>> on our broadcast tonight from normandy, life or death. the plot thickens over the prisoner swap for an american soldier that sparked such an uproar and tonight, a new story line has emerged about why congress was kept in the dark. history of failures. a devastating report out tonight with gm and major executives are out, as well. manhunt, a city on lockdown as a man takes aim at police officers. tonight tens of thousands are being told to stay inside. and the greatest generation, the reason we're here tonight along with the man who coined

the phrase as the world prepares to remember d-day, and american veterans make one more trip to the east shores. "nightly news" begins now. >> this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams reporting tonight from normandy. and good evening from the u.s. military cemetery here on the bluffs above omaha beach on the coastline of france. sacred ground, the resting place of 10,000 souls, 70 years ago tonight, u.s. paratroopers were beginning the mission to drop into the french countryside, followed of course the next morning by the largest sea born invasion in military history. it was a turning point in the war and for the free world and many of the vets able to make the trip are back here one more time and will be telling their stories the next two nights. we begin here tonight with a member of the u.s. military in the news. when americans first heard that bowe bergdahl was being released after five years as the only american held behind enemy lines in afghanistan, it was greeted as good news, plain and simple.

the story has become a lot more complicated since then, however, including the straight up accusation that he was a deserter, that his release included a controversial prisoner exchange and questions about why congress was kept in the dark and just tonight, it now appears the white house is changing its story. we start off our reporting this evening with our pentagon correspondent, jim miklaszewski. >> reporter: in a video of bowe bergdahl's released passed out by the taliban yesterday, a clean-shaven bergdahl looks to be in good physical condition, but the white house first reported in a taliban video from december, bergdahl appeared to be in such bad shape, the u.s. needed to bring him home to save his life. >> we had reason to be concerned this was urgent and acute situation, that his life could have been at risk. >> reporter: a claim repeated today by defense secretary chuck hagel. >> it was our judgment based on the information we had that his

life, his health were in peril. >> reporter: although the video remains classified, senior u.s. officials that described the tape to nbc news say it showed bergdahl in declining health, that he lost weight, was cradling one arm and spoke english with a slight stutter but medical teams determined he did not appear in grave condition or in danger of dying. and the white house today came up with still another story line, that president obama could not tell key members of congress about the prisoner swap in advance, because if it leaked out, the taliban would kill bergdahl. but the white house did inform democratic senator harry reid the day before bergdahl was freed. >> it's made a big deal over nothing. is it friday or saturday? what difference does it make? what difference does it make? >> reporter: the taliban meanwhile claims handing over

bergdahl in exchange for five taliban prisoners has handed them a victory over america. two taliban leaders involved in the swap told "time" magazine the taliban has a new front status. >> they think that makes them on equal footing for the americans and legitimacy they have been seeking since 2001. if you capture one american, you can get five of your guys. >> reporter: bergdahl is at a u.s. military hospital in germany where he is receiving medical care and now legal advice. bergdahl has a military lawyer to keep him from incriminating himself in anything he may say about his conduct in afghanistan. the pentagon also reports that bergdahl is now free to talk to his parents any time he wants, but he's not yet decided to make that call, brian.

>> jim mickly ch lmiklaszewski pentagon tonight on this story. jim, thanks. this bergdahl story has followed the president here to europe. he will continue to face questions about it. our chief white house correspondent political director chuck todd traveling with the president tonight in paris prior to traveling here tomorrow. chuck, good evening. >> good evening brian. we haven't heard a clear explanation why the white house story changed today, other than chalking it up to media leaks, but the president himself is standing firm behind every part of his decision including keeping congress out of the loop. at the g-7 today the president again stood firmly behind his decision. >> i make absolutely no apologies for making sure that we get back a young man to his parents and that the american people understand that this is somebody's child. >> reporter: and he echoed previous statements that sergeant bergdahl's failing health was the reason for the

secrecy and speed of the mission. >> we had a prisoner of war whose health had deteriorated, and we were deeply concerned about, and we saw an opportunity and we seized it. >> reporter: for his part, the president was dismissive of his critics and political fire storm that erupted. >> i'm never surprised by controversies whipped up in washington. it's important for people to understand that this is not some abstraction. this is not a political football. >> reporter: it's become a distraction on this trip for the president to keep european allies united to influence the political direction in ukraine. this leaves european allies that strung ties with russia to placate president obama and p putin. the french president went so far as to host back to back diners this weekend, the first with president obama and a few hours later a separate one with putin. putin tried to make light of

being uninvited to the g-7 talks offering the russian version of bon appetit. one more awkward moment coming to the town you are, president obama, putin and putin's newest adversary, the incoming ukrainian president, will all be together at the d-day ceremony. >> chuck todd in paris tonight. we'll see you here tomorrow. following his remarks at the cemetery here tomorrow, president obama will sit down with us for an exclusive interview that will air on tomorrow evening's broadcast of "nbc nightly news." the ceo of general motors today announced the devastating results of an internal investigation commissioned by the company. it found widespread incompetence and neglect was behind the failure to order safety recalls in a timely manner. the company knew for over a decade with problems with faulty

