To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, world leaders gathered in Normandy, France, on Thursday for a special ceremony commemorating the joint effort against the Nazi regime.
Each year, people take a moment on June 6 to pause and remember the service, sacrifice and bravery of over 150,000 service members. In recent years, the anniversaries have gained even more significance because with every passing year, the number of living D-Day veterans dwindles.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump traveled from the United Kingdom, where they spent a few days, to Normandy. There, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, they are slated to attend a ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer.
The ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. local time, according to the cemetery's website. American Battle Monuments Commission Secretary and retired Army Maj. Gen. William Matz told USA Today that officials expect between 12,000 and 15,000 people to attend the ceremony. Of those thousands of attendees, he said more than 100 will be World War II veterans.
For those who can't travel to France for the ceremony, the American Battle Monuments Commission will stream the ceremony live on its Facebook page. However, hopefully, those who are interested are early risers because the live stream will begin at 5:00 a.m. EDT to account for the time change.
During a state dinner at Buckingham Palace ahead of the 75th anniversary, both Queen Elizabeth and Trump referenced the heroic effort. Trump recalled the words of the queen's father, King George, and thanked God for the "brave sons of the United Kingdom and the United States who defeated the Nazis and the Nazi regime, and liberated millions from tyranny."
"The bond between our nations was forever sealed in that 'Great Crusade,'" Trump said. "As we honor our shared victory and heritage, we affirm the common values that will unite us long into the future: freedom, sovereignty, self-determination, the rule of law, and reverence for the rights given to us by Almighty God.
The first American cemetery on European soil, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial was initially home to the American St. Laurent Cemetery. It was established by the United States Army on June 8, 1944, two days after the invasion on D-Day.
More than 9,380 American service members are buried on the 172.5 acres, most of whom, the website noted, lost their lives on D-Day and its ensuing operations.
Along with the graves, there is the Walls of the Missing, arranged in a semicircular garden, the walls include 1,557 names. Those names with rosettes next to them are those who have since been recovered and identified.
