In Photos: Remembering Operation D-DAY

  • updated: Jun 06 2019, 09:02 ist
Seventy five years have passed since the D-Day, the greatest military operation in history that forever altered the course of time. There are several reasons for it to be dubbed the greatest operation of all time. The sheer enormity of death and destruction that followed the unprecedented mobilisation of military might is chief amongst them. Although there is no official D-Day body count of soldiers who perished, some have pegged the number to be higher than 425,000. Among the allies it is believed 209,000 died, nearly 37,000 of them ground troops and 16,714 from the air forces. German losses can only be estimated but are believed to be around 200,000 killed and wounded. Another 200,000 (not included in the total casualty estimation of 425,000) were captured as prisoners of war. Here are some historical photographs of the historic operation.

  • U.S. Army troops in an LCVP landing craft approach Omaha Beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer

    U.S.Armytroopsin anLCVPlanding craft approach Normandy's "Omaha"BeachonD-Dayin Coleville Sur-Mer, France June 6 1944.ArmySignal Corps Collection/U.S. National Archives/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • U.S. Army troops are seen on board a Coast Guard-manned LCI on the eve of D-Day

    Bound for Normandy,U.S.Armytroopsare seen on boardaCoastGuard-mannedLCI(L), the night of June 5, 1944, the day beforeD-Day. Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • U.S. Army troops and crewmen aboard a Coast Guard manned LCVP approach a beach on D-Day in Normandy

  • U.S. Army Rangers show off the ladders they used to storm the cliffs which they assaulted in support of Omaha Beach landings on D-Day in Pointe du Hoc

    U.S.ArmyRangersshow off the ladders they used to storm the cliffs which they assaulted in support ofOmahaBeachlandings on D-Day inPointeduHoc, France June 6, 1944.U.S. Navy/U.S. National Archives/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • The U.S. Navy minesweeper USS Tide sinks after striking a mine during the D-Day landings on Utah Beach in Normandy

    TheU.S.NavyminesweeperUSSTidesinks after striking a mine, while its crew are assisted by patrol torpedo boat PT-509 andminesweeperUSSPheasant inNormandy, France June 7, 1944.U.S.Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • The Coast Guard LCI(L)-85 prepares to evacuate the troops to the U.S.S. Samuel Chase

  • Omaha Beach secured after D-Day

    OmahaBeachsecuredafterD-Dayin June 1944. Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Monument to a dead American soldier somewhere on the shell-blasted shore of Normandy

    A Coast Guard Combat Photographer came upon thismonumentto adeadAmericansoldiersomewhere on the shell-blasted shore of Normandy, in June 1944. U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • LCM landing craft, evacuating casualties from the invasion beaches, brings them to a transport for treatment, on D-Day in Normandy

    AnLCMlandingcraftmanned by the U.S. Coast Guard, evacuating U.S. casualties from the invasion beaches, brings them to a transport for treatment on D-Day in Normandy, France June 6, 1944. U.S. Coast Guard Collection/U.S. National Archives/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Landing craft await the 2nd Battalion U.S. Army Rangers in Weymouth

    Landingcraftawaitthe 2nd Battalion U.S. Army Rangers, tasked with capturing the German heavy coastal defence battery at Pointe du Hoc to the west of the D-Daylandingzone of Omaha Beach, in Weymouth, England, on June 5, 1944. U.S. National Archives/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • U.S. troops wading ashore from a Coast Guard landing craft at Omaha Beach during the Normandy D-Day landings near Vierville sur Mer

    U.S.troopswadeashorefrom a Coast Guard landing craft at Omaha Beach during the Normandy D-Day landings near Vierville sur Mer, France, on June 6, 1944 in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives. Robert F. Sargent/U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • U.S. reinforcements landing on Omaha beach during the Normandy D-Day landings near Vierville sur Mer

    U.S.reinforcementslandonOmahabeach during the Normandy D-Daylandingsnear Vierville sur Mer, France, on June 6, 1944 in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives. Cpt Herman Wall/U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • U.S. Army troops making a battle plan near the D-Day landing zone of Utah Beach in Les Dunes de Varreville

    U.S.Armytroopsmakeabattleplanin a farmyard amid cattle, which were killed by artillery bursts, near the D-Day landing zone of Utah Beach in Les Dunes de Varreville, France, on June 6, 1944 in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives.U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • U.S. Army soldiers of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, moving out over the seawall on Utah Beach near La Madeleine

    U.S.Armysoldiersof the 8thInfantryRegiment,4thInfantryDivision, move out over the seawall on Utah Beach after coming ashore in front of a concrete wall near La Madeleine, France, June 6, 1944, in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives.U.S. National Archives/ArmySignal Corps Collection/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • U.S. Army reinforcements marching up a hill past a German bunker after the D-Day landings near Colleville sur Mer

    U.S.Armyreinforcements march up ahillpastaGermanbunkeroverlooking Omaha Beach after the D-Day landings near Colleville sur Mer, France, June 18, 1944, in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives.U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • The body of a dead German soldier in the main square of Place Du Marche after the town was taken by U.S. troops in Trevieres