ignition switches in some vehicles but did not alert the public. those problems have been linked to over a dozen deaths and tonight, the ceo says she is taking action within the company. our report tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: it was a contrite ceo mary barra who today revealed the deeply troubling findings from former u.s. attorney. >> what he found in this situation was a pattern of incompetence and neglect. >> reporter: incompetence and neglect that likely contributed to the death of a 25-year-old. >> she was so full of life looking forward to what was happening next for her. >> reporter: a nursing student,

seidy was killed four years ago when her chevy cobalt in nashville, one of 13 deaths and 54 crashes gm acknowledges but both the government and consumer advocates say the number could be far higher. >> just looking at the early warning reports on deaths and injuries filed by general motors on these vehicles, there has to be at least 500 deaths and injuries associated with the ignition switch defect. >> reporter: barra said gm culture contributed to the delayed recalling calls with faulty ignition switches that shut down the engine and air bags. >> repeatedly, individuals failed to disclose critical pieces of information that could have fundamentally change the lives of those impacted by the faulty ignition switch. >> reporter: five employees are rep pra banded and 15 fired. as nbc news reported, he ordered a design change to the ignition switch in 2006, yet did not change the part number or notify existing car owners of the defective switch. in a wrongful death lawsuit last year, degiorgio denied ordering

the change. >> i am not aware of this change. >> reporter: the report found his actions prevented investigators for years from learning what had actually taken place. but the report also says gm first learned of problems with the prototype switch back in 1999. >> when will frustrate people is we don't know exactly why these individuals decided not to raise their hand and do something about this defective ignition switch. >> i want to believe that they are going to do something different, that they will act with honor and they will act with integrity and they will do everything they can to change the culture. >> reporter: again, gm commissioned the report. it exonerates 9 current top leadership. meanwhile, ceo barra says the attorney will establish a fund for four victims and he has the discretion to expand the number of victims. bria brian? >> tom costello in washington. tom, thanks. back here now to what brings us here, tomorrow's 70th anniversary of d-day, one more gathering of the veterans who when they were young men

liberated france and went on to win the war with families and world leaders tomorrow, and our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell is back here with us to cover it all. andrea, always emotional being here. >> it is emotional. it isn't only the world leaders, brian, gathering here tomorrow. this is especially important for the d-day veterans, knowing this anniversary could be their last. ♪ on utah beach a tribute to the americans that landed 70 years ago. >> they were willing to sacrifice everything for the greater good of humanity. thank god that they did. >> reporter: the people of normandy are welcoming back their liberators with parades and flags. invoking memories with chiefs in uniforms, honoring the heroes of d-day, tributes in the air. american jim martin parachuted into normandy as a 23-year-old private in the first airborne.

today he did it again. >> what made me do it today? a little bit of ego because i'm 93 and i can still do it. >> reporter: back then 13,000 paratroopers dropped behind enemy lawns and a dawn in rough seas, the largest invading force assembled hit the beach. >> everything was pretty bad. >> reporter: andy anderson is back with students from the college of the ozarks, one generation teaching another what happened on that bloody day. >> i can hear the first infantry guys moaning, oh, my god. 4 >> reporter: when you see these kids now, they are the same age you were when you -- >> you know, our generation, it was so different that they have no idea what we went through. >> reporter: what do you think you learned from andy? >> what i learned from andy? honestly, what i can relate to

in the most is i can't imagine putting myself out there and running up the beach. i don't think a lot of people can. >> reporter: before leaving, anderson had one more stop. a salute to a fallen friend. and he told me his most important lesson is you don't give up. and they didn't, brian? >> big day here tomorrow. such an honor to be here with them. andrea, thanks. still ahead for us tonight, the manhunt for a killer on the loose. several police officers have been killed, more have been wounded and tens of thousands of people tonight on lockdown.

we mentioned before the break, a lockdown situation, a manhunt under way for a gunman alleged to have shot and killed three royal canadian mounted

polic police. since that story broke and of interest to our viewers on the west coast, we received reports of a shooting on a campus in seattle university. join fryer with more on that. good evening. >> reporter: one victim has died after a shooting on the campus of seattle pacific university. three others are being treated at harvard view medical center for their injuries the young man who died was in his 20s. he passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. a 20-year-old woman is in critical condition with life threatening injuries, and two other male victims are stable. the shooting happened after 3:00 this afternoon. police say the gunman entered a science, engineering and math building and shot four people phillies say he then began reloading. that's when the staff was on him and he was arrested. the school was under lockdown for some time. that lockdown has now been lifted. students received e-mails and

texts telling them this was not a drill. they were told to close the windows, lock the doors and stay low to the ground. evening classes at seattle pacific are now canceled. tomorrow is actually the final day of classes with graduation set for next week. police believe there is only one suspect. at this point, the motive for the shooting is unleclear. brian? >> joe fryer, thanks. when we come back, remembering one of the greats of the game.

