Meet the men of D-Day, a 60th anniversary photo album Go! June 8, 2004 We honor service and sacrifice. Please click the "Donate" button and contribute $20 or more to help keep this station alive. Thanks. Kings, queens, dukes, presidents and prime ministers gathered on June 6, 2004 in France to commemorate the D-Day invasion of continental Europe in 1944. They all made speeches and did all the things they do. We have come to expect our leaders to do these kinds of things, and they did it. The real story, however, rests with the veterans of that bold invasion. This was the largest land invasion by sea in the history of warfare. Landing on the shores of Normandy, France, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops stormed five code-named beaches between the Orne estuary and the Cotentin Peninsula: Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah. Opening photo credit: Under heavy attack from the Germans, American soldiers wade ashore at Omaha Beach. They suffered 2,400 casualties at Omaha but by the end of the day had landed 34,000 troops. AP, courtesy of the St. Petersburg online gallery Attack, attack, attack! 1 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
A sand sculpture representing soldiers landing on a beach sits in Vierville-sur-mer, which was known as Omaha Beach on D-Day. If this sculpture were done by a grateful Frenchman, that would be good for Americans to know. Photo credit: Mychele Daniau, AFP, May 30, 2004 Summary reports below courtesy of the D-Day Museum of the United Kingdom Force Structure On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy. The American forces landed numbered 73,000: 23,250 on Utah Beach, 43,250 on Omaha Beach, and 15,500 airborne troops. In the British and Canadian sector, 83,115 troops were landed (61,715 of them British): 24,970 on Gold Beach, 21,400 on Juno Beach, 28,845 on Sword Beach, and 7900 airborne troops. Here are some of the men who did it. We've tried to keep the politicians and royalty out, but in a few instances, well, they are part of the photo. These are presented in no particular order, but rather posted as we came across them. No matter, each is as important as the other. 11,590 aircraft were available to support the landings. On D-Day, Allied aircraft flew 14,674 sorties, and 127 were lost. In the airborne landings on both flanks of the beaches, 2395 aircraft and 867 gliders of the RAF and USAAF were used on D-Day. Operation Neptune involved huge naval forces, including 6939 vessels: 1213 naval combat ships, 2 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
4126 landing ships and landing craft, 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. Some 195,700 personnel were assigned to Operation Neptune: 52,889 US, 112,824 British, and 4988 from other Allied countries. By the end of 11 June (D + 5), 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches. One last look : Norwegian WWII veteran Trygve Hansen watches the sea shore in Hermanville-sur-Mer, France, following a commemorative ceremony for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Photo credit: Mychele Daniau, AFP Casualties refers to all losses suffered by the armed forces: killed, wounded, missing in action (meaning that their bodies were not found) and prisoners of war. There is no "official" casualty figure for D-Day. Under the circumstances, accurate record keeping was very difficult. For example, some troops who were listed as missing may actually have landed in the wrong place, and have rejoined their parent unit only later. In April and May 1944, the Allied air forces lost nearly 12,000 men and over 2,000 aircraft in operations which paved the way for D-Day. A surviving member of the 47th Royal Marine Commandos attends a remembrance service at Port-en-Bessin Huppain, Normandy, June 7, 2004. Photo credit: Kieran Doherty, Reuters Total Allied casualties on D-Day are estimated at 10,000, including 2500 dead. British casualties on D-Day have been estimated at approximately 2700. The Canadians lost 946 casualties. The US forces lost 6603 men. Note that the casualty figures for smaller units do not always add up to equal these overall figures exactly, however (this simply reflects the problems of obtaining accurate casualty statistics). Casualties Casualties on the British beaches were roughly 1000 on Gold Beach and the same number on Sword Beach. The remainder of the British losses were amongst the airborne troops: some 600 were killed or wounded, and 600 more were missing; 100 glider pilots also became casualties. The losses of 3rd Canadian Division at Juno Beach have been given as 340 killed, 574 wounded and 47 taken prisoner. The breakdown of US casualties 3 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
was 1465 dead, 3184 wounded, 1928 missing and 26 captured. Of the total US figure, 2499 casualties were from the US airborne troops (238 of them being deaths). The casualties at Utah Beach were relatively light: 197, including 60 missing. However, the US 1st and 29th Divisions together suffered around 2000 casualties at Omaha Beach. The total German casualties on D-Day are not known, but are estimated as being between 4000 and 9000 men. Surviving members of the 47th Royal Marine Commandos prepare for a remembrance service at Port-en-Bessin Huppain, Normandy, June 7, 2004. Photo credit: Kieran Doherty, Reuters War veterans take part in an emotional D-Day ceremony at the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa, Sunday. Photo credit: Fred Chartrand, CP Naval losses for June 1944 included 24 warships and 35 merchantmen or auxiliaries sunk, and a further 120 vessels damaged. Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy. This figure includes over 209,000 Allied casualties, with nearly 37,000 dead amongst the ground forces and a further 16,714 deaths amongst the Allied air forces. Of the Allied casualties, 83,045 were from 21st Army Group (British, Canadian and Polish ground forces), 125,847 from the US ground forces. The losses of the German forces during the Battle of Normandy can only be estimated. Roughly 200,000 German troops were killed or wounded. The Allies also captured 200,000 prisoners of war (not included in the 425,000 total, above). During the fighting around the Falaise Pocket (August 1944) alone, the Germans suffered losses of around 90,000, including prisoners. Today, twenty-seven war cemeteries hold the remains of over 110,000 dead from both sides: 77,866 German, 9386 American, 17,769 British, 5002 Canadian and 650 Poles. Between 15,000 and 20,000 French civilians were killed, mainly as a result of Allied bombing. Thousands more fled their homes to escape the fighting. 