D-Day 80 Years Ago: “Men and Women of the United States! This is a Momentous Hour in World History. This is the Invasion of Hitler’s Europe!”
“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.”
June 6, 1944
Today, 80 years ago, the Allies embarked on Operation Overlord, the greatest military operation and largest seaborne operation ever.
We call this day D-Day, which in the military means the day to initiate the attack or combat.
Brave men, some just babies, didn’t ask questions. They did their duty to save the world from the clutches of a tyrant.
The invasion began in the early hours of June 6 as “thousands of C-47 Dakota plane engines roared to life, ready to carry 13,348 paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions over Normandy.” The men jumped in the pitch black, greeted by gunfire from the Germans.
Hours later, the unforgiving mad sea greeted the Allies, foreshadowing what they would face on the Normandy Beaches.
The brave men used bombers, tanks, and other weapons built and inspected by women. They used maps drawn by one special woman.
Americans heard the good news on the radio. NBC News declared, “Men and women of the United States! This is a momentous hour in world history. This is the invasion of Hitler’s Europe!”
Because of these brave men, the Allies laid the foundation to liberate the Western Front from Hitler.
80th Anniversary
Today is not about Biden or Trump. It is not about today’s politics. It’s not about the Middle East, Ukraine, or Russia.
Today is about the brave men. We owe them everything.
The Allies lost over 4,400 men on D-Day.
Unfortunately, we lose their voices every year. We lost one hero as he made his way to France to commemorate the anniversary and honor his fallen brothers.
Robert Persichitti, 102, “suffered a medical episode” as he sailed to Normandy by ship. They airlifted him to Germany, where he passed peacefully listening to Frank Sinatra.
Last week, American Airlines sent 70 WWII veterans to Paris on special planes. They threw a party for the heroes the night before.
Patriot Gary Sinise and others sent off the brave men.
At the ceremony, “14 U.S. veterans and a British female veteran” received the Legion of Honor from French President Macron.
Christian Lamb, 103, also received the honor:
Macron also bestowed the Legion of Honor on 103-year-old Christian Lamb, the daughter of a Royal Navy admiral who was studying in Normandy in 1939 when her father called her back to London. There, Lamb created detailed maps that guided the crews of landing craft on D-Day.
The French president bent down to Lamb in a wheelchair, pin the medal and kiss her on both cheeks, describing her as one of the “heroes in the shadows.”
A very emotional moment as President Macron awards the Légion d'honneur to a Royal Navy Wren, Ms Lamb
She made the maps that enabled D Day. A hero! pic.twitter.com/WC52OYksSc
— Daniel J. Devane 🇬🇧 (@DanielJDevane) June 6, 2024
Then, the audience applauded the veterans as they made their way down the aisle:
At the international ceremony later, the veterans received a standing ovation as they were paraded before the stands in a stately line of wheelchairs to avoid the long walk across the beachfront promenade.
“We just have to remember the sacrifices of everybody who gave us our freedom,” said Becky Kraubetz, a Briton now living in Florida whose grandfather served with the British Army during World War II and was captured in Malta. She was among a crowd of thousands of people that stretched for several kilometers (miles) along Utah Beach, the westernmost of the D-Day beaches.
In a quiet spot away from the pomp, France’s Christophe Receveur offered his own tribute, unfurling an American flag he had bought on a trip to Pennsylvania to honor those who died on D-Day.
“To forget them is to let them die all over again,” the 57-year-old said as he and his daughter, Julie, carefully refolded the flag into a tight triangle. Those now dying in Ukraine fighting the invading Russian army were also on his mind.
“All these troops came to liberate a country that they didn’t know for an ideology — democracy, freedom — that is under severe strain now,” he said.
For Warren Goss, a 99-year-old American veteran of D-Day who landed in the first waves on Utah Beach, the sacrifice was affirmed by a visit years later to the same place where his comrades fell.
“I looked at the beach and it was beautiful, all the people, the kids were playing and I see the boys and girls were walking, holding hands, with their life back,” he told the Danish king and prime minister, who hung on his words.
They got to cross again.
God bless these courageous men. We celebrate you. #DDay 80th pic.twitter.com/fLJXnXErUX— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) June 6, 2024
Special moment with the last Dutch Normandy veteran Max Wolff during the Dutch DDay commemoration at Arromanches. #DDay80 pic.twitter.com/fmMHzCOmAr
— Klaas Meijer (@klaasm67) June 6, 2024
Special moment for this WWII Veteran visiting Utah Beach (Normandy) for D-Day’s 80th Anniversary 🙏🏼
We salute you sir and thank you for your service 🫡🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4onfR508a2
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) June 6, 2024
We will remember them.
