World War II veterans and British soldiers salute and pay honor to the American flag during the 68th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, June 3, 2012. The morning of June 6, 1944, Allied forces conducted a massive airborne assault and amphibious landing in the Normandy region of France. The invasion marked the beginning of the final phase of World War II in Europe, which ended with the surrender of Germany the following May.