    The body of adeadGermansoldierlies in the main square of Place Du Marche after the town was taken by U.S. troops who landed at nearby Omaha Beach in Trevieres, France, June 15, 1944, in this handout photo provided by the U.S. National Archives. U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • Members of an American landing party assisting troops near Colleville sur Mer

    Members of anAmericanlandingpartyassist troops whoselandingcraft was sunk by enemy fire off Omaha beach, near Colleville sur Mer, France, June 6, 1944 in this handout photo provided by the U.S. National Archives. Weintraub/U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • Canadian troops patrolling along the destroyed Rue Saint-Pierre after German forces were dislodged from Caen

    Canadiantroopspatrolalong the destroyed Rue Saint-Pierre after German forces were dislodged from Caen in July 1944 in this handout photo provided by the National Archives of Canada. National Archives of Canada/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • Allied forces Supreme Commander General Eisenhower speaking with U.S. Army paratroopers at Greenham Common Airfield in England

    AlliedforcesSupremeCommanderGeneral Dwight D. Eisenhower speaks with U.S. Army paratroopers of Easy Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (Strike) of the 101st Airborne Division, at Greenham Common Airfield in England June 5, 1944 in this handout photo provided by the U.S. National Archives. U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • A crashed U.S. fighter plane on the waterfront on a Juno Beach D-Day landing zone in Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer

    AcrashedU.S.fighterplaneis seen on the waterfront some time after Canadian forces came ashore on a Juno Beach D-Day landing zone in Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, France, in June 1944 in this handout photo provided by the National Archives of Canada. National Archives of Canada/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • Forward 14/45 guns of the U.S. Navy battleship USS Nevada fire on positions ashore during the D-Day landings on Utah Beach in Normandy

    Forward14/45gunsof the U.S. Navy battleship USS Nevada fire on positions ashore during the D-Day landings on Utah Beach in Normandy, France June 6, 1944. U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Father (Major) Waters conducts Divine Services on a pier for members of the first assault troops thrown against Hilter's forces on the European continent as part of the D-Day landing in Weymouth

    Father(Major) Edward J.Waters, Catholic Chaplain from Oswego, New York,conductsDivine Services on a pier for members of the first assault troops thrown against Hilter's forces on the European continent as part of the D-Day landing in Weymouth, England, June 6, 1944. Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Crossed rifles in the sand are a comrade's tribute to this American soldier who sprang ashore from a landing barge and died at the barricades of Western Europe

    Crossedriflesin the sand are a comrade's tribute to this American soldier who sprang ashore from a landing barge and died at the barricades of Western Europe in this 1944 file photo. Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Canadian troops come ashore at a Juno Beach landing area on D-Day at Bernieres Sur Mer, France in this handout photo

    Canadiantroopscome ashore at aJunoBeachlanding area on D-Day at Bernieres Sur Mer, France on June 6, 1944 in this handout photo provided by the National Archives of Canada. Ken Bell/National Archives of Canada/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • Canadian tank crews remove water-proofing from their tanks at Juno beach on D-Day in Normandy

    Canadiantankcrewsremove water-proofing from theirtanksat Juno beach on D-Day in Normandy, France June 6, 1944. Canada Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada PA-132898/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • Canadian soldiers study a German plan of the beach during D-Day landing operations in Normandy

    CanadiansoldiersstudyaGermanplanof the beach during D-Day landing operations in Normandy, France, June 6, 1944. Lieutenant Ken Bell/Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada PA-131438/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • British troops disembark from the Canadian navy infantry landing ship HMCS Prince David on D-Day in Normandy

    Britishtroopsdisembarkfrom the Canadian navy infantry landing ship HMCS Prince David on D-Day in Normandy, France June 6, 1944. PO Donovan J. Thorndick/Library and Archives Canada PA190830/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • British LCT's line the Normandy shore sometime before the D-Day invasion

    BritishLCT's line the Normandy shore, each with a barrage balloon designed to discourage enemy air attack, sometime before the D-Day invasion. U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • A U.S. Army medic moves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the Normandy landing on D-Day

    AU.S.Armymedicmoves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the Normandy landing on D-Day in Collville Sur-Mer, France June 6, 1944. Taylor/U.S.ArmySC 189925-S/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

  • A LCVP landing craft from the U.S. Coast Guard attack transport USS Samuel Chase approaches Omaha Beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer

    ALCVPlandingcraftfrom the U.S. Coast Guard attack transport USS Samuel Chase approaches Omaha Beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer, France June 6, 1944. The boat is smoking from a fire that resulted when a German machine gun bullet hit a hand grenade. U.S. Coast Guard Collection/U.S. National Archives/Handout via REUTERS.

  • A jeep of U.S. Army combat engineers unit drives past the destroyed Saint Malo church following the D-Day landings operation in Valognes in this handout photo

    A jeep ofU.S.Armycombatengineersunit drives past the destroyed Saint Malo church (at rear) following the D-Day landings operation in Valognes, France, June 24, 1944 in this handout photo provided by theU.S. National Archives.U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

  • A French veteran of the First World War greets Universal Carriers of the South Saskatchewan Regiment during a Canadian advance in Normandy

    AFrenchveteranof theFirstWorldWargreets Universal Carriers of the South Saskatchewan Regiment during a Canadian advance in Normandy July 20, 1944. George A. Cooper/Canada Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada PA-131386/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo