Army veteran Ronald Reagan’s legacy lives on

President Ronald Reagan’s legacy of honoring the nation’s service members, veterans and their families continues to shine more than 20 years after his death through a nonprofit.

Reagan’s son, Michael, said the Regan Legacy Foundation began providing scholarships to the men and women who served aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. Since 2000, it has supported more than 575 student leaders nationwide with nearly $9.5 million in college scholarships.

“We also give scholarships to the family members,” he added.

Reagan said that several years ago the foundation began its efforts to honor veterans and launched the Walkway to Victory Commemorative Brick Program at the Airborne Museum in Sainte Mere Eglise, France. The bricks are inscribed with the names of those who fought in Europe during World War II and are used to form the WWII Veteran Memorial Walkway at the museum.

“You can purchase a brick for a donation of $250,” he said.

And if you don’t personally know the name of a service member who served in the European theater, Reagan said not to worry – there are names available for inscription on the bricks.

Proceeds from the brick sales are used for educational programs to further the legacy of WWII veterans.

Reagan said his father initially joined the calvary, accepting his officer’s commission in 1937. Ordered to active duty in 1942, but poor eyesight prevented him from serving overseas.

“Ultimately, he did 300 films, training films, for the military during the Second World War,” he said. “He retired as a captain. They offered him the rank of major, but he turned it down because he thought somebody who deserved that rank should be overseas during the war and not left at home because of eyesight.”

President Reagan traveled to Normandy France for the fortieth anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1984, making a historic speech at Pointe du Hoc to honor “the boys” who fought there.

According to US Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II, only 119,550 are alive as of 2023. Within a single year (2022), this number decreased by 47,734.

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Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com .