On 6 June 2019 all the world and here in America will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the land, sea, and air attacks, with assault landings of American, British and Canadian forces on beaches in Normandy, France that began the liberation of Western Europe and the beginning of the end of WWII in Europe. That day US forces landed two divisions on Omaha Beach and VII Corps landed one division on Utah Beach and two divisions made airborne assaults behind enemy defenses as part of that US VII Corps assault on Utah Beach. General Eisenhower that day said to those in that Allied Expeditionary Force, “the eyes of the world are upon you. the hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”
All of us in VII Corps DSVA and VII Corps Desert Storm veterans everywhere on this 75th anniversary of those historic landings, connect through the generations to all those that day whose intrepid courage, great skill, and selfless sacrifice began the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. We especially connect to those VII Corps veterans of June 6, 1944 Utah Beach assault landings and airborne assaults that historic day and the 1st Inf Div who assaulted Omaha Beach. We honor their valor and selfless sacrifice, those who died that day in those assaults, those who have died since their service, and those living today. We salute and honor them all and their families this day and everyday.
JAYHAWK!
Fred M. Franks, Jr.
Gen, US Army (ret)
Chairman VII Corps DSVA
