. we like it nice on the weekend. thanks for watching. i'm renee chenault-fattah. >> i'm jim rosenfield. the news continues with nightly news live from normandy. . on our broadcast tonight, the solute to the warriors who stormed the beaches here in normandy. the men who liberated the nation and changed the course of history. tonight, the emotional return for many one more time. our nbc news exclusive, our conversation with president obama on the prisoner swap, his reaction to edward snowden and what he told us shortly before a surprise meeting with vladimir putin. moment of crisis. a terrifying scene. a heavily armed gunman opens fire. the shootout, bullets at a courthouse outside atlanta. run for history, excitement building at belmont after all these years. are we about to witness a triple crown? "nightly news" from normandy begins now.

>> this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. reporting tonight from normandy. good evening. when they were young on a terrible day 70 years ago today, they dropped into the woods in parachutes, flew overhead in war planes and wave after wave on the beach with machine gun and artillery fire raining down on them from above. it was an enormous gamble. they paid under 10,000 souls rest in eternal peace behind us, somewhere they died, yet their efforts turned the tide in the war and helped to save the world. it was a beautiful day here today. made more beautiful by how many of them made it back one more trip to normandy for the men who already took it once. years ago, tom brokaw gave a bunch of them the perfect title,

the greatest generation. here today tom was back as well to witness this 70th reunion. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: this is why we're here. here above the beaches of normandy just beyond the water that brought liberty at a great sacrifice. for those who survived that day and for so many others, this is a journey of honor and remembrance to honor their fallen friends and remember 70 years later, but it is not just veterans who honor the sacrifices here. a new generation of leaders takes the call. >> we tell the story for the soldiers that pulled straighter today to solute brothers who never made it home. we tell the story for the

daughter who clutches a faded photo of her daughter forever young. gentlemen, i want each of you to know your legacy is in good hands. >> reporter: and the president reminded us their legacy goes beyond the fighting to the costly time in their young lives. >> they left home barely more than boys and returned home heroes, but to their great credit, that is not how this generation carried itself. after the war, some put away their medals, were quiet about their service, moved on. >> reporter: but before they could go home, there was normandy. there had never been anything like it before, and there never would be again. >> what more powerful manifestation of america's commitment to human freedom than the sight of wave after wave of wave for the young men to board the boats to meet people they never met. >> reporter: and the command from the commander in chief.

>> whenever the word makes you cynic l, stop and think of these men. whenever you lose hope, stop and think of these men. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: now in their late 80s and 90s, so many veterans will not be around for the 75th anniversary. their lives are coming to a close, but their legacy can never be dimmed. ♪ ♪ >> an incredible day here at normandy and tom, whether you accept it or not, you get their thanks for naming their entire generation and i know it's personal for you to be back here with them. >> it is. the original intention about them for them, and what has been so gratifying, of course,

generations of americans picked it up. what is striking, as well, brian, so many people are more interested in world war ii now than they would have been 40 years ago and it's the magnitude of the event and magnitude of the country as opposed to where we are in the world now. >> great to have you back here. what a day here on the coast above omaha beach. the events here today brought together leaders from around the world, presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens. a big question today, would president's obama and putin take the opportunity to speak face-to-face since its been such a rocky time over ukraine? turns out they did meet and we get our report from andrea mitchell. >> vladimir putin and president obama spent most of the day avoiding each other. at lunch, separated by a long table, two queens and the french president but in a hallway, their first face-to-face meeting

since russia seized crimea. just 15 minutes. it looked like an awkward encounter after a bad breakup. only this short snippet of video released. president obama urged putin to ease tensions from ukraine with whom putin met today. it was diplomatic saying of course i also spoke with victor and the president of the united states. quite substentively in my opinion. most of the day was a celebration of heroes with bands, dances, a patriotic flyover and royalty, queen elizabeth who herself was in uniform in world war ii as a driver and mechanic made one of maybe her last overseas appearances as she slows down, passing the torch to a new generation. prince william and kate having d-day veterans for tea. kate moving from table to table smiling and listening to

