This Day in History D Day The Longest Day

D Day The Longest Day - June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied Troops landed long a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.”

More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler. D-Day June 6, 1944

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D Day The Longest Day

A LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) from the U.S. Coast Guard-manned USS Samuel Chase disembarks troops of Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto the Fox Green section of Omaha Beach (Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France) on the morning of June 6, 1944. American soldiers encountered the newly formed German 352nd Division when landing. During the initial landing two-thirds of the Company E became casualties. Artist: Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHoM) Robert F. Sargent.

Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching "Omaha" Beach on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. Note helmet netting; faint "No Smoking" sign on the LCVP's ramp; and M1903 rifles and M1 carbines carried by some of these men. This photograph was taken from the same LCVP as Photo # SC 189986.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Description: Photo #: SC 320901. Normandy Invasion, June 1944.

Here Rests in Honored Glory A Comrade in Arms Known But to God.

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France. (Defense Department photo / Cherie A. Thurlby)

The American Cemetery, row after row of crosses and Stars of David that serve as the final resting place for 9,387 of those killed on D-Day and in the bloody days that followed.

Near Point du Hoc looks out over Utah and Omaha beaches where the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled a 100-foot cliff to face off against German bunkers and gun turrets.

D-Day: Soldiers on a Landing Craft - Soldiers crowd a landing craft on their way to Normandy during the Allied Invasion of Europe, D-Day, June 6, 1944. Photo by army.mil, added May 31, 2007

D-Day: Landing Convoy - A convoy of landing craft nears the beach at Normandy, D-Day, June 6, 1944. Photo by army.mil, added May 31, 2007

General Eisenhower's Message - Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

D-Day: GEN Eisenhower: Supreme Allied Commander U.S. Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower speaks with 101st Airborne Division paratroopers before they board airplanes and gliders to take part in a parachute assault into Normandy as part of the Allied Invasion of Europe, D-Day...

Public Domain Clip Art and clip art or public domain and D Day or The Longest Day and General Eisenhower or UCSC researchers achieve atomic spectroscopy on a chip or 4th of July Minutemen and Republican presidential Debate MANCHESTER, New Hampshire 06/05/07