World War II veterans and re-enactors gather in France for the 70th anniversary of D-Day
World War II veterans, world leaders and re-enactors gather this week on the beaches of France for events commemorating the 70th anniversary of D-Day. June 6th marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day and “Operation Overlord”, a vast military operation by Allied forces in Normandy, which turned the tide of World War II, eventually leading to the liberation of occupied France and the end of the war against Nazi Germany.
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- British World War II veteran Frederick Glover poses for a photograph as soldiers parachute down during a D-Day commemoration paratroopers launch event in Ranville, northern France, June 5, 2014. (Thomas Bregardis/Reuters)
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- WW2 veteran Fred Holborn, from the Fleet Air Arm, salutes as he looks at British Legion Union flags carrying thank you messages planted in the sand on Gold beach on June 5, 2014 near Asnelles, France. 20,000 paper flags are being planted. Each one carries a personal message of Remembrance submitted by Royal British Legion supporters. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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- The medals of George Shenkle, a 93-year-old World War II veteran with the 82nd Airborn Division, are shown during a ceremony honoring those who fought in the Normandy campaign on the day before the 70th anniversary of D-Day June 5, 2014 in Picauville, France. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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- Men dressed in vintage World War II US military uniforms stand next to a Willis jeep, on the beach, in the morning in Arromanches, western France, on June 5, 2014, a day before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Ludovic Marin/Getty Images)
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- History enthusiasts wearing World War Two U.S. military uniforms re-enact a D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Vierville sur Mer, on the coast of Normandy June 5, 2014. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
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- History enthusiasts wearing World War Two U.S. military uniforms re-enact a D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Vierville sur Mer, on the coast of Normandy June 5, 2014. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
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- History enthusiasts wearing WW2 U.S. military uniforms re-enact a D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Vierville-sur-Mer, on the Normandy coast June 5, 2014. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
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- History enthusiasts wearing WW2 U.S. military uniforms re-enact a D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Viervill-sur-Mer, on the Normandy coast June 5, 2014. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
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- History enthusiasts wearing WW2 U.S. military uniforms re-enact a D-Day landing on Omaha Beach in Vierville-sur-Mer, on the Normandy coast June 5, 2014. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)
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- A French man dressed in vintage military clothing drives an old American military jeep on the beachside in Arromanches-les-Bains, northern France, on June 5, 2014, one day before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Jean-Francois Monier/Getty Images)
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- A French man dressed in vintage military clothing holds a gun next to an old American military jeep on the beachside in Arromanches-les-Bains, northern France, on June 5, 2014, one day before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Jean-Francois Monier/Getty Images)
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- A parachute drop takes place on June 5, 2014 near Ranville, France. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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- A US military plane flies over a US-German D-Day commemoration ceremony in honor of airborne soldiers on June 5, 2014 in Picauville, northern France. (Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Getty Images)
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- World War II veteran Raymond W. Sylvester, 95, who was with the 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion while fighting in France, watches as paratroop veterans drop into Picauville during a ceremony honoring those who fought in the Normandy campaign on the day before the 70th anniversary of D-Day June 5, 2014 in Picauville, France. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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- Members of the British Army’s Red Devils parachute team perform a manoeuvre during a display in Ranville, France June 5, 2014. (Chris Helgren/Reuters)
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- British D-Day veteran of the Normandy campaign Jock Hutton (L) arrives in tandem with a member of the British Army’s Red Devils parachute team during a display in Ranville, France June 5, 2014. (Chris Helgren/Reuters)
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- British World War II veteran Jock Hutton (C), 89, stands following his landing after he and teams of French, US, Canadian and British paratroopers jumped from aeroplanes during a D-Day commemoration in Ranville, northern France, on June 5, 2014. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
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- D-Day re-enactment enthusiasts dressed as World War II American soldiers walk among gravestones at the German Cemetery where approximately 21,000 German World War II soldiers are buried on June 5, 2014 at La Cambe, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- Visitors walk among gravestones at the German Cemetery where approximately 21,000 German World War II soldiers are buried on June 5, 2014 at La Cambe, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- D-Day re-enactment enthusiasts dressed in World War II Allied military informs stand with their period-era motorcycles on June 5, 2014 at Benouville, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- A D-Day re-enactment enthusiast wears the American flag at a re-enactment camp on June 5, 2014 near Utah Beach in Sainte Marie du Mont, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- World War II veteran William Spriggs, 89, of the 83rd Infantry Division and who took part in the invasion of Normandy, searches for fallen comrades in the Normandy American Cemetery June 5, 2014 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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- World War II enthusiasts and reenactors dressed as WWII British soldiers sit on a vintage BMW military motorcycle and sidecar on June 4, 2014 in front of the cafe “Gondree”, the first house liberated by Allied troops on the night of June 5 to 6, 1944, in Benouville, western France, two days before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Guillaume Souvant/Getty Images)
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- Female historical D-Day re-enactment enthusiasts dressed as American service women attend a re-enactment camp on June 4, 2014 in Sainte Mere Eglise, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- D-Day re-enactment enthusiasts dressed as Allied soldiers ride a World War II-era motorcycle and sidecar through a re-enactment camp on June 4, 2014 in Sainte Mere Eglise, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- A D-Day re-enactment enthusiast from Belgium dressed as World War II American soldier from the 2nd Infantry Division relaxes at his camp on June 4, 2014 near Utah Beach in Sainte Marie du Mont, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- D-Day re-enactment enthusiasts dressed as World War II American soldiers relax at their camp outside the church on June 4, 2014 near Utah Beach in Sainte Marie du Mont, France. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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- Fred Glover, aged 88, a veteran of the 9th Para Battalian watches a parachute jump just outside Rainville during D-Day 70 Commemorations on June 5, 2014 in Ranville, France. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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- British World War II veteran Harry Humphreys, 92, from the 4th Royal Dragon Guard, reacts after his visit at Bayeux’s war cemetery, while an old allied military vehicle passes by, in northern France, on June 5, 2014, a day before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Jean-Francois Monier/Getty Images)
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- British Normandy Veteran Raymond Shuck, who was a paratrooper on D-Day shakes the hand of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall as she meets veterans near Pegasus Bridge during D-Day Commemorations on June 5, 2014 in Ranville, near Caen in Normandy, France. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
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- Veterans of Kieffer commando (LtoR) Rene Rossey, Leon Gautier and Jean Morel attend a ceremony near a monument honoring their commando a day ahead of the start of D-Day commemorations. (Ludovic Marin/Getty Images)
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief, Army Air Corps, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (not pictured) attend a lunch with D-day veterans at a community centre during the D Day 70 Commemoration on June 5, 2014 in Ranville, France. (Bruce Adams/Getty Images)
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- Men dressed in vintage US military uniforms shave in the morning, in Colleville Montgomery, western France, on June 5, 2014, one day before the start of the D-Day commemorations. (Ludovic Marin/Getty Images)
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- A French soldier walks in the “Koenig Camp” military camp, in Breteville-sur-Odon, northwestern France, on June 5, 2014, where all forces mobilized for D-Day commemorations are gathered. (Charly Triballeau/Getty Images)
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief, Army Air Corps, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (not pictured) meet widows as they attend a lunch with D-day veterans at a community centre during the D Day 70 Commemoration on June 5, 2014 in Ranville, France. (Bruce Adams/Getty Images)
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- Britain’s Prince Charles (C-R) and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla (C-L) meet glider pilot veterans during a commemoration event at the Pegasus bridge, in Benouville, northern France, on June 5, 2014, marking the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
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