[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 69 (Wednesday, June 7, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 317--A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE 
TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES 
  WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNE 6, 1944, D-DAY INVASION OF EUROPE FOR 
FOREVER CHANGING THE COURSE OF HISTORY BY HELPING BRING AN END TO WORLD 
                                 WAR II

  Ms. LANDRIEU submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 317

       Whereas General George C. Marshall, President Roosevelt's 
     chief of staff, appointed General Dwight D. Eisenhower, to 
     the war plans division of the United States Army in December 
     1941 and commissioned General Eisenhower to design an 
     operational scheme for Allied victory in World War II;
       Whereas in January 1943, the plan was adopted and given the 
     code name Operation ``Overlord'';
       Whereas the June 6, 1944, invasion of Europe, commonly 
     known as ``the D-Day invasion'', was the largest single 
     assault in the most massive military conflict in history;
       Whereas participants in that invasion included 156,000 
     British, Canadian, and United States servicemembers and 
     approximately 30,000 vehicles and 600,000 tons of supplies, 
     and those servicemembers, backed by paratroopers and bombers, 
     stormed a 50-mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France;
       Whereas on June 6, 1944, D-Day, and in the seven months 
     that followed, approximately 3,500,000 British, Canadian, and 
     United States servicemembers embarked for Europe from 
     Southampton, England;
       Whereas approximately 31,000 United States servicemembers 
     and more than 3,000 vehicles embarked for the D-Day invasion 
     on 208 vessels at Weymouth and Portland, England;
       Whereas between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of bombs were 
     dropped in support of the D-Day invasion in the 24 hours 
     between the night of June 5 and the night of June 6, 1944;
       Whereas landing forces in the D-Day invasion were compelled 
     to cross more than 200 yards of treacherous beach blanketed 
     by mines, heavy machine-gun fire, and rifle fire;
       Whereas the D-Day invasion was supported by more than 
     13,000 fighter, bomber, and transport aircraft, against which 
     the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, was able to deploy fewer 
     than 400 aircraft of all types;
       Whereas by June 11, 1944, the invasion force had 
     established a bridgehead 50 miles wide and 12 miles deep, 
     into which were landed 326,547 men, 54,186 vehicles, and 
     104,428 tons of supplies;
       Whereas of the 156,000 British, Canadian, and United States 
     servicemembers who took part in the initial D-Day invasion 
     landings, 10,000 were casualties on the first day of the 
     invasion;
       Whereas total United States casualties on D-Day numbered 
     6,303, including 2,499 casualties among members of two 
     airborne divisions participating in the invasion;
       Whereas those casualties included 1,465 killed in action, 
     3,184 wounded in action, 1,928 missing in action, and 26 
     prisoners of war;
       Whereas the success of the D-Day invasion was responsible 
     for starting the liberation of occupied Europe from Nazi 
     Germany and marked the beginning of the end of World War II; 
     and
       Whereas of the approximately living 25,000,000 United 
     States veterans, approximately 1,500 die each day of whom 
     two-thirds are veterans of World War II: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate to 
     congratulate and thank the members of the United States Armed 
     Forces who participated in the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion 
     of Europe for forever changing the course of history by 
     helping bring an end to World War II.

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 
thousands of America, British, Canadian, and French veterans of the 
greatest amphibious invasion in military history. On June 6, 1944, the 
D-Day Allied Expeditionary Force included 150,000 troops, 1,500 tanks, 
5,300 ships and landing craft, 12,000 airplanes, and 20,000 airborne 
troops. Ultimately, their task was to establish a western foothold on 
the European continent, and commence an overwhelming thrust against 
France's Nazi occupiers. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was convinced 
that launching Operation Overlord would hasten the end to World War II, 
as he stated on D-Day morning to his American troops, ``In company with 
our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts you will bring 
about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of 
Nazi tyranny over oppressed peoples in Europe, and security for 
ourselves in a free world.''
  The invasion of Normandy far surpassed its goals, accomplishing four 
monumental tasks: it initiated the liberation of France and 
dismantlement of the Nazi Third Reich, established a critical milestone 
in military strategic history, inaugurated an era of American 
preeminence, and, ultimately, made the world safe for democracy. But 
victory could not be achieved without any cost. By the end of D-Day, 
U.S. forces, including two deployed airborne divisions, suffered 6,603 
casualties, with 1,465 killed, 3,184 wounded, and 1,928 missing in 
action. To these men who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, the 
world owes an incalculable measure of gratitude. Today, the people of 
the United States salute their memory, and continue honoring the 
courageous service of other D-Day veterans, like the senior senator 
from South Carolina, who risked similar fates in southern France.
  Now, 56 years after the first Higgins Landing Craft beached on the 
Normandy shores, our country's first National D-Day Museum will open in 
my hometown of New Orleans. Built in the heart of Downtown, this 
institution will not only commemorate an awesome military success, but 
exhibit the unified vision of a nation's political, strategic, and 
industrial leaders. From the formulation of Operation Overlord to 
innovations in amphibious technology, every aspect of war-planning and 
implementation will be on display; contributors to our victory from 
various sectors of society will be studied--the decision-makers, the 
war tacticians, the equipment manufacturers, and the Americans in 
uniform. Esteemed political scientist, Stephen Ambrose has dedicated 
this museum to the American Spirit, the teamwork, optimism, courage and 
sacrifice of the men and women who won World War II. As they embarked 
on their ``Great Crusade,'' Eisenhower reminded America's soldiers that 
``the eyes of the world are upon you.'' Well, today I say to the 
veterans of Normandy that the hopes and prayers of liberty-loving 
people everywhere continue to march with you. Forever embodied in the 
National D-Day Museum, we have distinguished one of America's finest 
generations with an indelible place in our country's history, 
sustaining a promising legacy for our country's future 
generations.

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