Eighty years ago last Thursday on June 6, 1944, the Allied invasion of Normandy began. It was the largest combination of air, land and sea battles in world history.

Code-named “Operation Overlord,” the all-out military campaign was led by U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Planning  for this historic operation involved multiple governments and millions of people. Details were kept “Top Secret,” for obvious reasons.

Early on D-Day morning, as Allied naval convoys were  on their way across the English Channel, the air assaults began. Nearly 1,000 Allied planes took off, headed for the Normandy coast and beyond. By the end of D-Day, 12,000 aircraft had flown nearly 15,000 sorties, dropping bombs and  paving the way for 15,500 American and 7,900 British paratroopers to  jump in behind German lines to cut off enemy reinforcements and resupplies to the Normandy beaches. Some planes also towed glider-borne aircraft reinforcements into combat. The amphibious phase began at 0630. By day’s end, the Allies had captured all five landing zones and essentially secured the beachhead.  

Omaha Beach was the most difficult to capture; 34,200 troops landed, with about 2,374 casualties. Juno Beach was next; 21,400 troops landed, with about 1,200 casualties. Gold Beach followed with 25,000 troops landed and some 1,000 casualties incurred.  Sword Beach, with 29,000 troops ashore and about 680 casualties, and Utah Beach, with 23,500 troops ashore and about 300 casualties, fared relatively well compared to the other three beaches. Still, each beach was a bitter, bloody battle, won with determination and valor.  

By the end of D-Day, roughly 151,000 American, British, Canadian, and Free French troops had survived the invasion. As they dug in across Normandy for the night, their leaders knew that D-Day was the first round in Operation Overlord-and they had prevailed.

D-Day was the decisive Allied victory that gained their foothold in France. Next, they had to pursue the German forces across France, then attack Germany directly, linking up with Soviet forces fighting their way from the east. Once that happened, they were on their way to ultimate victory in Europe. 

The success of Operation Overlord and its aftermath was due largely to the detailed planning, coordination and execution of orders from General Eisenhower. That included “cover and deception” schemes that tricked Hitler into believing the Normandy invasion was merely a “ruse,” designed to distract him from the main attack elsewhere. Ike also wrote a brief message taking full responsibility if the invasion failed. Hitler took a nap on D-Day. His Panzer Divisions were paralyzed  without his approval. His so-called “Chain of Command” was also in chaos.

After the Allied decisive D-Day victory,  the defeat of the Germany military and the demise of Adolph Hitler were assured. On May 8, 1945, the Allies of World War II formally accepted the “unconditional surrender” of Nazi Germany.

The National World War II Museum estimates that less than 1,000 of the 150, 000 D-Day veterans are still alive. And they are dying fast.

Retired Army Col. Thomas B. Vaughn can be reached at tbvbwmi@benlomand.net