Current:Home > MarketsRemembering D-Day: Key facts and figures about the invasion that changed the course of World War II -DollarDynamic
Remembering D-Day: Key facts and figures about the invasion that changed the course of World War II
View
Date:2025-04-13 12:23:43
OMAHA BEACH, France (AP) — The June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France was unprecedented in scale and audacity, using the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to punch a hole in Adolf Hitler’s defenses in western Europe and change the course of World War II.
With veterans and world dignitaries gathering in Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landings, here’s a look at some details about how the operation unfolded.
WHO TOOK PART
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle.
The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.
More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
WHERE AND WHEN
The sea landings started at 6:30 a.m., just after dawn, targeting five code-named beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword. The operation also included actions inland, including overnight parachute landings on strategic German sites and U.S. Army Rangers scaling cliffs to take out German gun positions.
Around 11,000 Allied aircraft, 7,000 ships and boats, and thousands of other vehicles were involved.
VICTIMS ON ALL SIDES
A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded.
In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians.
The exact German casualties aren’t known, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. About 22,000 German soldiers are among the many buried around Normandy.
SURVIVORS
Inevitably, the number of survivors present at major anniversary commemorations in France continues to dwindle. The youngest survivors are now in their late 90s. It’s unclear how many D-Day veterans are still alive. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says it doesn’t track their numbers.
veryGood! (51)
Related
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- Rob Lowe gets an 'embarrassing amount' of sleep: Here are his tips to stay youthful
- 'The sweetest child': Tyre Nichols remembered a year after fatal police beating
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore proposes public safety measures
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- South Carolina Republican agenda includes energy resilience, gender care, Black history and guns
- Way-too-early Top 25: College football rankings for 2024 are heavy on SEC, Big Ten
- Margot Robbie wears pink Golden Globes dress inspired by Barbie Signature 1977 Superstar doll
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- 'Night Country' is the best 'True Detective' season since the original
Ranking
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- Former Pakistani prime minister Khan and his wife are indicted in a graft case
- Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel in response to killing of top Hamas leader
- Kate Middleton Receives Royally Sweet Message From King Charles III on Her 42nd Birthday
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Global economy will slow for a third straight year in 2024, World Bank predicts
- Hayley Erbert Praises Husband Derek Hough's Major Milestone After Unfathomable Health Battle
- Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel in response to killing of top Hamas leader
Recommendation
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
Moon landing attempt by U.S. company appears doomed after 'critical' fuel leak
Inside Pregnant Jessie James Decker’s Cozy Baby Shower for Her and Eric Decker’s 4th Baby
When will the IRS accept 2024 returns? Here's when you can start filing your taxes.
'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
Budget agreement may include IRS cuts that curb plan to crack down on wealthy tax cheats
Bottled water contains up to 100 times more plastic than previously estimated, new study says
Timeline: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospitalization