The June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France was a historic event that used a massive armada of ships, troops, planes, and vehicles to push through Adolf Hitler’s defenses in western Europe. This invasion changed the course of World War II and involved nearly 160,000 Allied troops, with a significant portion coming from the United States, Britain, and Canada. French troops fighting under General Charles de Gaulle also took part in the operation.
The landings took place on five code-named beaches – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword – starting at 6:30 a.m. with sea landings and additional actions inland. Around 11,000 Allied aircraft, 7,000 ships and boats, and countless vehicles were involved in this massive operation. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces during this intense battle.
The human cost of the D-Day invasion was significant, with 4,414 Allied troops killed on the day itself, and thousands more wounded. In the subsequent Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The exact number of German casualties is unknown, but estimates range from 4,000 to 9,000 men killed, wounded, or missing during the invasion.
As major anniversary commemorations take place in France, the number of survivors continues to decline, with the youngest veterans now in their late 90s. The exact number of living D-Day veterans is unknown, as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not track their numbers.