D-Day battle 76 years ago still matters today
One must learn from history, lest we repeat it
Many Americans are passionate when it comes to honoring significant dates in military history, because for each of those dates, sacrifices were made, and oftentimes, lives were lost.
Today is one of those significant dates, D-Day. On this date in 1944, 76 years ago, 156,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers successfully stormed five beaches in France’s Normandy region, fighting to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control.
The invasion was massive, and according to History.com, marked the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.
Today, 76 years later, it’s hard to imagine the impact DDay had.
More than 2,000 Americans lost their lives at Omaha Beach alone, and more than 4,000 Allied troops were killed, with thousands more wounded or missing, History reports.
It was the largest amphibious invasion in history, with 5,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles, 11,000 aircraft, and 13,000 paratroopers landing on 50 miles of Normandy coastline.
History.com notes that the Normandy American Cemetery reflects the price that was paid, with 9,387 American personnel buried there, including 41 sets of brothers.
Within five days of D-Day, more than 326,000 troops crossed the English Channel to Normandy with 54,000 vehicles and 100,000 tons of supplies, History reports.
Yet that day marked a turning point in the war, a physical and psychological blow to the Nazis, who surrendered the following May.
Despite the numbers, there are few witnesses remaining. It’s estimated that 16 million Americans served in World War II, but in 2019, the Veterans Administration estimated only 389,292 are still alive today.
And yet, as those veterans pass on, it’s crucial that we remember the sacrifice, the duty and the honor of those who served, both on D-Day and throughout World War II. We must learn from history, remember and honor it – lest we repeat it.
On this day rich with military history, we salute our veterans, and honor their service.