D-Day brings reminders of Omaha Beach

On June 6, 1944, Operation Overlord — more commonly referred to as D-Day — was the invasion of northern France to attack Nazi Germany's forces. 

The operation began shortly after midnight with extensive airborne assaults involving 24,000 American, British and Canadian troops. This was followed by amphibious landings along a 50-mile stretch, divided into five sectors: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. My unit, the First Infantry Division attacked at the famous Omaha Beach.

By the end of D-Day, 156,000 allied troops had landed via 3000 landing craft, 2,500 other ships and 500 naval ships along with 13,000 aircraft providing aerial support. 

Despite heavy German resistance, the Allies secured the beaches. However, around 4,000 Allied soldiers were killed. Within a few days, hundreds of thousands of troops, vehicles and tons of equipment were landed and by August 1944, northern France was liberated. 

My personal experience was that one year, long after the war, we happened to be there on Memorial Day; of course, it was a big celebration.  We went down into one of the German concrete bunkers still intact.

At the end of the day, I, as a U.S. veteran participated in the lowering and folding of the American Flag, it was one of those proud things, that a person never forgets.

Roger Gregory served as a captain in the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam. He is a Priest River businessman.