Was Reagan the first President to lay a wreath at the Normandy monument?

[AlGore-08.com]

The coverage on CNN doesn't say, but I can't figure out why else they're making the connection between Reagan's death and Smirk laying the wreath...

[supernova]

1. I think there is a memorial

that was just finished when Reagan was in office. The D-Day festivities have always happened.

I think we Americans only started noticing it (except for the veterans who return every year) for the 40th anniversary.

[salin]

2. Reagan used the imagery as a focal point in a very long (10 minutes?)

ad in the 1984 election. I think the repeated imagery sealed the moment in the public's memory.

[agingdem]

3. Old Ronnie...

laid a wreath on the tomb of the "Unknown Nazi" in Bitburg.