He was part of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion that invaded Omaha Beach on what is now known as D-Day. As the beachmaster, Vaghi was responsible for establishing and maintaining order as men and supplies moved from ships to shore.

The battalion's 363 sailors worked under Army command, alongside the Army troops. For 23 days, the little-known unit provided medical services, demolitions, communications and boat repair on the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach. About 24 of them died, Vaghi said.

In a written remembrance, Vaghi described the depressing atmosphere, the "stench of expended gunpowder," and the purple smoke that "emanated from the base of the beach obstacles."

The Army commander in France recommended the naval battalion for a unit citation in 1945, but the paperwork was delayed or forgotten after the war.

The battalion received the Croix de Guerre (the war cross) from the Provisional French government in 1945. Vaghi received a Bronze Star medal for preventing the explosion of two five-gallon gasoline cans and some boxes of hand grenades.

But his unit had not received official recognition from the U.S. government.

"It fell through the cracks and nobody knew about it," Vaghi said. "When it became known, a number of the members of our battalion began questioning congressmen ... When the pressure was on from the political point of view, why then, they did dig into it."

Fifty-six years after the invasion, the citation came through.

At a reunion in Myrtle Beach a month ago, the 6th Naval Beach Battalion was honored for its contributions in World War II. Its members received a Presidential Unit Citation, which recognizes "extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy."

Vaghi said that meant a lot to him. "Needless to say, it was great excitement," he said. "It was quite a nice ceremony when they presented the document."

There has been an increased effort nationally in recent years to discuss and remember World War II.

The movie "Saving Private Ryan," which depicted the bloodshed on Omaha Beach in its opening sequence, ignited that dialog. Other events, like the plans for the World War II veterans memorial on the National Mall, have continued it, Vaghi said.

The 6th Naval Beach Battalion has held annual reunions for 12 years, and the veterans became more comfortable talking about their experiences.

"Since then it's been easier to talk about it, and of course, a lot of books are being written," Vaghi said. "Nobody knew about us, unfortunately."

After graduating from Providence College in Rhode Island, where he was a football player, Vaghi enlisted in the Navy in 1942 at the age of 21. Less than a year after invading Normandy, he was part of a battalion that invaded Okinawa. He was discharged from active duty in 1947 and served in the naval reserves until 1959.