Remembering D-Day: Key Facts and Figures About the Invasion That Changed the Course of WWII | national news

OMAHA BEACH, France (AP) — The June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France was unprecedented in scale and audacity, using the largest armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to blow a hole in Adolf Hitler’s defense of Western Europe and changes 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 of the details of how the operation unfolded.

WHO PARTICIPATED

Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Of these, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Great Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting General 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 Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that began on D-Day.

WHERE AND WHEN

The sea landings began at 6:30 a.m., just after dawn, targeting five beaches code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword. The operation also included action inland, including overnight parachute landings on strategic German sites and US Army Rangers scaling cliffs to eliminate German gun emplacements.

About 11,000 Allied aircraft, 7,000 ships and boats, and thousands of other vehicles were involved.

MANY DEATHS EVERYWHERE

A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were injured.

In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle – and particularly the Allied bombing of French villages and towns – killed an estimated 20,000 French civilians.

Exact German losses are not known, but historians estimate that between 4,000 and 9,000 people 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 attending major anniversary commemorations in France continues to dwindle. The youngest survivors are now over 90 years old. It is unclear how many D-Day veterans are still alive. The US Department of Veterans Affairs says it doesn’t track their numbers.

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