June 6, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy, which are credited with turning the tide for the Allied forces in World War II. And there's a new push to preserve and document the legacy of the world's greatest conflict so its lessons are never forgotten.

Roger Tilles, of the state Board of Regents, announced the formation of a new task force that will look into ways to expand the World War II curriculum in public schools.

"When I see what's happening in the world today, there are so many issues that reflect what happened during that war," Tilles says.

News 12 spoke with Martin Bloch, who was 5 years old when the Nazi regime killed his father in August 1941. He and his older brother hid in the home of Jewish sympathizers, and then later joined a group of Jews known as "The Defiants." They hid in forests and for years staged raids on German soldiers.

Despite the enormity of World War II, education officials estimate that only about 90 hours of an entire school year are spent teaching that subject in New York state public schools.

Roosevelt High School history teacher Sammy Gonzalez says many of his students are immigrants who show an interest in World War II because of its relevance to today's world.