The Brief

June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy and changed the course of World War II.

The invasion was unprecedented in scale and audacity and implemented the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to punch a hole in Adolf Hitler’s defenses in Western Europe.

Today, though the D-Day generation of veterans are smaller, they remain a crucial reminder of what June 6 means as they continue to spread the message that they fought so hard for 81 years ago: Freedom is worth defending.

Remembering the fallen

About 66,143 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II were alive as of 2024, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dig deeper:

At the Normandy American Cemete

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