Vets, visitors return to Normandy to mark D-Day anniversary

Allied veterans, families of fallen gather at US cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach to mark 71 years since invasion that helped defeat Nazis

By AP 6 June 2015, 6:06 pm

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A bagpipe band perform duties at the Colleville American military cemetery, in Colleville sur Mer, western France, Saturday June 6, 2015, as part of the commemoration of the 71st anniversary of the D-Day landing. (AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)
Two visitors look out over Omaha Beach from the Colleville American military cemetery, in Colleville sur Mer, western France, Saturday June 6, 2015, on the 71st anniversary of the D-Day landing. (AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)
Visitors and cadets from Annapolis U.S. navy academy, Maryland, background, watch a bagpipe band parading at the Colleville American military cemetery, in Colleville sur Mer, western France, Saturday June 6, 2015, as part of the commemoration of the 71st anniversary of the D-Day landing. (AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)
Illustrative photo of an American military cemetery (AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)

PARIS (AP) — Allied veterans and families of their fallen comrades gathered Saturday at the US cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach to mark the 71st anniversary of the D-Day invasion that helped defeat the Nazis in World War II.

Visitors and cadets from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland watched as a bagpipe band paraded at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, amid the thousands of white marble crosses and Stars of David of servicemen and women who lost their lives during the invasion.

The invasion began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944, with a perilous airborne operation led by paratroopers of the “Screaming Eagles” 101st Airborne and the 82nd Airborne divisions.

At dawn, thousands of Allied troops leaped out of landing craft to storm the beaches under ferocious German attacks.