(KXLG, Watertown)- Three South Dakota men, all from Watertown, returned home this week from Normandy, France, where they participated in a “GoRuck” challenge.
The GoRuck company promotes its brand of clothing by organizing and sponsoring challenges based on military Special Forces training exercises.
The three South Dakota men who made up the four-man team were Madison dentist Dr. Troy Keyes, Sioux Falls pastor Jared Rakness and Minnehaha County deputy sheriff Corey Stanley. A fourth team member was Vermont dentist Dr. Ryan Goslin.
Keyes said while carrying 20 pound rucksacks, they did a 50 mile hike along the same path taken by the advancing Allied Forces landing at Normandy.
Keyes said it gave everyone a somber feeling as they stepped out onto the beach.
One of the highlights for his team came 18 hours into their more than 20 hour hike.
Their path was along the same taken by the 82nd Airborne 75 years ago at the time of the June 6, 1944, World War II Normandy Invasion.
At the memorial site in Bedford, VA, there are 4,414 names enshrined in bronze plaques representing every allied soldier, sailor, airman and coast guardsman who died on D-Day.