stories. on gold beach, the british storms, the young royals welcomed veterans and honored their service. >> it's vital the sacrifice and reasons for that sacrifice are never forgotten by our generation and generations to come. >> reporter: on omaha beach younger generations stood on the sand where so many sacrificed so they could live free. today's d-day ceremony under scores the terrible price paid by so many when diplomacy failed. >> andrea, thanks, as always. >> after speaking to the crowd of thousands here on this hallow ground, president obama sat down with us for an exclusive interview at a time when things military happened to dominate the news. chiefly, beowe bergdahl coming home to the u.s. in exchange for five prisoners from guantanamo

bay. on the subject of bowe bergdahl, there is real confusion and we hope you can clear up this one point that arose last night and today. what was the reason for not informing the members that would customarily be told? >> i have to tell you the same thing i've been saying for the last several days, which is we have a rule, a principle that when somebody wears our country's uniform and they are in a war theater and they are captured, we're going to do everything we can to bring them home, and we saw an opportunity, and we took it, and i make no apologies for it. it was a unanimous decision among my principals in my government and a view shared by the members of the joint chief of staff and this is something that i would do again and i will

continue to do wherever i have of an tunety opportunity. we'll try to get them out. >> the reason for the lack of congressional communication? >> the main concern was we had to act fast in a delicate situation that required no publicity. >> the five prisoners part of the exchange by their resumes, they are professionals, former high-value assets. the question asked on the cover of "time magazine" this week, was it worth it? >> the fact is that we are ending a war in afghanistan. we have released both under my administration and previous administrations, a large number of former taliban fighters, some of whom returned to the battle field, but by definition, you don't do prisoner exchanges with your friends, you do them with your enemies. >> in our interview recently with edward snowden in russia, i raised the allegation that he

has badly damaged his country. how has the united states been harmed by what he did? >> i won't comment on the particulars of the case but i'll say the disclosures that we've seen had a very significant impact on our intelligence operations around the world, had a grave impact on a number of diplomatic relationships, compromised our ability to gain insight into some of the work our adversaries do. i said before and i'll say again, there is no doubt this is an area of legitimate debate and i think there are patriots on both sides who recognize on the one hand we've got to make sure that our eyes and ears are open for potential threats. what is also true, we got to make sure not only that our privacy is protected but the manner in which intelligence services operate internationally

comports with our values and our ideas. >> your personal connection, it's quite a distinction to be able to say that a family member fought in patton's third army. >> my grandfather was the first to be humble about his service. he came in after the initial charge. you know, these men who were so young when they came here and showed such extraordinary courage and capacity and changed the world and go back home and settle back down and didn't really make a fuss about it. >> my grandfather passed away over 20 years ago. this is one of those days where i thought to myself, it would have been nice to have him here. i think he would have been -- he would have been proud to see that what he was a part of so

long ago was now being celebrated by a grandson who is the commander in chief of the greatest military on earth. i think he would have been pretty proud and probably a little more than surprised. >> part of our conversation with the president here today and as he left us and boarded his helicopter marine one, we noticed someone with him. turns out he offered a d-day veteran a better than average view of the french coastline from above, 90-year-old retired command sergeant first came to the east shores with the army's 508 infantry 70 years ago today, and we sincerely hope you can join us tonight for our hour-long special, profiling d-day veterans who came back here, two of them since the first time since 1944. it area at 8:00, 7:00 central.

president obama thanked the french for the beauty and dignity and remembrance of this resting place and back home in the u.s., france gave its thanks in another way for america's help in world war ii. in new york harbor today, three helicopters dropped one million rose pedals on the statute of liberty was a gift of friendship from france to the united states. world war ii veterans and active military members were on hand for the event. we'll take a break, more of the day's other news still ahead when we continue, including a heavily armed gunman on the attack. a terrible shootout at a courthouse outside atlanta. ♪ [ding] the outdoors misses you. get back out there with off deep woods. the long lasting mosquito protection frees you to reunite with the great outdoors. off deep woods. keeps bugs off.

sc johnson. a family company because you can't beat zero heartburn. woo hoo! [ male announcer ] prilosec otc is the number one doctor recommended frequent heartburn medicine for 8 straight years. one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn.

