General Eisenhower talks to one of the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division before he and his comrades board the planes. He was worried that the men might sustain casualty rates as high as 75%; the final figure was much lower, close to 10%.

Gen. Eisenhower with the paratroopers

Leonard "Bud" Lomell (1920-2011) of Toms River, NJ was a 24 year old staff sergeant with the 2nd Ranger Batallion in the Normandy Invasion. The batallion's job was to scale the 100 foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and knock out six large German batteries. "We lost 81 killed" he said, 90 of us were left standing."
   For his own performance that day, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He would be wounded twice more in the drive across Europe.

Leonard "Bud" Lomell

British women offer coffee - and charm - to American soldiers gathering in England for the invasion.