We owe every single one of those men our lifestyle and freedom.
My deepest honour and respect to all the men who took part in what has to have been one of the biggest co-ordinated invasions ever. A truly mind-boggling scale of events.
And also to the people who helped create the fake tanks and airfields on the south coast of Britain, and the people who sent the radio messages to make it seem like the invasion was going to hit the Calais area, thus tying up Panzer divisions. To the brave men in the airforce, who denied the enemy the use of the sky for counterattacks and parachuted behind enemy lines, and to the men of the Navy, who protected those frail Higgins boats as they thundered through the final furlong to hit the beach. And to the French resistance who hindered the Germans ability to launch a counterattack.
"...Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automne
Bercent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone..."
And AL, great speech from Reagan there 