IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 259 

Expressing the gratitude and appreciation of the House of Representatives 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 18, 2009 

Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Mr. SKELTON) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the gratitude and appreciation of the House of 

Representatives 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. 

Whereas June 6, 2009, marks the 65th anniversary of the 

Allied assault at Normandy, France, by American, British, and Canadian troops, which was known as Operation 

Overlord; 


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•HRES 259 IH 

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 Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower called Operation Overlord a ‘‘Crusade in Europe’’, telling the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who would 

participate in the operation that ‘‘The free men of the 

world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in 

battle.’’; 

Whereas the naval assault phase on Normandy was codenamed ‘‘Neptune’’, and the June 6th assault date is referred to a D-Day to denote the day on which the combat 

attack was initiated; 

Whereas over 300 planes dropped approximately 15,000 tons 

of bombs in advance of the amphibious landing to weaken 

the enemy defenses; 

Whereas more than 13,000 soldiers parachuted behind enemy 

lines to secure landing fields in the 24 hours preceding 

the amphibious landing; 

Whereas soldiers of six divisions (three American, two British 

and one Canadian) stormed ashore in five main landing 

areas on beaches in Normandy, which were code-named 

‘‘Utah’’, ‘‘Omaha’’, ‘‘Gold’’, ‘‘Juno’’ and ‘‘Sword’’; 

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 and 

more than 3,000 vehicles, which embarked on 208 vessels 

from Weymouth and Portland, England; 


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•HRES 259 IH 

Whereas of the approximately 10,000 casualties incurred by 

Allied troops on the first day of the landing, more than 

6,000 casualties were members of the United States 

Armed Forces; 

Whereas only five days after the initial landing, Allied troops 

secured a beachhead that was 50 miles long and 12 miles 

deep and was occupied by more than 325,000 soldiers; 

Whereas on July 25, 1944, Allied Forces launched Operation 

COBRA to break out of the beachhead and began the liberation of France, which culminated in the destruction of 

the Nazi regime on May 7, 1945; and 

Whereas members of the ‘‘greatest generation’’ assumed the 

task of freeing the world from Nazi and Fascist regimes 

and restoring liberty to Europe: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the 65th anniversary of the Al3 lied amphibious landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at 

4 Normandy, France, during World War II; 

5 (2) expresses its gratitude and appreciation to 

6 the members of the United States Armed Forces 

7 who participated in the D-Day operations; and 

8 (3) requests the President to issue a proclama9 tion calling on the people of the United States to ob10 serve the anniversary with appropriate ceremonies 

11 and programs to honor the sacrifices of their fellow 

12 countrymen to liberate Europe. 

Æ 


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