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It's hard to compare the D-Day assault to any other military strategy. "Operation Neptune," the codename used for storming the beaches at Normandy, was one of the single greatest feats in military history, pulled off by the cooperation and careful planning of several nation's forces.The lives that were lost that day were tremendous, but the victory of the Allies over the German forces signaled a major shift in the tide of the war. And as the tragic and heroic events unfolded for so many men, the photographers were there, documenting that day, knowing that many of the faces on the other side of their lenses would not return alive.Here are just 10 photos taken that day, photos that bring history back to life and help those of us today understand just how incredible this assault, and how tragic the loss, was.
1.) Smiling faces
2.) The Journey Over
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Heading toward the Normandy Coast in a Coast Guard-manned LCVP[/caption]
3.) The force is unleashed
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(Credit: National Archives USA)[/caption]
4.) Arrival
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(Credit: Chief Photographers Mate Robert F Sargent)[/caption]
5.) Heavy Fire
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Shells litter the deck of the USS Hobson, demonstrating the level of heavy fire that the Germans were met with.[/caption]
6.) The Aftermath
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Recovering casualties (US Army)[/caption]
7.) BOOM!
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Taken near Saint Lo shortly after the landings.[/caption]
8.) Still time for love
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A British soldier flirts with a French girl. (Credit: Hardy, Bert, No. 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit)[/caption]
9.) The photographers
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(Credit: PD)[/caption]
10.) A Reminder
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A makeshift memorial, marking the battles that were lost by so many that day. (Credit: National Archives USA)[/caption]
