[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 59 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S2387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 421--EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION OF THE 
SENATE FOR THE ACTS OF HEROISM AND MILITARY ACHIEVEMENT BY THE MEMBERS 
OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNE 6, 1944, 
    AMPHIBIOUS LANDING AT NORMANDY, FRANCE, AND COMMENDING THEM FOR 
LEADERSHIP AND VALOR IN AN OPERATION THAT HELPED BRING AN END TO WORLD 
                                 WAR II

  Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Ms. Landrieu) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 421

       Whereas June 6, 2014, marks the 70th anniversary of the 
     Allied assault at Normandy, France, by American, British, and 
     Canadian troops, which was known as Operation Overlord;
       Whereas, before Operation Overlord, the German Army still 
     occupied France and the Nazi government still had access to 
     the raw materials and industrial capacity of Western Europe;
       Whereas the naval assault phase on Normandy was codenamed 
     ``Neptune'', and the June 6th assault date is referred to as 
     D-Day to denote the day on which the combat attack was 
     initiated;
       Whereas the D-Day landing was the largest single amphibious 
     assault in history, consisting of approximately 31,000 
     members of the United States Armed Forces, 153,000 members of 
     the Allied Expeditionary Force, 5,000 naval vessels, and more 
     than 11,000 sorties by Allied aircraft;
       Whereas soldiers of 6 divisions (3 American, 2 British, and 
     1 Canadian) stormed ashore in 5 main landing areas on beaches 
     in Normandy, which were code-named ``Utah'', ``Omaha'', 
     ``Gold'', ``Juno'', and ``Sword'';
       Whereas, of the approximately 10,000 Allied casualties 
     incurred on the first day of the landing, more than 6,000 
     casualties were members of the United States Armed Forces;
       Whereas the age of the remaining World War II veterans and 
     the gradual disappearance of any living memory of World War 
     II and the Normandy landings make it necessary to increase 
     activities intended to pass on the history of these events, 
     particularly to younger generations;
       Whereas the young people of Normandy and the United States 
     have displayed unprecedented commitment to and involvement in 
     celebrating the veterans of the Normandy landings and the 
     freedom that they brought with them in 1944;
       Whereas the significant material remains of the Normandy 
     landing, such as shipwrecks and various items of military 
     equipment found both on the Normandy beaches and at the 
     bottom of the sea in French territorial waters, bear witness 
     to the remarkable material resources used by the Allied Armed 
     Forces to execute the Normandy landings;
       Whereas 5 Normandy beaches and a number of sites on the 
     Normandy coast, including Pointe du Hoc, were the scene of 
     the Normandy landings, and constitute both now and for all 
     time a unique piece of humanity's world heritage, and a 
     symbol of peace and freedom, whose unspoilt nature, 
     integrity, and authenticity must be protected at all costs; 
     and
       Whereas the world owes a debt of gratitude to the members 
     of the ``greatest generation'' who assumed the task of 
     freeing the world from Nazi and Fascist regimes and restoring 
     liberty to Europe: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 70th anniversary of the Allied 
     amphibious landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at Normandy, 
     France, during World War II;
       (2) expresses gratitude and appreciation to the members of 
     the United States Armed Forces who participated in the D-Day 
     operations;
       (3) thanks the young people of Normandy and the United 
     States for their involvement in recognizing and celebrating 
     the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy landings with the aim of 
     making future generations aware of the acts of heroism and 
     sacrifice performed by the Allied forces;
       (4) recognizes the efforts of the Government of France and 
     the people of Normandy to preserve, for future generations, 
     the unique world heritage represented by the Normandy beaches 
     and the sunken material remains of the Normandy landing, by 
     inscribing them on the United Nations Educational, 
     Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage 
     List; and
       (5) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling 
     on the people of the United States to observe the anniversary 
     with appropriate ceremonies and programs to honor the 
     sacrifices of their fellow countrymen to liberate Europe.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, on June 6th, 1944, the brave men and 
women of the Allied Forces began the opening phase of Operation 
Overlord in an effort to break the Nazi stranglehold on Western Europe. 
On that early morning, 31,000 members of the United States Armed 
Forces, and 153,000 of their counterparts in the Allied Expeditionary 
Force, stormed ashore five landing areas on the beaches of Normandy, 
France, in what is known as D-Day. In that first day alone, 
approximately 10,000 allied soldiers were wounded or killed, including 
6,000 Americans. Now, 70 years later, it remains our duty to remember 
the sacrifices made by the members of the ``greatest generation'' who 
answered the call of those being oppressed by the Nazi and Fascist 
regimes. In recognition of the incredible feats achieved by our 
veterans, the Parliament of the French Republic has asked to join us in 
the passage of an identical resolution in both bodies, honoring these 
sacrifices made in the name of liberty. As co-chairs of the Senate 
French Caucus, I have joined with Senator Landrieu to introduce this 
resolution to recognize the upcoming 70th Anniversary of the D-Day 
Landings and to express our gratitude and appreciation to the members 
of the U.S. Armed Forces who participated in these operations.

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