ILLINOIS STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 109: Commemorating D-Day’s 75th Anniversary: June 6, 1944

By East Central Reporter Reports

Jun 7, 2019

Illinois State House District 109 issued the following announcement on June 5

“I want to encourage everyone to take time to remember and honor the veterans who served,” said Rep. Darren Bailey. “We need to continue to educate our next generations about the service and sacrifices made for us to be able to live in the greatest country in the world.”

The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe) from Nazi control, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal and the operation had to be delayed 24 hours; a further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable.

The Allies linked two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) on the first day, and all five beachheads were connected by June 12th. The operation gained a foothold which the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.

Learn more about WW II and the D-Day Invasion by clicking here.

We are proud that one of our own Illinois natives, Tim Guinan, is helping to recreate the invasion this year in France. You may read about Tim here.

If you are a veteran or know of any veterans who are in need of assistance, please contact the IL Dept. of Veterans Affairs office near you.

Edwards County

The Hope Center

23 W Cherry St., Albion, IL. 62806

VSO Jeffrey G Lewis Jr., PH: (618) 445-2065

Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM 1st Wednesday every other month

Jasper County

County Courthouse

204 W. Washington St., Suite 2, Newton, IL. 62448

VSO: Joshua Layton, Ph: (217) 342-8493