Silence falls at the British Normandy Memorial in remembrance of all those who served and sacrificed on D-Day.#DDay80 pic.twitter.com/SileFUbD4Z
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) June 6, 2024
Hollywood actor Tom Hanks greets
American WWII Veteran during the D-Day 80th anniversary in Normandy.“Don’t get up, Tom Hanks, very nice to meet you sir….what a day all I can think of is a young kid like you running around here. Good to have you back.” pic.twitter.com/fVNtZHqOo4
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 6, 2024
Eisenhower Message
General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s D-Day Message:
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
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. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
NBC Bulletin
I got my title from the NBC radio bulletin alerting America of the Allies’ success in Normandy.
“Men and women of the United States! This is a momentous hour in world history. This is the invasion of Hitler’s Europe!”
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Comments
They sent boys.. They landed men. Bless them, every one.
Ty Mary.
You’re welcome! Today is one of my favorite days of the year. No one will ever compare to these brave men.
They sent young men, not. Boys
An amazing generation, forged in the depression, very talented. Most were can do people.
What the hell happened since then?
Duty, honor and gratitude are not taught at home.
It is sad… so very sad.
My father’s parents were both immigrants. He was in WWII, army air force.
Maybe that is part of it.
We take too much for granted.
We weren’t hyphenated back then.
Prosperity is not good for the human spirit.
People need to have productive mentalities. Goals which they work hard to achieve. Personal satisfaction from achievement is important for our mental health.
Hard Men make good times, good times make soft men, soft men make bad times, bad times make hard men.
Sad to see how the present day, including the technology unleashed on the world, has tried to squander what these men left us.
We can do better, but too many do not know what that is, lulled into a reality that lacks meaning and craves instant, fleeting gratification.
Thanks to the Greatest Generation!
ordinary young men and women from all walks of life, from many nations on this planet, called upon to do an extraordinary thing requiring incredible courage and determination–and then doing it
thank you and bless you all
Every year on D Day I look at the ceremonies and monuments and commemorations and I stand in complete awe of these men, now only a few left of them. These men represent patriotism, strength, and excellence. Their Country called and they answered in every way. The fortunate ones then came home and built families, communities, and a proud culture that too many do not appreciate in today’s world. God Bless every one of them…..God Bless America!
My dad was there. Spent a year in a hospital and came back 60% disabled. Didn’t think he did anything special and never complained. Those guys were made of something else. Miss him much.
God bless your father. <3
Thank you. He would have loved this site.
My dad was with Pattons 3rd army as was my father in law, Ranger
One from Wisconsin , one from Texas
Pop hated driving through 3rd army. Couldn’t have the top on the jeep up even in the rain.
Thankful for their service!!
So few left and we have a evil Alzheimer’s patient in the WH
Disgraceful
And today, he of course, embarrassed himself and disgraced our finest
While stationed in Germany I had the political met and hang with some of the WWII Vets for a D-Day event. To a man they were humble and tried to express their admiration for those of us who had seen combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. We wouldn’t/couldn’t let that comparison of D-Day stand. In the end they really seemed as ‘Eff that crap’ re GWT roadside bombs and kids with suicide vests as we were about them coming out of a landing craft, assaulting a beach with no cover or concealment into elevated, fortified positions. Each was obviously a different sort of conflict and maybe some parts of GWT compared to fighting in FR, Italy and Germany but no way in hell it was as difficult as D Day or some of the amphibious ops or subsequent jungle fighting in the Pacific. The guys who went ashore through a hail of fire, that was something on a different/higher level of ordinary guys performing widespread heroism that IMO is unmatched since. That’s what makes it special.
Thank you for your service!! It’s so hard to watch the beginning of Saving Private Ryan.
While I truly appreciate the sentiment please make sure to follow through on it by keeping up with Veteran Administration policies and issues such as TBI, PTSD and disability benefits from both VA and SSDI that significantly impact Veterans. A very large number of people somehow believe using the phase ‘Thank you for your service’ is the end of societal obligation to Veterans. Not making an allegation that this is describes you but more as food for thought for those reading.
The German, Italian and Japanese fascists were defeated in WWII at great cost, and, in large part due to the sacrifices of American servicemen, in two theaters.
Now, the free world faces a no less existential battle against goose-stepping Islamofascists and Muslim supremacists, and, their treasonous and subversive non-Muslim allies, enablers and cheerleaders — European leftists, and, American Dhimmi-crats.
Evil ideologies, evil regimes and evil thugs do not sleep. And, the feckless reprobates on the left, whose moral bankruptcy, stupidity, greasy political obsequiousness and self-serving political machinations enable and empower the Islamofascists, are themselves fairly characterized as evil.