D-Day Through the Decades: 1984 Commemoration

Hello everyone!  

Forgive me for being a day late, but we are 2 months away from the big event!  To say we are busy would be an understatement; everyone is working at 100% to make sure this is the most memorable commemoration we can give our WWII heroes.  There have been several new developments and we still have a few things in the works – remember to visit our 70th Anniversary Event page to keep up with all the information concerning all the events that will be going on over the weekend of June 6-8, 2014. 

Let’s take a trip back in time to look at the 40^th Anniversary of D-Day.  It was in 1984 that President Ronald Regan became the first sitting United States President to visit the beaches of Normandy for the June 6^th commemoration ceremonies.  Speaking at the Ranger Memorial at Pointe du Hoc at 1:20 p.m., President Regan delivered his now famous “Boys of Pointe du Hoc” address.  Timed to coincide with live feed of the ceremonies on the U.S. East Coast, this address was received by millions in the U.S. and thousands of veterans who had gathered together on the Normandy beaches. 

Here is a short except from the beginning of President Regan’s speech (click here to listen to the entire address):

We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers -- the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.

These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.

Following his remarks, President Regan unveiled memorial plaques to the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions.  As those who gathered in 1984, we will gather together on June 6, 2014 to pay tribute to all the men who initiated the liberty of France and fought to rid Europe of the tyranny of German occupation.  Join us as we unveil Homage, a new statue to honor the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of all our servicemen and women.  

We look forward to seeing you all on June 6 at 11a.m. for the ceremony marking the 70^th Anniversary of this historic event.  

Until next time, 

Felicia