Although the term D-Day is used routinely as military lingo for the day an operation or event will take place, for many it is also synonymous with June 6, 1944, the day the Allied powers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control during World War II. Within three months, the northern part of France would be freed and the invasion force would be preparing to enter Germany, where they would meet up with Soviet forces moving in from the east.
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With Hitler’s armies in control of most of mainland Europe, the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hitler knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.
On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day’s end, 155,000 Allied troops–Americans, British and Canadians–had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.
For their part, the Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.
Though it did not go off exactly as planned, as later claimed by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery–for example, the Allies were able to land only fractions of the supplies and vehicles they had intended in France–D-Day was a decided success. By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.
The heroism and bravery displayed by troops from the Allied countries on D-Day has served as inspiration for several films, most famously The Longest Day (1962) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). It was also depicted in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers (2001).
This day remains important to me because my father, 82nd Airborne was a participant. Equally important is that I remember this generation of men. I remember The America of these men. It was a wonderful place. My God, how we squandered our blessings……………………….
The French have done a good job preserving the Normandy Beach site. It is unchanged since 41. What a sobering place. It’s a must see bucket list item.
The D-DAY anniversary was a day of silent refection for the most part as I was growing up. I do remember my Grandfather getting phone calls from men he served with.He had a very special bond with them that we all could see. My parents only lived a couple miles from my grandparents so I was over alot as I was growing up. They are all gone now .In a way I’m glad.Those men would probably be very disappointed with the way the country has turned out.
It’s truly saddening that so many good young men full of hope and promise were sent into the meat grinder needlessly. Some things never change.
If those soldiers had understood what the war was about to do to their race and civilization, they would have turned on their superiors and then gone home.
Love all 3 of the films listed at the end of this post above.
Here’s a decent story about this topic.
My Pop was late to the game, when he served over in the European theater of operations.
Can’t remember the exact dates he left, served, and returned…I’d have to research.
After basic in the Army, he went over, and I think the timing was such that it may have been after VE day.
His primary duties were to guard over a couple dozen German POW’s, and to pack up and box the M1’s, and other small weapons for return shipment to the U.S.
I think he was on good terms w/ some of the POW’s. Prick when he had to be, but treated them somewhat decent, since technically, the war was winding down.
One of them was a metal worker.
He made my Dad a silver box with a hinged lid, and the top was painstakingly engraved, with some notation or artistic depiction of each of the 4 countries my Dad spent time in while serving.
Details are vague, as my older brother had possession of that sentimental piece; I never saw it.
Sadly, it was stolen when my bro’s place got broken into, besides some other valuables in the inner city of our youth, circa 1980.
We never saw it again.
Was probably nothing more than a nice shiny box to the thief, who probably pawned it, or it’s sitting in some basement collecting dust.
What a keepsake that would’ve been to still have in our family.
Thieves suck.
My father piloted a glider at night into France on D-Day. He said it was a hard landing and the brass he was carrying all were hurt bad. Dad said they were all ‘softies’. There is a scene in one of the above movies depicting the same. He also administered to the war crime trials as a Lieutenant in post surrender Germany. He brought back German Shepard canines to be used as Sentry dogs on Air Force bases.
My infant sister died in 1947, in Nuremberg Germany one year to the day before I was born, poisoned by the folks who had owned the house requisitioned for my parents, at least by my calculations. My mother said they were nice folks who brought things for my sister, milk and such. Gastroenteritis was the official cause.
I once broached the subject with dad and he demurely gave credence to my thoughts. This, not to bring up a subject that would cause more distress to his wife.
I feel fortunate to have been surrounded by men of that generation growing up. I was never at a loss for role models who were admired by most of society.
I remember that scene, in SPR.
Pilot was pretty upset, describing to Hanks how before takoff, they loaded a GP onboard with heavy duty metal plate bottom, to protect a Major or something. When he tried landing soft, they came down like a meteor, with horrific casualties.
Many good scenes it it.
It’s H’wood fluff, but that one where their sharpshooter takes out the German sniper w a shot through his scope. . . awesome.
Greetings,
Other things to think about on this day.
1. The French in Normandy were not at all happy with what happened. Carpet bombing of the invasion zone killed an estimated 30,000 French civilians. The French army lost between 40 – 60,000 men in the German invasion of France and we killed half that many more in the opening salvo of Overlord.
2. The “Germans” there on the beach were mostly French and Russian men that had signed on to fight with the Germans. Even these units were able to disengage and retreat in good order once it was clear that the beaches were lost.
3. On the Easter Front, the Russians were just about to kick off operation Bagration which involved millions of men and pretty much destroyed Army Group Center. D-Day wouldn’t even be considered a tiny skirmish by comparison. It has been estimated that US soldiers can claim about 2% of the causalities suffered by the German army with more than 80% of the damage done to the German army being done by the Soviets.
Finally, my grandfather was at Normandy with the Italian army. He surrendered to the Americans after the 3rd day of fighting after it became clear to him that the Americans were no longer shooting all the prisoners that they were capturing. He had no love for the Germans and given that two of his brothers were already dead and another was a slave laborer in Frankfurt, he decided to surrender. Oh yeah, he escaped a few weeks after that and ever so slowly worked his way back to Veneto.
HOW OLD IS THE YOUNGEST D DAY VET?
The young future GI Joe turned 16 in January 1944
He lies about his age to join up and gets away with it
After three months of common to corp training he goes to England in April 1944
He now becomes a part of the invasion troops destined for D Day
June 1944, minus his age of 16.5 years old, means he was born in 1928
Just do the math. 2018 – 1928 = 90 years old today. And he is the YOUNGEST D DAY VET TODAY.