Veterans, leaders arrive in Europe for 80th anniversary of D-Day

Britain’s King Charles III on Wednesday gave a speech during a national commemoration event in Portsmouth, England, and called on attendees to remember veterans’ service and sacrifice to replace tyranny with freedom. The memorial was one of several events planned in England and France this week to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day operation. Tens of thousands of troops from the United States, Britain, Canada, and other Allied nations landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, in what became a turning point of World War II.

How are veterans participating? About 25 veterans on Tuesday took a ferry from Portsmouth to Normandy and laid a wreath just off the French coast to remember the servicemen who died before they reached the shore. More than a dozen veterans are expected to attend events on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary. The number of D-Day veterans is shrinking as many of the former servicemen have passed away, and the remaining survivors are nearly 100 years old. This year could be one of the last years in which a large number of veterans attend anniversary events.

Dig deeper: Listen to Caleb Welde’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about the anniversary of D-Day.