STOW: Sailors aboard a British destroyer pulled Navy Seaman First Class Albert J. Vendeland from the frigid English Channel, but he died on the boat in the early hours of April 28, 1944.Vendeland, 19, a Cleveland native, was among 749 U.S. soldiers and sailors who died that day as they prepared for the coming D-Day invasion of France by landing troops at Slapton Sands, England.German ships intercepted their practice invasion, called Operation Tiger, and attacked with torpedoes.Sixty-seven years later, Norman Vendeland, 77, of Munroe Falls, received all of the medals his brother earned during his service in the war in a ceremony Thursday morning at the Stow-Munroe Falls Library.Laura Pechaitis, constituent services liaison for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, gave Vendeland his brother’s Purple Heart, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, European African Campaign Medal and a Navy Gold Star Lapel Button.Norman Vendeland, a contractor, was 10 years old when Albert was killed.“It’s hard,” he said of the loss of his big brother. “It still is.”Albert Vendeland joined the Navy in 1943 out of Collinwood High School, his brother said.He was on Landing Ship Tank 531 when German torpedo boats attacked.Norman Vendeland said there were eight LSTs that took part in the practice invasion. Two were sunk, and one was hit but made it back to England.He said his brother’s ship sank in six minutes.“The facts of that evening didn’t come out for close to 45 years,” he said, adding that his family did not know details of what happened until the late 1980s.Just 5› weeks after Vendeland and his shipmates were killed in Operation Tiger, the D-Day invasion took place, on June 6, 1944 on the beaches of Normandy.Albert Vendeland initially was buried at the American Military Cemetery in Surrey, England, but in 1947 was brought to Mayfield Village and was buried at Mount Sinai Cemetery, his brother said.The original Purple Heart the family received was lost and the other medals never were received, officials of Sen. Brown’s office said.“Ohio’s veterans made invaluable contributions to our fight for worldwide peace and democracy,” Brown in a statement. “Al Vendeland, a member of the Greatest Generation, gave his life in the pursuit of the liberties and freedoms we all enjoy today.”The Navy Gold Star Lapel Button was pinned on Vendeland’s shirt by Paul Suscinski, 64, of Norton, a Marine Vietnam veteran and commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 699.A cousin of Seaman Vendeland’s, Norman Pollack, 69, of Bentleyville, said the family felt the effects of his death for decades.He told a story of being at the home Norman’s parents when he was in his 30s or 40s.Pollack said Zelda Vendeland “always seemed sad” and that Ben Vendeland broke down and cried decades after his son had died.“I guess that I am saying is these incidents live long after they happen,” Pollack said.Pechaitis said it is important for immediate family members of World War II veterans who believe they might be entitled to medals they have not received to speak up and ask for help from their senator or House representative.“We are losing veterans quickly,” she said, referring to the large numbers of WWII vets who die each day.Medals can be given only to the veteran or an immediate family member, Pechaitis said. Contact her at 216-522-7272 or Laura_Pechaitis@brown.senate.gov.Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or at jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.