June 6, 1944 – D Day – Normandy

Yesterday was the 80th Anniversary of the Allied Troops landing on the beaches of Normandy in World War ll. This was a significant event then and now! The Allies named the beaches where they were to land; Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno & Sword.

Almost 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches that day. They were from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and 12 other Allied countries. In addition over 23,400 airborne troops parachuted into Normandy that day.

Over 7,000 naval vessels participated along with over 12,000 aircraft. A day to behold!

Approximately 34,000 American troops came ashore on Omaha beach. They suffered the most casualties, over 2,400. In total, over 10,000 were wounded , died , or missing.

As you known, this was a herculean task, not only in planning but in execution. The battles were intense and by the end of the month, over 850,000 troops landed on these beaches and began their push into Germany, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, later President Eisenhower, had the primary responsibility for this

Assault known as “Operation Overlord.”

Yesterday, over 25 Heads of State and other dignitaries attended this celebration. President Biden, President Macron, King Charles were some of the Heads of State that attended. Approximately 25 of America’s veterans who took part in the assault were also in attendance, with an average age of 101.

Yesterday morning, around 11:00 A.M., I thought that I could turn on the television and see some of the festivities. How wrong I was! I tuned into CNN and they were discussing Hunter Biden’s trial. I tuned into MSNBC and they were discussing ex-President Trump’s recent trial. I decided to try BBC News and finally success. There is a 6 hour difference between the east coast of the U.S. and France, but fortunately the celebration at Omaha Beach was just beginning.

It was called the “International Ceremony Commemorating D-Day.” What a pleasant surprise. BBC News was covering all of the activities yesterday with small interruptions for other news and commercials. Shame on the U.S.!

The Ceremony was well done and amazing. The Heads of State were there, and President Biden, President Macron and others made addresses that were both inspiring and poignant. My wife indicated that there would probably be coverage later, when the news was presented. She was partially correct. C-Span 1 covered the ceremonies at Bedford, Va. That community lost 20 men on D-Day and built a Memorial to Commemorate that day.

I usually watch ABC News in the evening with David Muir. He was in Normandy and had an exclusive interview with President Biden for about 12 minutes. Ten of the 12 minutes were spent asking questions about Hunter Biden and other events that had nothing to do with D-Day. How disappointing!

All in all, I was disappointed with the coverage by the American News Media of such a significant event in our history. Shame on us!

In 2005, I had the opportunity to visit Normandy with my wife and close friends, the Ficara’s. It is something that all should do, if you can. The beauty of the area is all inspiring, regardless of the loss of humanity in that time. The entire area is still undeveloped and very much as it was 80 years ago. What a surprise! I guarantee you that it is a trip that you will never forget, and you shouldn’t. The most inspiring to me was the American Cemetery and the German Cemetery. A time we should not forget.

I am attaching photos that I took during that trip. Enjoy!

Jess Sweely

Madison, Va. – June 7, 2024