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Commemorating D-Day
Last week the National Archives commemorated the 74th anniversary of D-Day and the Normandy Invasion. On June 6, 1944, Allied troops in World War II began their invasion of Normandy, which was part of the larger Operation Overlord. Now known as D-Day, it was the culmination of the Allied powers’ strategy for the war and a multinational effort. 

The National Archives has many records related to D-Day and its surrounding events. Today we bring you records documenting the preparation and invasion, as well as charts, radar images and drawings related to the D-Day invasion.

Click on each image to see a larger, zoomable version in our Catalog.
Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day, 6/6/1944
Photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Giving the Order of the Day, 6/6/1944

Chart of D-Day Beaches, 4/14/1944
Panoramic Sketch of the D-Day Beaches, 5/14/1944
(Left) Chart of D-Day Beaches, 4/14/1944 - This  is a hydrographic chart of the Normandy coast with an overprint indicating the beach sectors chosen for the pending amphibious assault.
(Right) Panoramic Sketch of the D-Day Beaches, 5/14/1944 - This is a panoramic drawing of the D-Day beaches, Sector Dog Green and Sector Fox Green.
Photograph of Jeeps Being Driven into the Open Doors of a LCT in Preparation for the Normandy Invasion, 6/1944
Photograph of Roll Call before D-Day Assault, 6/1944
(Left) Photograph of Jeeps Being Driven into the Open Doors of a LCT in Preparation for the Normandy Invasion, 6/1944
(Right) Photograph of Roll Call before D-Day Assault, 6/1944 -  This is the last roll call for the men before they board landing craft for the big assault on the European continent.
Photograph of Paratroopers just before They Took off for the Initial Assault of D-Day
Photograph of Paratroopers just before They Took off for the Initial Assault of D-Day
Radar Image of D-Day Invasion, English Channel, 6/6/1944
Radar Image of D-Day Invasion, English Channel - 6 June 1944, 0653 Hours; Invasion - English Channel
 
(Left) Photograph of Soldiers Crouching Behind the Bulwarks of a Coast Guard Landing Barge - These Coast Guard barges rode back and forth through D-Day bringing waves of reinforcements to the beachhead.
(Right) Photograph of American Reinforcements Piling from a Coast Guard Landing Barge into the Surf on the French Coast Soldiers Crossing the English Channel aboard a Coast Guard "Elsie" (LCI) -  Hardened for battle, they are going in to reinforce and replace the fighting units that secured the Norman beachhead and spread north toward Cherbourg.
Photograph of Men and Assault Vehicles Storming the Beaches of Normandy, 6/6/1944
Photograph of Men and Assault Vehicles Storming the Beaches of Normandy, 6/6/1944 -  As wave after wave of landing craft unload their cargo, men move inland and vehicles surge up the roads. Note the men swarming over the beaches. 
Sketch of Omaha-Dog-White, Exit Path of First Troops, 0855 Hours, 6/6/1944
Drawing of the D-Day Dress, Platoon Leader, 6/1944
(Left) Sketch of Omaha-Dog-White, Exit Path of First Troops, 0855 Hours, 6/6/1944 
(Right) Drawing of the D-Day Dress, Platoon Leader, 6/1944
Photograph of American Medics Rendering First Aid to Troops in the Initial Landing on Utah Beach, 6/6/1944 
Photograph of American Medics Rendering First Aid to Troops in the Initial Landing on Utah Beach, 6/6/1944 -  In the background other members of the landing parties dig into the soft sand of the beach. Les Dunes de Madeleine, Northern Coast, France.
More D-Day Resources:
Happy Father's Day!
From Founding Fathers to First Dads, the National Archives Catalog celebrates the many role models, mentors, and father figures throughout history.
Images of fathers and children from the National Archives Catalog
Citizen Archivist Road Trip Update!
Text written on image of post card: Dear Citizen Archivists, We’re having a fantastic time on our virtual road trip. Last week at the National Archives at Atlanta, our virtual volunteers tagged and transcribed 580 pages of 124 records. What a way to start the summer! We’re just leaving the National Archives at St. Louis where we had fun transcribing Official Military Personnel files for celebrities. Did you know Bea Arthur was in the Marines during World War II? Tomorrow, we’ll be stopping at the National Archives at Kansas City, where we’ll tag and transcribe Native American photographs, slave compensation records, Criminal Case Files, and so much more. Hope you can join us! Your Community Managers, Meredith & Suzanne

Thanks to all our Citizen Archivists who have joined us for our Road Trip! Visit our Missions page tomorrow as we make a stop in Kansas City. You can help us tag and transcribe Leavenworth Inmate Case Files, Naturalization Records, Bankruptcy Records, and much more!
Get Started Tagging and Transcribing!
Vietnam-Era US Coast Guard Records Wikipedia Editing Workshop
Join us at the National Archives Innovation Hub for a Vietnam-Era US Coast Guard Records Editing Workshop! The event will take place on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM EDT.
By PHC F. Borzage, USCG (U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
By PHC F. Borzage, USCG (U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Attendees will learn to edit Wikipedia and use recently scanned Coast Guard records to update related Wikipedia articles. Experienced Wikipedians will be on hand to provide training and guidance. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Lunch will be provided. Learn more and register here. We hope to see you on June 27th in the Innovation Hub!
Congratulations to the Washington Capitals!
On June 12th, the National Archives was rocking the red as we shared our front steps with hundreds of Washington Capitals fans as the Stanley Cup rolled by on Constitution Avenue.
The National Archives Building was a beautiful backdrop for the Washington Capitals parade! Photo by National Archives photographer Jeffrey Reed.

The National Archives Building was a beautiful backdrop for the Washington Capitals parade! Photo by National Archives photographer Jeffrey Reed.
Questions or comments? Email us at catalog@nara.gov.
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