France: Veterans mark 82nd anniversary of D-Day in Normandy

Article excerpt

The last surviving World War II veterans gathered in Normandy to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, the 1944 amphibious assault that launched the Allied campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation. These aging soldiers, fewer each year, returned to the beaches where they landed decades ago to honor their fallen comrades and reflect on the pivotal operation. The commemoration underscores the dwindling number of firsthand witnesses to one of history's most consequential military operations, as time steadily claims those who lived through the invasion.