Comment:
How touching, deeply affecting feelings of sadness, that we Remember D-Day this June 6, 2026 -- the greatest invasion force the world had ever seen dispatched to rescue war torn Europe from an exceedingly evil menace.
How poignant that this D-Day Remembrance would occur at a time when our Air, Sea, and Ground forces are poised and ready to, if called upon, attack, strike, and perhaps invade to gain control of a nuclear menace threatening the peace of the world,
"Hopes and prayers" quoting General Eisenhower, are still needed this day as well.
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https://www.army.mil/d-day/
"The eyes of the world are upon you … The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. Your task will not be an easy one … Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely … I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!"
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force,
Message to the troops on June 6, 1944
Quote:
Immediately after France fell to the Nazis in 1940, the Allies planned a cross-Channel assault on German occupying forces. The opening invasion of the liberation of France would ultimately code-named Operation Overlord. By May 1944, 2,876,000 Allied troops were amassed in southern England. The largest armada in history, lay in wait, and more that 1,200 planes stood ready. Against a tense backdrop of uncertain weather forecasts, disagreements in strategy, and related timing dilemmas, General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided before dawn on June 5 to proceed with Overlord. Later that same afternoon, he scribbled a note intended for release, accepting responsibility for the decision to launch the invasion and full blame should the effort to create a beachhead on the Normandy coast fail.
On June 6, 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day's end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler's crack troops.
160,000 TROOPS
5,000 SHIPS
13,000 AIRCRAFT
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"LCI(L)-326 en route to Utah Beach of D-Day."
https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Conflicts/World-War-II/D-Day-June-6-1944-Normandy/
Quote:
Despite the meticulous planning, confusion reigned on Utah beach. Beach Red's control ship struck a mine and sank. The relatively featureless beaches, further obscured by naval gunfire and rocket explosions, and the nearly 11-mile trip in from the transport, area all combined to confuse the remaining control vessels and landing craft.
As a result, the first wave of landing craft discharged their troops 1,500 yards further south than planned. What otherwise could have turned out to be a disastrous turn of events actually proved to be fortuitous. There were fewer obstacles and no German heavy-gun emplacements at this landing site. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, came ashore with the first wave and determined the error. After careful consideration he ordered the invasion to commence "right here." The second wave, carrying the underwater demolition squads, moved in and they quickly went to work destroying the exposed obstacles while the infantry fought their way inland.
