Les Braves monument on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
© Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The 80th anniversary of D-Day - D-Day: 80 years on
Eighty years ago, on the beaches of Normandy, northern France, an event unfolded that would alter the course of history. The day was June 6, 1944, a date forever etched in time as D-Day. It marked the launch of Operation Overlord, the ambitious Allied invasion that became a turning point in World War II. The audacious assault by sea, air, and land involved nearly 160,000 troops on D-Day alone.
To mark the anniversary, we are featuring Les Braves, a sculpture on Omaha Beach that pays tribute to the courageous troops who landed here. French artist Anilore Banon's design features three sections: 'Wings of Hope,' 'Rise, Freedom!,' and 'Wings of Fraternity.' Across the ocean in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, its twin, 'Les Braves II: At Water's Edge,' resonates with the same spirit at The War Memorial. These sister sculptures symbolize the connection between two nations that fought side by side on D-Day, and invite a moment of silence from a world that benefited from the bravest of the brave.