson Jr., a medic who was part of the only Black combat unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II, being posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of the heroism and determination he showed treating troops under heavy enemy fire. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)