mayo? corn dogs? you are so outta here! aah! [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of great-tasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 9 grams of protein. [ bottle ] ensure®. nutrition in charge™. marge: you know, there's a more enjoyable [ bottle ] ensure®. way to get your fiber. try phillips fiber good gummies. they're delicious, and an excellent source of fiber to help support regularity. wife: mmmm husband: these are good! marge: the tasty side of fiber. from phillips. a wounded sheriff's deputy in georgia is being praised for preventing a bad situation from becoming worse. the deputy was shot during a confrontation from a heavily armed man. it was a hearing that had a different plan. we'll get our report from nbc's

mark potter. >> reporter: police say the shooting began at 10:00 this morning when 48-year-old dennis ronald marsh drove his suv onto the steps of the courthouse in georgia where he threw gas and smoke bombs and tried to run over and exchange gunfire with a sheriff's deputy. the deputy was shot in the leg. moments later, other police arrived opening up with gunfire killing marks. >> the only way i can describe it, an assault on the courthouse. mr. marks intention was to get in the front door and take hostage it is. >> reporter: a former attorney says marks was due in court today for a plea deal on drug and weapon charges but angry over the agreement. he never showed up before the judge who later heard the shots outside. >> i went down and got down off my chair and onto the floor and quickly escorted from the bench. >> reporter: police are investigating whether marks was

a member of an anti-government group. the deputy saved countless lives by keeping the gunman outside the courthouse. mark potter, nbc news miami. an update on two other acts of violence we've been following since last night in seattle police said more people would likely have been killed by a gunman at seattle pacific university if not for a brave student that rushed in to help. after one student was killed, three others wounded, a 22-year-old engineering student fired pepper spray at the suspect then tackled him. today he was praised for heroics and police arrested a 24-year-old man after the shooting death of three royal canada mounted police in the province of new bruinswick north of maine. the suspect was found in a backyard and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. we're back in just a moment with a champion who is perhaps on the cusp of history. [ male announcer ] type 2 diabetes affects millions of us.

and for many, it's a struggle to keep your a1c down. so imagine -- what if there was a new class of medicine that works differently to lower blood sugar? imagine...loving your numbers. introducing once-daily invokana®. it's the first of a new kind of prescription medicine that's used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. invokana® is a once-daily pill that works around the clock to help lower a1c. here's how. the kidneys allow sugar to be absorbed back into the body. invokana® reduces the amount of sugar allowed back in and sends some sugar out through the process of urination. and while it's not for weight loss, it may help you lose some weight. invokana® can cause important side effects, including dehydration, which may cause some people to have loss of body water and salt. this may also cause you to feel dizzy, faint, lightheaded, or weak especially when you stand up. other side effects may include kidney problems, genital yeast infections, urinary tract infections,

changes in urination, high potassium in the blood, or increases in cholesterol. do not take invokana® if you have severe kidney problems or are on dialysis or if allergic to invokana® or its ingredients. symptoms of allergic reaction may include rash, swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing. if you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking invokana® and call your doctor right away or go to the nearest hospital. tell your doctor about any medical conditions, medications you are taking, and if you have kidney or liver problems. using invokana® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase risk of low blood sugar. it's time. lower your blood sugar with invokana®. imagine loving your numbers. ask your doctor about invokana®.

but when we put something in the ground, feed it, and care for it, don't we grow something more? we grow big celebrations, and personal victories. we grow new beginnings, and better endings. grand gestures, and perfect quiet. we grow escape, bragging rights, happier happy hours. so let's gro something greater with miracle-gro. what will you grow? share your story at miraclegro.com.

there was more positive economic news today. we learned the u.s. economy added 217,000 jobs last month. it's the fourth month in a row now of solid hiring and a good sign for the still sluggish u.s. economy. the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3%. it's been 36 years since we seen a champion claim one of the biggest crowns in sports but that could change tomorrow at belmont park where a center real -- cinderella story is on the verge of changing. >> reporter: good evening, brian. he comes from a place winning horses don't. his dad was a race loser, his mom people said you would be crazy to buy but somehow they had california chrome and in may, the colt took the kentucky derby, two weeks later, the preakness and tomorrow he'll

