D-Day & the Invasion of Normandy

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On June 6, 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed along a heavily fortified, 50-mile stretch of French coastline in the historic operation known as D-Day. More than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded on the beaches of Normandy, but by day’s end, the Allies had gained a foothold to begin liberating Europe.

Stories

D-Day veterans George Kline and Charles Shay shake hands at the dedication ceremony for the Charles Shay Memorial in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France

New Memorial in France Honors Native American D-Day Sacrifice

One of the few surviving American Indian World War II combat veterans returned to the country he helped to liberate to attend the dedication of a memorial in his honor. Story

Soldiers crowd a landing craft on the way to Normandy during the Allied invasion, June 6, 1944

Army Veterans Recount 'Total Chaos' of Beach Landings on D-Day

When the ramp to his World War II landing craft slammed down onto Utah Beach, Army Cpl. Herman Zeitchik jumped out and dashed across the sand as deadly rounds were shot out from fortified bunkers. Zeitchik was among the veterans who attended a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of D-Day. Story

Edwin Pepping, left, and Albert Mampre served as combat medics attached to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

No Time for Nerves: D-Day Through the Eyes of a Combat Medic

They trained with the infantry, carrying first-aid kits instead of weapons. In the midst of thick combat, they remained focused on their mission of saving lives. They were the combat medics of World War II. Story