Jim Bratten
Allied troops amassed in southern England on June 5, 1944 in preparation for the greatest invasion of World War II, an invasion of northern France code-named “Operation Overlord.”
The next day, “D-Day,” 2,700 ships and landing craft, carrying roughly 176,000 men, crossed the English Channel to assault German positions across a 60-mile swath of the Normandy, France seacoast.
Five beaches were targeted for landings by amphibious craft carrying American, Canadian, British and French troops, but most U.S. forces landed at two of them: Utah Beach and Omaha Beach.
Rough seas, fog, land mines, barbed wire and heavy barrages from the guns in the German bunkers overlooking Omaha Beach took their toll. Many GIs and Marines perished at landing, shot while wading through the surf. Some units at Omaha reported 90% of their men killed or wounded as the Americans struggled to take the beachhead under heavy fire. But take it they did, steadily pushing the German forces further inland, their heroism legendary.
Our forces landing at Utah found themselves 2,000 yards south of their targeted zone, adapted quickly, and secured their beachhead. The allied forces that hit Normandy that day went on to liberate France and free an enslaved Europe.
“The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or the next…
“It was the deep knowledge – and pray to God we have not lost it – that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest.” ~ Ronald Reagan
The Americans of 1944 knew the difference that Reagan spoke of, and thousands gave their lives proving it that day. Their beachhead was secured and their place in history, and in the hearts of the people they liberated, was secured. They returned freedom to enslaved people – the moral thing to do. Honor them on June 6.
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