former first lady nancy reagan made a rare public appearance today at the grave site of her husband ronald reagan to mark ten years since his death. in fact, the news arrived a decade ago tonight as veterans gathered here for the 60th anniversary of d-day. nancy reagan is now 92 years old. don zimmer has died and if there ever had to be one face or one perssona to represent all of baseball and the men who played it in to the modern era, it

might as well have been him. he played or managed or coached or advised those who did for the past 66 years. he had the face of pop eye and he was also tough enough to charge padro martinez of the red sox when he was a 72-year-old man. the teams included the dodgers and mets and yankees and red sox and reds and senators and padres and rangers and cubs and lastly, the rays. he loved everything about the game and those who played it. don zimmer, zim for short was 83 years old. the secret service never ask anyone to leave the hotel gym when the president chooses to workout when he's on the road. it's a courtesy to the hotel guests. yesterday he paid a price in terms of the privacy. put it this way, who among us would like to have the world

critiquing our workout, but that's what happened on the worldwide web today. somebody snuck the video on there as millions weighed in on his moves and exercise regmin. reliving their mission here in normandy.

finally tonight, as we said it was 70 years ago tonight, when a group of young men climbed aboard an aircraft, it took them over the east shores and secured their place in what tom brokaw would later famous recall the latest generation. tom is back here in normandy with us with a couple veterans and remarkably the veteran aircraft itself. >> reporter: as long has there have been planes in the sky, there have been young men wanting to fly. >> i had fell in love with barney baxter, which was a comic. >> reporter: and women heard the call. >> my brother started taking lessons before me but i asked if i could. >> reporter: across generations they share a bond with another

veteran. returning at long last to normandy, a c-47 sky train dakota called whiskey 7. one of the very few planes remaining from the airborne assault on not preoccupied europe. 70 years ago bud rice was an experienced pilot, 1800 hours in the cockpit. he was as ready as he would ever be. at 2:15 a.m. on june 6th, it was time to go. >> when you flew into the fog bank, was there panic. >> yes, fortunately, the training kicks in. you're scared but focused. >> reporter: leslie cruise was ready as well. >> the green light went on and one, two, three, four, five. as fast as you can count it, we went out. >> reporter: d-day and the long,

grueling months took a toll on rice and cruise, buddy whose -- buddies who didn't make it back. >> remember the faces of the friends you lost? >> i do. i do. yeah, i do that very, very well. >> reporter: cruise's war ended when his right hand was shattered during the battle of the bulge. they returned home and like so many, simply got on with their lives, but they never forgot whisky seven. after a careful restoration by the national war plane museum in upstate new york, whisky seven hopscotched to join the returning vets. >> to be a pilot flying a piece of living history that gives me goose bumps when i talk about it. >> reporter: it was time for rice and crews to be reunited with a friend flying over the beaches and towns they liberated and for a few silly moments, bud took control of the whiskey 7.

>> who would think i would be in an airplane that i had flown so long ago. >> reporter: together again. >> tom brokaw will be a part of our team covering the events here tomorrow. and on this trip back here, we have chronicled the stories of four returning d-day veterans. two are coming back here for the first time in 70 years. their last visit before today was as very young men. please join us for our hour-long special tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m., 7:00 central on this station. that is our broadcast on this thursday night. thank you for being with us. i'm brian williams reporting tonight from the u.s. cemetery at omaha beach. we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening to mark 70 years since d-day. good night from normandy.

>> announcer: nbc bay area news starts now. >> right now, at 6:00, cops and consequences. how the alleged crime system san jose police officers could free a number of convicted criminals. thanks for joining us. >> new at 6:00, not just bad behavior by s.j.p.d., but the domino effect it could be causing. the latest example, an officer accused of storing marijuana. not only him, but all the other cases he's been associated with. damien, this could open up a

legal can of worms. >> you know, raj, we're talking about six police officer fls the last three years accused of crimes such as money laundering, rape, sex with a minor and now drugs. that's potentially dozens of case that is have to be reviewed, if not thrown out completely! they walk in and out of court every day. police officers testifying before a jury, trying to help convict someone they may have arrested. but one expert says many cases are now in jeopardy after this week's arrest of san jose police officers san vu for allegedly storing 20 pounds of marijuana in this locker. >> legal analyst says the arrest of an officer can have a ripple effect on the entire legal system with jurors questioning the credibility of all officers on the stand. clark calls it collateral dajs. you add the five other