910th Airmen participate in 68th anniversary of D-Day Published June 12, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Brenda Haines 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs NORMANDY, France -- In what remains the largest amphibious assault in world history, approximately 160,000 allied troops landed June 6, 1944, along a 50-mile stretch of the French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the invasion, now known as D-Day, and by the day's end, the allies, who consisted of troops from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, stormed the beaches and gained a foot-hold in Normandy. Although the cost was high -- more than 9,000 allies and thousands of French citizens were killed or wounded -- more than 100,000 soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler. Prior to the invasion, General Dwight Eisenhower, head of the Allied Forces in Europe told his troops, "You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!" This year, on the 68th anniversary of D-Day, President Barack Obama remembered the deeds of these valiant soldiers in a tweet on the social media site, Twitter. "68 years ago today - D-Day - the brave members of the Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy. We have never forgotten their heroism. -bo," Obama said, his initials denoting a tweet composed by him and not an aide. Sixteen Airmen from the 910th Airlift Wing (AW) joined the 302nd and 440th Airlift Wings as well as members of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and British paratroopers May 30 to June 8 to pay tribute to the D-Day operations in Normandy, France, as a way to commemorate the heroic acts of World War II service members. Today the beaches of Normandy are frequently visited by tourists and show very few signs of the blood bath that once occurred there. "It was overwhelming to have a first-hand perspective of the enormity of the operation and the challenges that had to be overcome there," said Maj. Joe George, Youngstown Air Reserve Station mission commander for the Normandy commemoration. "Having that opportunity was a real honor for all of us. You can read about it in history books or watch movies, but until you're there in person, you don't realize the sacrifices that our forefathers made while storming these beaches. "The view from atop Point Du Hoc and from the base of the bluffs at Omaha beach speaks to the training, valor and ingenuity of the men who broke through the formidable Atlantic Wall that day," said Lt. Col. Brian Chambers, Youngstown Air Reserve Station navigator. "The courage of the men to continue the charge while making adjustments in a chaotic environment defines an American military tradition that continues today." Some of the challenges from D-Day were actually experienced by the crews as eerily similar weather conditions forced the crew to develop multiple contingency plans before takeoff and make adjustments while airborne to accomplish the mission. "We experienced significant winds, rain and a low cloud deck that helped put into perspective how challenging these airdrops must have been for them," George said. "Despite these challenges and thanks to everyone's hard work, dedication and professionalism, we were able to complete our mission. Approximately 120 U.S. Army paratroopers along with their British and German counterparts were dropped, recreating the allied forces' actions that day." In addition to the commemoration, the weeklong event featured distinguished guests like Maj. Gen. Wade Farris, commander of the Air Force Reserve's 22nd Air Force, and included remembrance ceremonies and visits to neighboring communities. "The most moving part for me was serving as an ambassador for the United States military," George said. "This was a great opportunity for us to spread good will. We went out in uniform to nearby communities and exchanged military memorabilia with the local children and residents. They welcomed us and were thrilled to share their stories with us." In an email to the 68th anniversary of D-Day participants, Lt. Col. Edward E. Strickland, mission commander for this year's event, commended the service members for completing a successful mission. "Kudos to all the crews and especially the maintainers for a job well done," Strickland said. "200 plus American, British and German paratroopers dropped, well-executed flyovers and some pretty sharp formation marching by our [Air Force Reserve Command] Airmen at the ground ceremonies. General Farris also passes a 'well done' to all participants." George said the group's participation in this operation helped open their eyes to the scale of the Normandy invasion. For example, 4,500 Allied service members were killed on that one day; that's more than three fatalities every minute. "We all discussed how this was a trip of a lifetime," he said. "I heard many of the guys say that this experience has really inspired them in their military; seeing this firsthand helped remind us all why we are serving." This yearly event helps prove that freedom isn't free and heroic acts are never forgotten.