Seventy-six years ago, with the outcome of World War II hanging in the balance, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. On June 6, 1944, under the direction of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, approximately 160,000 soldiers landed along a 50-mile stretch of fortified coast in northwestern France. After a day of fierce fighting, the Allies secured a hard-fought victory and a foothold in Europe. The battle proved to be a turning point in the war.

To appreciate the magnitude of the Allies’ achievement, some of the facts and figures of “D-Day” are worth revisiting. The battle began shortly after midnight when 2,200 Allied bombers conducted airstrikes on German military installations and barracks. After the initial bombing, 24,000 paratroopers and glider troops landed behind enemy lines to secure bridges and exit roads. By dawn, the amphibious invasion had begun, and by the end of the day, more than 160,000 troops (including 73,000 Americans) had landed on the beaches. More than 5,000 ships and landing craft and 11,000 aircraft were used in the invasion.