79 Years Later: Honoring the Heroes of D-Day and Their Sacrifice
For the Anniversary of D-Day (June 6), let's revisit some of the interesting facts about that day and its significance.
D-Day, also known as Operation Overlord, officially began on June 6th, 1944.
The significance of the Allied Invasion of Normandy can't be overstated.
Per an article from history.com, let's revisit some of the facts and figures from that historic day.
D-Day wasn't originally supposed to happen on June 6th:
Eisenhower selected June 5, 1944, as the date for the invasion; however, bad weather on the days leading up to the operation caused it to be delayed for 24 hours. On the morning of June 5, after his meteorologist predicted improved conditions for the following day, Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord. He told the troops: “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you.”
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When the weather cleared up, it paved way for a historic amphibious assault:
"The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating...Allied casualties on the first day were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead."
It was a tremendous sacrifice by service members not just of the United States, but of a total of 12 Allied countries.
Lastly, while the battle didn't end the war, it paved the way for an Allied victory:
'Overlord' did not bring an end to the war in Europe, but it did begin the process through which victory was eventually achieved."
It goes without saying that the events of D-Day and the subsequent Battle of Normandy change the course of World War II and the course of modern history.
There is always more to learn when it comes to the US and World History, and for more information about D-Day, its significance, and those that served, visit any of the sources below.
Thank you to all of the veterans on this anniversary of D-Day, June 6th, 1944.
Sources: dday.org, history.com, iwm.org and Normany Landings Wikipedia
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