LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On June 6, 1944, the largest amphibious invasion in military history happened when Allied forces — from land, air, and sea — stormed the beaches of Normandy to fight back against the Axis powers.
Among the many American soldiers who fought during D-Day was Private First Class Onofrio "No No" Zicari, a serviceman with the 5th Amphibious Brigade and a longtime Las Vegas local.
In January 2025, nearly 81 years since Omaha Beach, Zicari will be honored with The National Order of The Legion of Honor in the rank of Chevalier, or Knight, by the French government — their highest honor for French citizens and foreign nationals.
Adrien Fier, the Consul General of France in Los Angeles, will present the award on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Veil Pavilion banquet hall inside the Silverton Casino Lodge.
Channel 13 has met with Zicari over the years, including his return to Normandy for the 75th and 80th anniversary of D-Day.
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Back in 2021, we reported on the push for Zicari to receive a Purple Heart Medal by local officials, including former Mayor Carolyn Goodman. The push even went national as Zicari was featured on ABC News' "World News Tonight" on multiple occasions alongside other WWII veterans.
Zicari sustained shrapnel wounds during D-Day, and the medic who tended to him was killed less than 30 minutes after helping him. Hence, a record of Zicari's wounds was never officially documented.
Today, that is no longer the case. The very same year, in 2021, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records issued Zicari's Purple Heart Medal at a city council meeting in Las Vegas.
Zicari has also received the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars for his military service. He was honorably discharged from military service on Dec. 31, 1945, and moved to California to raise his family, work and enjoy his hobby of woodworking. He has been a Las Vegas resident for 30 years.
In 2025, Zicari will join the honored ranks alongside Private First Class Henry Robinson, another valley local and WWII veteran who received the French Legion of Honor.
WATCH: A 98-year-old Nevadan receives France's highest honor for his service in WWII
