JUNE 6

On this date in 1944, 155,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.  English, Canadian and American soldiers crossed the English Channel by ship and landed on five designated parts of the European coast.

American General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the overall commander.  The military called it code name Operation Overlord.  The world called it D-Day.

Air bombing missions preceded the landing and paratroopers were dropped behind German lines.  An interesting attempt at fooling the Germans as to where the assault would take place went on for weeks beforehand.

The Canadians landed in an area we called Juno Beach...the British on Sword and Gold Beach.  The Americans landed on Utah and Omaha Beaches.  The amphibious landings were not flawless.  More than 4,000 men died on those beaches and another 6,000 were wounded.  These soldiers charged inland and began the push to cleanse western Europe of German occupation.  Thus began the western front and the beginning of the end for the Nazi Third Reich.  The war ended in Europe about twelve months later.  Many, many more died before it was over.

This is a date to remember - forever.

*o*