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Click on the BBC logo to hear the "London Calling" news announcement broadcast on the morning of June 6, 1944 telling the world that the invasion of Europe had begun.

D-DAY, 6 JUNE 1944, OBJECTIVE: OMAHA, UTAH, SWORD, JUNO AND GOLD BEACHES AND BEYOND

Operation Overlord Invasion Route

"...2.056 men of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached to the 82nd Airborne)  jumped into Normandy on D-Day, and on July 15, [only] 918 returned. The rest had been killed, captured or wounded. "

Source: The late O. B. Hill, 508th P.I.R. Association, 82nd Airborne Division, Cathedral Hill, CA

On May 29th, the unit commanders informed their troopers that the invasion was imminent and that the camp was sealed.  Less than a week later the regiment was moved to three departure airfields, one of which was Folkingham. There the troopers were issued the necessary gear and detailed planning commenced to insure that all concerned knew their Drop Zone (DZ), objectives, password and the many other details involved in such an undertaking.  The initial attempt to invade France on the evening of  June 4th became a false start that was aborted due to weather.  Twenty-fourv hours later the 508th joined thousand of other paratroopers in the 82nd and 101st as the invasion was finally launched.

SECRET Report Of The 508th's D-Day Operations
Read a 12 page previously classified After Action Report

RED DEVILS IN ACTION AT NORMANDY

OTHER NORMANDY LINKS

 

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