Remembering D-Day 78 Years Later

Thank a veteran today and every day. On this 78th Anniversary of D-Day, let's revisit some of the interesting facts about that day and its significance.

D-Day, also known as Operation Overlord, officially began on June 6th, 1944.

The significance of the Allied Invasion of Normandy can't be overstated.

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Per an article from history.com, let's revisit some of the facts and figures from that historic day.

D-Day wasn't originally supposed to happen on June 6th:

Eisenhower selected June 5, 1944, as the date for the invasion; however, bad weather on the days leading up to the operation caused it to be delayed for 24 hours. On the morning of June 5, after his meteorologist predicted improved conditions for the following day, Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord. He told the 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.”

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When the weather cleared up, it paved way for a historic amphibious assault:

"The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating...Allied casualties on the first day were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead."

It was a tremendous sacrifice by service members not just of the United States, but of a total of 12 Allied countries.

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Lastly, while the battle didn't end the war, it paved the way for an Allied victory:

'Overlord' did not bring an end to the war in Europe, but it did begin the process through which victory was eventually achieved."

It goes without saying that the events of D-Day and the subsequent Battle of Normandy change the course of World War II and the course of modern history.

There is always more to learn when it comes to the US and World History, and for more information about D-Day, its significance, and those that served, visit any of the sources below.

Thank you to all of the veterans on this anniversary of D-Day, June 6th, 1944.

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Sources: dday.org, history.com, iwm.org and Normany Landings Wikipedia

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20 Years of Gas Prices' Ups and Downs

'Gas prices: giving us something to talk about with our coworkers for 20 years.' I don't remember where I first heard it, but that's the perfect way to describe all the pointless complaining sessions we all have taken part in over the years.

I don't much attention to the price of gas. Admittedly I do not work in a field that directly relies on equipment that takes gallons and gallons of gas. But, as an average car driver, I'm just going to pay whatever it costs.

It's not that I don't care, I just know I don't have a choice. I'm going to need gas, so I'm going to pay whatever they charge. Kids gotta get to school and I gotta get to work. The only real choice is to drive or not to drive. Walking the ten-mile round trip to work every day is impractical, especially during one of South Dakota's patented six-month winters.

Besides being low-key annoying, complaining about the price of gas is dumb because I remember things. Like that the price of gas has been up and down for at least 20 years. 2021 is no better or worse than 2003. It takes at least $40 to fill my tank this year just like it did in 2017.

But, why not dig into the photo archives and find some proof of memory. Because news stories about gas prices are the pointless small talk of journalism, there are lots of pictures of gas station signs from the last couple of decades.

Starting in 2000 we can see that rise and fall of gas prices in the United States. World events, natural disasters, and economic changes all affect the price. And all through those years, I paid what was charged.

Source:history.com

Source: Remembering D-Day 78 Years Later