On the recordSeptember 14, 2010
Today, we honor the brave men who stormed the beaches of Normandy 66 years ago. I hope H. Res. 1251 causes Members of this body and our Nation to pause, even if for just a moment, and remember what 70,000 brave Americans did on June 6, 1944. June 6, 2010 marked the 66th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. It was an invasion whose timing depended on Mother Nature as much as anything. Only a full moon would provide enough light. The tide had to be low enough to allow those manning the landing crafts to see German obstacles on the French shore but high enough for our troops to avoid too much unprotected beach. Code-named 'Operation Overlord,' the invasion would give Allied Forces a chance to break the Nazi's hold on Western Europe, but was expected to come at an extremely high cost. For paratroopers, including members of the 101st Airborne and the 82nd Airborne Divisions, the likelihood of death was seventy percent.
