OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:39 PM – Friday, June 6, 2025
Veterans gathered in Normandy on Friday to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a turning point in World War II that ultimately precipitated the downfall of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s regime.
Roughly two dozen veterans who served in World War II traveled to the beaches of Normandy to honor the thousands that died on D-Day, as well as the tens of millions that died in the second World War.
D-Day marked a significant turn in World War II as it set the stage for the defeat of Nazi Germany by effectively establishing a Western front. It essentially forced Germany to divert resources and troops away from the Eastern front, weakening their overall defensive capabilities.
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Soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Poland all fought against Nazi forces on June 6, 1944, changing the course of history forever.
Around 66,000 American veterans, out of the roughly 16.4 million who served in World War II, are currently still alive — according to 2024 statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the D-Day commemoration, solemnly paying tribute to the fallen veterans and honoring their enduring legacy of sacrifice and valor.
“We don’t forget that our oldest allies were there in this grave moment of our history. I say it with deep respect in front of you, veterans, who incarnate this unique friendship between our two countries,” he stated alongside French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu — overlooking the American cemetery in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer.
“Today the United States and France again rally together to confront such threats,” he continued. “Because we strive for peace, we must prepare for war and hopefully deter it.”
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on the shores of Normandy on D-Day, with a total of 4,414 being killed. Of the total 160,000 — 73,000 were American, along with 83,000 who were British and Canadian.
98-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Jack Stowe recalled his personal experience with French citizens during his D-Day commemoration trip.
“The French people here, they’re so good to us … they want to talk to us, they want us to sit down and they want their kids around us,” he told the Associated Press. “People are not going to let it be forgotten, you know, Omaha, these beaches … These stories will go on and on and on,” Stowe added.
“We are the lucky ones … They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive,” stated 102-year-old Jake Larson, another D-Day veteran who stormed Omaha beach.
2,501 American troops were killed on D-Day alone.
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