The following story first appeared on AL.com on June 6, 2014. It has been updated:

It’s been 30 years since President Ronald Reagan stood on the shores of the northern coast of France and paid tribute to those he called “the Boys of Pointe Du Hoc.”

The “boys,” were the soldiers who scaled the sheer cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc, France as part of the Normandy invasion. Reagan’s speech came on the 40th anniversary of D-Day. Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Nazi-controlled France and numerous events are planned to commemorate the event.

The Army Ranger Assault Group were charged with taking the cliffs – the highest point between American landing spots at Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east – despite being shot at by German soldiers, who were also cutting the ropes the U.S. troops were using to climb.

“When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again,” Reagan said. “They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

“These are the Boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.

“Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their valor and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.”

The Teenager of Pointe Du Hoc

Among those scaling the cliffs that day was Earl Claxton Warren of Morgan County.

Warren enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17. Just six days past his 18th birthday, Warren was among those serving with the 2nd Ranger Battalion who landed at Pointe du Hoc as part of the D-Day invasion.

His initial mission, according to his recounting of the day, was to scale the 130 foot cliffs and destroy six cannons located there. Facing terrible weather, the Americans caught the German troops off guard and were able to destroy the cannons using phosphorus bombs.

Warren later wrote: “It is hard to reflect back on the vast loss of American lives. The second day we had about 90 troops left out of the 225 that had landed that bitterly cold day…we had cleared the way for our invasion fleet to come ashore.”

Warren went on to fight in the Hedgerow Battles and the Battle of the Bulge. He was later awarded four Bronze Stars for his service. Warren died May 9, 2013, the last surviving member of his Pointe Du Hoc platoon.

He was posthumously awarded the 2013 Spirit of America Barrett C. Shelton Freedom Award from Decatur’s Spirit of America Festival.