The National WWII Museum Commemorates 80th Anniversary of D-Day

NEW ORLEANS (press release) – To commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, now known as the greatest amphibious landing in history, The National WWII Museum will explore the epic battle through events on Thursday, June 6, and Friday, June 7, on its campus in New Orleans. The museum will be welcoming WWII veterans and other members of the WWII generation to its campus for these commemorative events.   

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord — the codename for the massive Allied invasion of Normandy, France — with more than 150,000 troops. Ending with approximately 20,000 casualties on both sides, those who took part witnessed one of the most pivotal battles against Axis forces, and the beginning of a prolonged, costly and ultimately successful campaign to liberate northwest Europe.

To kick off the events on Thursday morning, the Museum will host an H-Hour Remembrance Gathering followed by the annual Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Ceremony in memory of the men who landed on the beaches in Normandy in 1944. The Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Endowment, made possible by the generous gift of Karen and Leopold Sher, ensures that Dr. Baumgarten’s legacy as a D-Day veteran will live on in perpetuity and helps the Museum fulfill its mission to educate future generations about the events of World War II and its lasting impacts.

The Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy will also host its latest symposium, Beyond the Beaches: D+1 and the Battle for Normandy. The program opens Thursday evening with the Gen. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series on World War II, featuring Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson who will discuss “Operation Overlord: 80 Years On.” On Friday, the daylong symposium includes presentations by leading historians on the challenges, battles, and victories that followed the June 6 Allied landings and made the liberation of Europe from Nazi oppression possible.

Most of the Museum’s D-Day 80 events are free and open to the public; some require purchase of Museum admission. Current servicemembers and their families can enjoy free admission to the Museum thanks to the Blue Star Museums program, which kicked off on Armed Forces Day and continues through Labor Day. Learn more about the program here.

WHEN:                  Thursday, June 6, 2024

·      6:30 a.m.                                    H-Hour Remembrance Gathering

·      9:00 a.m.                                    29th Division Band Performance 

·      9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.             Living History Corps Displays

·      11:00 a.m.                                  Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Ceremony

·      4:30 p.m.                                    The D-Day Invasion of Normandy Exhibit Open House and Mason Lecture Reception

·      6:00 p.m.                                    The Gen. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Distinguished Lecture

·      8:00 p.m.                                    Expressions of America (Tickets required)

Friday, June 7, 2024

·      8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.             Beyond the Beaches: D+1 and the Battle for Normandy

Symposium

WHERE:             The National WWII Museum

US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center

945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Online: The National WWII Museum’s Website

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