4 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin is running an unimpressive campaign ahead of the June 28 election and needs to make major changes if he is to prevent his ruling Liberals from being defeated, according to party insiders and commentators. Paul Martin jokes with a D-Day veteran during ceremonies marking the 60th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of Europe in Courseulles sur-mer June 6, 2004. Hundreds of veterans returned to retrace their steps taken on the June 6, 1944 invasion during World War II. Photo by Andy Clark British-born Gordon Church, 96, right, meets Australian 5 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Prime Minister John Howard, Sunday June 6, 2004, at Bayeux, France. Church, who served in the Royal Artillery during the Normandy campaign travelled 12,000 miles from his home in Melbourne, Australia to pay his respects at Bayeux, and was the oldest veteran at the parade. Photo credit: Tim Ockenden, AP WW II veteran Fred Matthews, center, from Poole, England, reads a message written on a Union flag placed on the sands of Sword Beach, Hermanville-sur-Mer, France, Sunday June 6, 2004, as he is joined by his son Chris, right, and grandson Lee Edwards, 12. Fred served in the Royal Navy on HMS Jude during WW II. The Union Flags in the sand represent British soldiers who lost their lives on D-Day 60 yearsago to the day. Photo credit: Johnny Green, PA, AP A Canadian veteran on Juno Beach, Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, Sunday, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Mike Large, AP 6 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
WWII army rangers John Long of San Diego, left and Ralph Goranson of Vernon Hills, Ill. visit the memorial at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France on Sunday, June 6, 2004. The point, which sits between Utah and Omaha beaches, was taken by U.S. army rangers who scaled the steep cliffs using special climbing equipment on D-Day. The memorial has been closed due to coastal erosion, but was opened for the veterans. Photo credit: Laura Rauch, AP An unidentified D-Day veteran is thanked by a French resident as he leaves the parade in Arromanches Sunday 6th June 2004. Photo credit: Andrew Parsons, AP 7 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II watches D-Day veterans march in the Square in Arromanches, France Sunday 6th June 2004. Photo credit: Jamie Wiseman, AP One-hundred-year-old John Wilson (C) links hands at the Normandy Veterans Association Parade at Arromanches, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Jeff J Mitchell, Reuters 8 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, speaks with his fellow countrymen, Oleg Ozerov, center, and Gleb Plaksin, right, war veterans, who fought in the ranks of French Resistance against Germans in Normandy in 1944. Photo credit: AP Photo/ ITAR-TASS/ Presidential Press Service Marie Jo Hoeul, 98, a French resistance leader during WWII, celebrates D-Day in the town of Langrue de Mer, Normandy June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Kieran Doherty, Reuters 9 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
World War II veteran John Long of San Diego salutes while standing with U.S. Army Rangers at the memorial at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France on Sunday, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Laura Rauch, AP Canadian D-Day veterans sit during a ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of Europe in the town square of Courseulles sur-mer June 5, 2004. Photo credit: Andy Clark, Reuters 10 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Fourteen veterans wait before being decorated Knight of the Legion of Honour by French President Jacques Chirac in Arromanches, Normandy, Sunday, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: John McConnico, AP Veterans march past a project mural of wartime soldiers at the International D-Day anniversary ceremony in Arromanches, northern France, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Yves Herman, Reuters 11 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
WWII army rangers salute during a ceremony at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France on Sunday, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Laura Rauch, AP World War II Army Ranger John Reville wipes his eye after telling stories while standing at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France on Sunday, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Laura Rauch, AP 12 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Queen Elizabeth talks with Canadian veterans during ceremonies marking the 60th Anniversary of D-Day at Juno Beach in Courseulles su-mer June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Reuters pool A Canadian veteran walks along the shores of Juno Beach as piper plays along side. Photo credit: Andy Clark, Reuters 13 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Canadian veterans spend a few quiet moments to themselves during ceremonies. Photo credit: Andy Clark, Reuters Polish WWII veterans attend a ceremony in Urville, northwestern France, Sunday June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Frank Perry, AP 14 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
Hollywood actor Tom Hanks (L), star of the D-Day film 'Saving Private Ryan', poses with U.S. WWII veterans at a ceremony inside the American Cemetery at Collevillesur-Mer, northern France, June 6, 2004. Photo credit: Yves Hermann, Reuters (We are told, by a proud daughter, that the man standing right next to Tom Hanks, checkered shirt, is William Robert Snead, 5th Engineer Brigade, Amphibious Engineers. He landed on Omaha in the early afternoon.we salute you, Mr. Snead, thank you for your service.) WWII veterans and families visit the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-mer. Photo credit: Jerome Delay, AP 15 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM
WWII and D-Day veteran Raymond Moon kneels before the grave of a fallen comrade at the American cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on Friday, June 4, 2004. Moon served in the 29th Division. Photo credit: Laura Rauch, AP The U.S. flag flies at half-staff at the American Cemetery above Omaha beach in Normandy, France, June 8, 2004. Photo credit: Kieran Doherty, Reuters 16 of 16 6/7/10 4:47 PM