On June 6, 1944, U.S. and Allied forces crossed the choppy waters of the English Channel to launch the largest seaborne invasion in history at Normandy. Their objective was to liberate Nazi-occupied France and dismantle Adolf Hitler’s regime.

The odds were never in their favor.

“Operation Overlord,” as D-Day was code-named, was an incredibly challenging and complex operation due to difficult geography, faulty lines of communication, battle plans that changed last minute and poor weather. But through it all, the Allied forces persisted.

By air, the Allies launched the largest airborne assault at that point in history and dropped paratroopers deep behind enemy lines. By sea, a total of 6,939 naval vessels and 53,000 U.S. sailors participated in the assault while battling German torpedoes and enemy firepower from shore. By land, small groups of U.S. forces slowly made their way across the beach, using destroyed tanks and boats as cover.

Even with this three-pronged approach, our heroes were only able to gain control of the beach after suffering tragic losses over the course of hours of fighting. But thanks to their relentless courage and bravery, the operation was ultimately a success that marked the turning point in WWII.

In the days and hours leading up to D-Day — and within a few days after it — the USO was at the side of our service members who took part in this pivotal moment in world history. For many, a USO show was their last source of entertainment before making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

On the 80th anniversary of this historic event, we solemnly remember the service of our WWII heroes and honor their legacy by continuing to support the military members and families who follow in their footsteps by serving today.

Thank you for taking the time to join us in honoring our heroes this D-Day.

—The USO

P.S. Thank you for being part of our long legacy of supporting service members. Will you give $29 or more now to help support our active-duty heroes around the world risking their lives to serve today?



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