13 Facts Concerning the D-Day Invasion

Today is the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, so I thought it would be appropriate to remember those who took part in the amazing invasion.
1. Many disagree about the meaning for the letter D. What did it stand for? Why was it used? U.S. Army manuals dating as far back as WWI used the terms H-Hour and D-Day to indicate the time/date of an operation’s start. 
2. The military also used the code name Operation Overlord to refer to the movement of men, planes, ships, supplies, and equipment across the English Channel along a beach front that stretched over 60 miles.
3. Approximately 5,000 vessels transported 150,000 men and 30,000 vehicles across the English Channel.
4. Six parachute regiments including 13,000 men were transported in over 800 planes.
5. Approximately 300 planes dropped bombs along the coast of Normandy immediately before the invasion began. 
6. June 5, 1944 was the designated day, but poor weather held the invasion off.
7. Over 7,500 sorties (missions) were made across the channel on June 6, 1944.
8. War planners projected 5,000 tons of gasoline would be needed daily for the first 20 days after the initial invasion
9. Planners also projected 3,489 tons of soap would be needed for the first four months after the invasion. 
10. By the time dusk fell on the evening of June 6th more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were dead and wounded. 100,000 soldiers had made it ashore. 
11. Within weeks supplies were unloaded at UTAH and OMAHA beaches at the rate of 20,000 tons per day.
12. From D-Day through Christmas, 1944 over 30,000 Germans were captured and sent to American prisoner-of-war camps. Many POW camps were located in the United States….33 detention facilities were located in Texas.
13. FDR offered a prayer regarding the invasion in a radio address to the nation. Michael over at American Presidents Blog has posted the entire speech. It is very inspiring to read. He’s also posted a video from You Tube that has the actual audio from the speech with various pictures from the invasion. (Once the video is activated you might see some images at the bottom of the video screen…leave your cursor off the images or the video will switch and you will be watching something else.)
http://historyiselementary.blogspot.com.br/2007/06/13-facts-concerning-d-day-invasion.html