June 8, 2016 (Photos submitted by Larry Hume) - The Shelby County Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8094 and Auxiliary gathered at the memorial marker on the grounds of the downtown historic courthouse to lay a memorial wreath in remembrance of the 72nd Anniversary of D-Day on Monday, June 6th.
Laying the memorial wreath was Post Commander Gene Hutto. Post Quartermaster Larry Hume thanked everyone for attending and gave the history of D-Day. He also commended those attending for helping to make sure this day wasn't forgotten nor did it go unnoticed in Shelby County.
On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.
