Fort Bragg Service Members Participate in 68th Commemoration of D-Day in France

On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which "we will accept nothing less than full victory." More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day's end on June 6, the Allies gained a foothold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -- more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

More than 300 U.S. troops will be in the Normandy region to commemorate the 68th anniversary of this historic operation June 1-7. Soldiers will participate in an Airborne Operation at St. Mere Eglise, represent the U.S. at numerous ceremonies each day, and attend historical lectures at some of the most significant military sites of the 20^th Century.

Master Sgt. Timothy Thede, the S3 Operations NCOIC for the 82nd Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade, has been part of the military for 25 years and said he finally got to make the dream trip over to be part of a history that he has only previously watched movies and read about.

Thede was selected with a team of 14 other paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division to attend the ceremony and jump onto Normandy. Thede told the Fort Bragg Patch that the winds were high for the daylight drop, but the views of St. Mere Eglise on the way down were a sight to behold.

"Seeing the landmarks and Omaha Beach was emotional to think about the pain and suffering that took place - it is amazing that they knew they had to go up that hill," Thede told the Fort Bragg Patch. "

The soldiers partook in the terrain walk to the bridge and along the causeway  where the unit from Fort Bragg's 3/25 paratroopers first made their landing 68 years ago.

"Meeting three of the Veterans that actually dropped onto Normandy was a highlight," said Thede. "To be able to talk to the men who did the jump and are a part of history and our lineage was amazing."