Remembering the Fallen on D-Day
The Metcalfe County VFW Post 6281 conducted a D-Day Remembrance Retreat Ceremony on June 6th on the lawn at the Metcalfe County Courthouse Veterans Memorial.
June 6, 2018, marked the 74th anniversary of D-Day which occurred June 6, 1944, when the Western Allies landed in northern France on the beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. The Normandy invasion encompassed 50 miles of beaches and included 5,000 vessels carrying over 150, 000 men and 30,000 vehicles. While over 13,000 paratroopers arrived by 800 planes.
The tabulation of the first twenty-four hours in Normandy by the First U.S. Army states that 1,465 were killed, 1,928 went missing, and 6,603 were wounded. The after-action report by the U.S. VII Corps, which ended on July 1, 1944, showed 22,119 casualties, 5,665 missing, 79 prisoners, and 13,564 wounded, including paratroopers.
The military retreat ceremony signals the end of the official duty day and serves as a ceremony for paying respect to the United States flag. This retreat was held to pay respects to those brave
young men who gave their lives in battle 74 years ago.
During the D-Day Remembrance Retreat Ceremony VFW members, Jerry Waller, Jerry Gassaway, Bobby Coffey, and Joe Hay lowered and folded the American flag.
