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Photos from D-Day give glimpse into historic World War II invasion 79 years ago

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Via: john-russell • last year • 5 comments

Photos from D-Day give glimpse into historic World War II invasion 79 years ago

S E E D E D C O N T E N T

Tuesday marks the 79th anniversary of the historic D-Day operation.

In the midst of World War II on June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France. More than 156,000 troops, notably from the United States, Britain and Canada, confronted Nazi forces on D-Day forever reshaping the war, according to the Department of Defense .

D-Day began the assault phase (codenamed Operation Neptune) of the wider Allied invasion of northwest Europe led by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, known as Operation Overlord. According to Britannica , by the end of August 1944, all of northern France was liberated from Nazi control.

How many people died on D-Day?

The exact number of people killed in the fighting is unknown , but research by the U.S. National D-Day Memorial Foundation estimates there were over 4,000 Allied deaths and between 4,000 and 9,000 German losses on D-Day.

More than 100,000 Allied and German soldiers died during the full Battle at Normandy and around 20,000 French civilians were reportedly killed in the bombings.

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Joseph Vaghi, center, a U.S. Navy ensign, chats with residents of Colleville-Sur-Mer, France, on June 6, 1944, after Allied forces stormed the Normandy beaches. © -, AFP/Getty Images

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A photo taken June 6, 1944, shows the Allied forces soldiers landing in Normandy. In what remains the biggest amphibious assault in history, some 156,000 Allied personnel landed in France on that day. An estimated 10,000 Allied troops were left dead, wounded or missing, while Nazi Germany lost between 4,000 and 9,000 troops, and thousands of French civilians were killed. © -, AFP/Getty Images

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Paratroopers of the Allied Army land on La Manche on the coast of France on June 6, 1944, after Allied forces stormed the Normandy beaches during D-Day. © AFP/Getty Images

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British paratroopers, their faces painted with camouflage paint, read slogans chalked on the side of a glider after Allied forces stormed the Normandy beaches during D-Day on June 6, 1944. © STF, AFP/Getty Images

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This file photograph taken on June 6, 1944, shows Allied forces soldiers during the D-Day landing operations in Normandy, north-western France. © AFP/Getty Images

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American paratroopers, heavily armed, sit inside a military plane as they soar over the English Channel en route to the Normandy French coast for the Allied D-Day invasion of the German stronghold during World War II, June 6, 1944. © ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Canadian soldiers land on Courseulles beach in Normandy as Allied forces storm the Normandy beaches on D-Day. © AFP/Getty Images

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U.S. Army troops advance on Omaha Beach June 6, 1944, D-Day

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Professor Principal

1 seeder JohnRussell last year

The Longest Day - Paul Anka

Professor Principal

2 Vic Eldred last year

Not to take anything away from their heroism...there is nothing like complete air superiority.

Professor Principal

3 seeder JohnRussell last year

“Believe me, Lang, the first twenty-four hours of the invasion will be decisive … the fate of Germany depends on the outcome … for the Allies, as well as Germany, it will be the longest day.”
—Field Marshal Erwin Rommel to his aide, April 22, 1944

On the Cherbourg peninsula near Ste.-Mère-Église, Private Dutch Schultz of the 82nd Airborne leaned against the side of a foxhole and listened to a distant church bell sounding eleven. He could hardly keep his eyes open. He figured he had been awake now almost seventy-two hours—ever since the postponement on the night of June 4 when he had joined in the crap game. It struck him as funny that he had gone to so much trouble to lose all his winnings—nothing at all had happened to him. In fact, Dutch felt a little sheepish. He had not fired a single shot all day.

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Back of Omaha Beach, beneath the bluffs, Medic Staff Sergeant Alfred Eigenberg flopped wearily into a crater. He had lost count of the number of casualties he had treated. He was bone-tired, but there was one thing he wanted to do before he fell asleep. Eigenberg fished a crumpled sheet of V-mail paper out of his pocket and, with the aid of a flashlight, settled down to write home. He scribbled, “Somewhere in France,” and then began, “Dear Mom & Dad, I know that by now you’ve heard of the invasion. Well, I’m all right.” Then the nineteen-year-old medic stopped. He couldn’t think of anything more to say.

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Down on the beach Brigadier General Norman Cota watched the “cat’s eyes” blackout lights of trucks and heard the shouts of MPs and beachmasters as they moved men and vehicles inland. Here and there landing craft still burned, throwing a ruddy glare into the night sky. The surf pounded the shore, and somewhere off in the distance Cota heard the lonely stutter of a machine gun. Suddenly Cota felt very tired. A truck rumbled to- ward him and Cota flagged it down. He stepped up onto the running board and hooked one arm around the door. For just a moment he looked back at the beach, then he said to the driver, “Run me up the hill, son.”

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• • • At Rommel’s headquarters Lang, like everyone else, had heard the bad news: The 21st Panzer attack had failed. Lang was very depressed. He said to the field marshal, “Sir, do you think we can drive them back?” Rommel shrugged, spread his hands and said, “Lang, I hope we can. I’ve nearly always succeeded up to now.” Then he patted Lang on the shoulder. “You look tired,” he said. “Why don’t you go to bed? It’s been a long day.” He turned away and Lang watched him walk down the corridor to his office. The door closed softly behind him.

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Outside, nothing stirred in the two great cobbled courtyards. La Roche-Guyon was silent. Soon this most occupied of all French villages would be free—as would the whole of Hitler’s Europe. From this day on the Third Reich had less than one year to live. Beyond the castle gates the main road stretched broad and empty and the windows of the red-roofed houses were shuttered. In the Church of St. Samson the bell tolled mid- night.

Cornelius Ryan

The Longest Day

Professor Principal

4 Kavika last year

“A Rendezvous With Destiny.” 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne. The tip of the spear.

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Professor Principal

5 seeder JohnRussell last year

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We see British paratroopers reading the slogans on the side of their transport plane. In the smaller print on the left side near the door we see the words

Reminder

Coventry

Plymouth

Bristol

London

"NOW IT'S OUR TURN"

four English cities that had been heavily damaged by German bombers earlier in the war.

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