race for what could be the first triple crown since 1978 and though the odds are on his side, it's not going to be easy because belmont is big, a mile and a half, longer than the preakness and derby and the last 12 years, four horses seen their crown hopes crushed here. in short, it's a place legends are made and brian, all too often, dreams are dashed. >> katy tur, we all get to find out tomorrow, katy, thanks. when we come back from here. one of the great stories among the great men who gathered here today. nobody told us to expect it... intercourse that's painful due to menopausal changes. the problem isn't likely to go away... ...on its own. so it's time we do something about it. and there's help. premarin vaginal cream. a prescription that does what no over-the-counter product was designed to do. it provides estrogens to help rebuild vaginal tissue and make intercourse

more comfortable. premarin vaginal cream treats vaginal changes due to menopause and moderate-to-severe painful intercourse caused by these changes. don't use premarin vaginal cream if you've had unusual bleeding, breast or uterine cancer, blood clots, liver problems, stroke or heart attack, are allergic to any of its ingredients or think you're pregnant. side effects may include headache, pelvic pain, breast pain, vaginal bleeding and vaginitis. estrogen may increase your chances of getting cancer of the uterus, strokes, blood clots or dementia, so use it for the shortest time based on goals and risks. estrogen should not be used to prevent heart disease, heart attack, stroke or dementia. ask your doctor about premarin vaginal cream. and go to premarinvaginalcream.com this is worth talking about. ...i got lots of advice, but i needed information i could trust. unitedhealthcare's innovative, simple program helps moms stay on track with their doctors

to get the right care and guidance. (anncr vo) that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. little things, anyone can do. it steals your memories. your independence. insures support. a breakthrough. and sooner than you'd like... ...sooner than you think. ...you die from alzheimer's disease. ...we cure alzheimer's disease. every little click, call, or donation adds up to something big. alzheimer's association. the brains behind saving yours. with crest 3d white luxe toothpaste. only crest 3d white has whitelock technology. it removes stains within the microfine lines of your teeth... and locks out future stains. crest 3d white luxe toothpaste. life opens up with a whiter smile. crestsfx: car unlock beep.aste. vo: david's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today his doctor has him on a bayer aspirin regimen

to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. back here tonight, this magnificent resting place. the veterans have been extraordinary. like all members of their generation, their bravery as young men is equalled only by their modesty now. in our hour-long special later tonight, we follow four of them back here, including a man who survived his worst day to live a long life and prosper back home. tommy mcdonnell stormed omaha

beach when he was 21, not thinking how the day would live in history but now at 91, he does not want his experience to be forgotten. >> i want my boys to see where it happened. >> reporter: he returned this week with two generations at his side, his grandson matt alexander is an iraq war veteran. >> i felt like i needed to see it to put it in perspective and changed my perspective of what my grand dad went through. >> reporter: he was a sharp shooter, the big red one. their mission to take omaha beach, where the famous scene in "saving private ryan" captured the bloodshed and violence of that morning. few of mcdonald's friends survived and on his way up a beach, a piece of sharp neil pierced him. >> felt like a hot poker, but it

didn't hurt. >> come on. >> well, it hurt but i could move. >> reporter: the army wanted him to stay on but he had had enough. >> i had said i've done all the killing i'm going to do. i'm going to go to medical school, become a doctor and start saving lives instead of taking them. >> reporter: back home, tommy mcdonnell became an obstetricn n sta strigs and delivered babies. >> we all gave some. they gave all. >> reporter: this journey back to normandy was closing a chapter and with the help of his family, ensuring what happened on this coastline will be remembered for generations to come. >> it's a great honor to be able

to see the people respect what was done. >> reporter: isn't that the most important thing to pass along the effort of the lesson? >> they understand. it's a wonderful thing for them to understand. >> he's one of the reasons we ask that you join us for tonight's special hour. we urge you to watch as a family. it's a generational lesson in bravery and modesty. return to d-day with us and with these four men who helped save the world when they were young. that is our broadcast on a friday night and for this week, thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams reporting tonight from the u.s. military cemetery here at omaha beach. we hope to see you back home in new york on monday night. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night from normandy.

test. no matter where you meet or when it occurs, sometimes you have that pregame edge. cole hamels arrived on the scene and did so here in the queen city. 2,947 days since his major league debut, the cincinnati reds are yet to solve him. 11 starts and just over eight years later, they get another chance on the same fields.