Photos: Remembering D-Day 75 years later

It was a monumental moment in Word War II: Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944 and it was the beginning of the end of the war.

Charles Shay (C), a U.S. veteran of the D-Day invasion and an elder of the Penobscot Native American nation, and other U.S. and British World War II veterans gather at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial on a hill that overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Shay served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

Members of today's U.S. 1st Infantry Division (R) and flag bearers dressed as World War II soldiers gather at the 1st Infantry Division memorial on a hill that overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.

Charles Shay (L), a U.S. veteran of the D-Day invasion and an elder of the Penobscot Native American nation, chats with Cyril Banks, a British World War II veteran who served in the Royal Navy, at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial prior to a commemoration of the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Shay served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.C

Visitors including members of the Penobscot Native American nation attend a ceremony at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Among those attending the ceremony was Charles Shay, a U.S. 1st Infantry Division veteran and a Penobscot elder, who served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

A boy wearing 1940s-era clothes attends a ceremony at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Among those attending the ceremony was Charles Shay, a U.S. 1st Infantry Division veteran and a Penobscot Native American nation elder, who served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

Visitors, including members of the Penobscot Native American nation, attend a ceremony at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Among those attending the ceremony was Charles Shay, a U.S. 1st Infantry Division veteran and a Penobscot elder, who served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

Visitors attending a ceremony at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion watch U.S. Air Force C-47 transport planes fly overhead on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Among those attending the ceremony was Charles Shay, a U.S. 1st Infantry Division veteran and a Penobscot Native American nation elder, who served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

Members of the U.S. ist Infantry Brigade attend a ceremony at the U.S. 1st Infantry Division memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1st Infantry in the World War II Allied D-Day invasion on June 03, 2019 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Among those attending the ceremony was Charles Shay, a U.S. 1st Infantry Division veteran and a Penobscot Native American nation elder, who served as a medic and was in the first wave of soldiers that landed at Omaha, where the 1st Infantry Division sustained terrible losses when it encountered dug-in German resistance.

For the first time in 75 years Royal Navy D-Day veteran Matthew Toner, aged 93, sets foot on Juno Beach near to where his landing craft beached during the Normandy landings, on June 04, 2019 in Courseullles-sur-Mer, France. Matthew said that he always planned on returning to the beach but due to family commitments he could never make the crossing, today he finally made the jounrey to pay his respects to the fallen. Originally from The Wirral, he joined the Royal Navy in 1941 aged just 16 and saw service at Anzio and Salerno. The Royal Navy veteran was one of the first serviceman to land on the beaches in Normandy on his LST landing craft, setting sail as part of Operation Overlord in a flotilla of over 5,000 ships heading for Normandy and landing at Juno Beach, before making many more journeys to land Canadian troops.

Veterans arrive at Bayeux Cemetery on June 06, 2019 in Bayeux, France. Veterans, families, visitors, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later.

Bayeux War Cemetery on June 06, 2019 in Bayeux, France. Veterans, families, visitors, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later.

Bayeux Cemetery on June 06, 2019 in Bayeux, France. Veterans, families, visitors, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later.

eterans and guests arrive at The National Memorial Arboretum on June 06, 2019 in Alrewas, Staffordshire. The Duke of Cambridge will give a speech, lay a wreath and meet veterans following the service. Veterans and their families are gathering to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later.

Members of the U.S. Navy pause while a trumpet plays "The Last Post" while the men were helping to plant U.S. and French flags at the graves of U.S. soldiers at Normandy American Cemetery on June 05, 2019 near Colleville-Sur-Mer, France. Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of the Allied D-Day invasion, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later. Normandy American Cemetery contains the graves of over 9,600 U.S. soldiers killed on D-Day and in the Battle of Normandy.

Performers look on as 280 paratroopers take part in a parachute drop onto fields at Sannerville on June 05, 2019 at Sannerville, France. Veterans, families, visitors and military personnel are gathering in Normandy on June 6th to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Landings which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory in Europe 11 months later.

U.S. Army Rangers dressed in the uniforms of U.S. Army Rangers from World War II scale the cliffs of La Pointe du Hoc in a re-enactment of the D-Day assault on June 05, 2019 near Cricqueville-en-Bessin, France. On June 6, 1944 U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliffs under darkness to attack a fortified German position as part of the Allied D-Day invasion. Veterans, families, visitors and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate the June 6, 75th anniversary of D-Day, which heralded the Allied advance towards Germany and victory about 11 months later.

Photos: Remembering D-Day 75 years later

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