What “D-Day” means ?
The D in D-Day is the same than the H in H-Hour. It refers to a military vocabulary. .It is also possible to say : Y-Year.
In French, the army uses the same system and it gives: the Jour-J, the Heure-H or the Année-A.
Soldiers use the first letter of the word in order to say : THE moment. Here, in the case of the landing of Normandy, it means THE moment of the attack. It is a code name and thanks to it is no need to say the exact date. Thus it is possible to say “D-Day + 5” for : the date of the attack + 5 days.
This code avoids the enemy intelligence to find too easily the right date or the right hour of the offensive.
D-day weapons
June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.
Brecourt Manor
On D-Day, Easy Company, 506 PIR, fought one of its most important battles at this location. In a field between Le Grand Chemin and Brecourt Manor, a ditch line with trees bordered the property. Spaced at intervals along that ditch were 4 German 105mm cannons hidden under the thick and high hedgerow.
The guns were zeroed in on U.S. forces landing on Utah Beach, Lt. Dick Winters , Easy Company, led a small group of men and systematically took out all four guns He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for this attack. Other soldiers were also awarded medals for their action as well. It is said that the tactic employed by Lt Winters at this particular field is still taught at the American Academy of West Point.
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