D-DAY

Today is the anniversary of D-Day - the day in 1944 when Allied Forces landed on the shores of Normandy, France in World War II.  It was a Tuesday that year also.

Five separate beachheads were involved, two by U.S. forces and three by British/Canadian forces. The beaches were code named Utah and Omaha for the U.S.; Gold, Juno and Sword for the Brits.

This day was a turning point of the war.  It put the Allies on the offense in Europe.  The Germans controlled most of the Continent in 1944.  All of our forces faced strong German weapon emplacements as they landed.

This landing set up the 'western front' that Soviet forces were hoping for.  It divided the German Army's attention between the European coast in the West and the Soviet Union in the East.

I dare say no war will ever again be fought like this.  This landing produced over 10,000 casualties of U.S., British and Canadian forces including over 4,400 deaths.  Germany lost a similar number of men.

Let's hope that the time we spend on the beach this Summer is more pleasant than that experienced by those great men who died for us in 1944.  Remember them.