“June sixth is the worth of freedom,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses stated Friday morning on the American War Cemetery in Normandy, France.
Veterans, senior officers and nationwide members gathered in Normandy on Friday morning to commemorate the Normandy touchdown that started on D-Day on June 6, 1944.
Carréville Schulmer, France – June 6: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses, who shall be laying out a lease on the Normandy American Cemetery ceremony, commemorates the 81st anniversary of D-Day Landings throughout World War II in France on June 6, 2025. Today marks the 81st anniversary of Operation Overlord, a Normandy allied invasion throughout World War II, bringing the liberation of Western Europe and the final word defeat of Nazi Germany. (Photo: Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)
British troopers at Juno Beach throughout World War II, D Daylanding in France in 1944.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses gave a speech on the American War Cemetery of Correville-sur-Mur overlooking Omaha Beach on Friday morning, paying tribute to the Allies who fought on land at Normandy Landing, saying, “The invasion consists of courageous forces from the United States, masking French resistance to the bottom and serving to them with their efforts.”
The first wave of males confirmed “immeasurable” braveness, and was “destroyed” by the fires of German machine weapons and mortars, Heggs stated. He stated to the veterans who attended, “Thank you, gentleman.”
Normandy was not probably the most closely defended a part of France’s north shoreline, however German defenses had been concentrated in Curry, the closest to the British coast. Nevertheless, touchdown forces confronted heavy shootings from established German positions and mined seashores, with hundreds of Allied troopers experiencing casualties on the primary day.
The touchdown was divided into 5 seashores, with Americans touchdown in Utah and Omaha, whereas British and Canadians touchdown on gold, Junho and sword.
During amphibious assaults, images of D-Day Landing Craft, Boats and Seavering ships had been used to convey touchdown forces (infantry and automobiles) from the ocean to the coast. Dated 1944 (Photo: Universal Image Group through Photo 12/Getty Images)
Photo of a Allied lander ongoing in the direction of the seashore in Normandy. 1944 (Photo: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group through Getty Images)