President Biden honors D-Day veterans with challenge coin

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Joe Biden commissioned a challenge coin in honor of the 80 ^th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday.

The coin features an image of troops approaching the beaches of Normandy with B-17 aircraft flying overhead. It is meant to honor those who served on D-Day and their families.

According to the White House, the number 9,388 is etched on the coin to represent the number of Americans who remain in Normandy and lie at rest in the cemetery.

The coin also features a quote that reads, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” The White House said it is a line from poet John Milton that Biden often uses to “encapsulate the service and sacrifices of military families.”

President Biden presented the coins to World War II veterans prior to a commemoration ceremony in Normandy.

Biden will remain in France through the weekend where he is expected to meet with key allies, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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