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Commemorating World War II

The Defense Department pays tribute to all who served the nation during World War II and to the Allied countries whose service members fought side-by-side with America’s forces. DOD honors the troops who perished in the fight, were listed as missing in action or were prisoners of war; the veterans who returned; and the sacrifices of their families in the fight to preserve freedom.

Remembering Pearl Harbor Learn More

Stories

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Speech |

Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Commemorating 80 Years Since D-Day (As Delivered)

Related Link |

National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day

Related Link |

A Proclamation on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2023

Quizzes

Quiz |

The 'Date Which Will Live in Infamy': How Much Do You Know?

Quiz |

How Well Do You Know Your Code Talker Translations?

Quiz |

What's Your D-Day IQ?

Victory Over Japan Day

Interactive Story Test Your Knowledge

Victory In Europe Day

Interactive Story Test Your Knowledge

Watch: Videos

President Joe Biden speaks at the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument in Normandy, France. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., will be in attendance.

Biden Speaks at World War II Monument

Biden Speaks at World War II Monument

President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and world leaders take part in a ceremony on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at the Normandy American Cemetery in France.

Biden, Austin Speak at D-Day Event

Biden, Austin Speak at D-Day Event

A social media reel highlighting the French Resistance Monument in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, June 1, 2024.

French Resistance Monument

French Resistance Monument

U.S and Allied Forces, World War II Veterans and Distinguished Guests attend the Angoville-au-Plain Memorial Ceremony in Angoville-au-Plain, France on June 1, 2024. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is forever linked to the people of Normandy, especially Carentan. The division fought and sacrificed for the freedom and peace that exists today in France.

Angoville-au-Plain Medic Memorial Ceremony

Angoville-au-Plain Medic Memorial Ceremony

There are already tons of films about 6 June 1944. That’s why our documentary is about what happened before the Normandy invasion. Allied planners spent years analyzing changing tides, perilous terrain, and German fortifications along the Atlantic Wall to figure out the best time and place to come ashore. Even basic logistics were a nightmare. Over a million soldiers had to be shipped to the United Kingdom, and then equipped and fed. Paying heed to Allied leadership from COSSAC to SHAEF, our film examines how the plan for one of the largest invasions in history was changing clear up to D-Day.

Created in collaboration with the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), the film outlines important Army doctrine such as the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP), the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB), and the Sustainment Preparation of the Operational Environment.

D-Day: Planning the Impossible

D-Day: Planning the Impossible

Lynn "Doc" Munger was a 23-year-old pharmacist's mate during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. When Munger was 98 years old, he told his story of serving as a Navy medic and caring for those injured from the devastating attack.

You can watch his full interview via the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.105971/

Navy Medic Recounts the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Navy Medic Recounts the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Aircraft fly in formation across a field.

U.S. Special Operations Command Europe Free Falls Into D-Day

U.S. Special Operations Command Europe Free Falls Into D-Day

A white structure is visible in water.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony

The Navy commissions an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in honor of late senator and Medal of Honor recipient, Daniel Inouye.

Navy Commissions Destroyer in Honor of Medal of Honor Recipient

Navy Commissions Destroyer in Honor of Medal of Honor Recipient

The Navy and National Park Service hold a remembrance ceremony to honor the legacy of the soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, sailors and civilians who defended America in World War II, from the opening battle on Dec. 7, 1941, until peace was secured on Sept. 2, 1945.

Ceremony Marks 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack

Ceremony Marks 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack

The crew of the USS Oklahoma is being honored in an interment ceremony at the USS Oklahoma Memorial on Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Oklahoma capsized and suffered 429 casualties during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, second only to the losses of the USS Arizona.

USS Oklahoma Crew Honored with Interment Ceremony

USS Oklahoma Crew Honored with Interment Ceremony

After four years of bitter combat, World War II ended 76 years ago. Every day, fewer and fewer veterans of that conflict remain to tell their stories. Hear from some of those who were there.

Commemorating the 76th Anniversary of the End of WWII

Commemorating the 76th Anniversary of the End of WWII

A sailor speaks at a lectern on a waterfront, with a ship moored in the background.

79th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack Examines What it Means to Go Above and Beyond the Call

79th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack Examines What it Means to Go Above and Beyond the Call

A civilian sits and speaks.

Virtual Ceremony Commemorates 76th Anniversary of D-Day

Virtual Ceremony Commemorates 76th Anniversary of D-Day

A sailor speaks at a lectern outside.

Navy Officials Speak at Battle of Midway Ceremony

Navy Officials Speak at Battle of Midway Ceremony

A Battle that Changed History

Battle of Midway

Battle of Midway

This order was issued by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower to encourage Allied soldiers taking part in the D-day invasion of June 6, 1944. Almost immediately after France fell to the Nazis in 1940, the Allies planned a cross-Channel assault on the German occupying forces, ultimately code-named Operation Overlord. By May 1944, 2,876,000 Allied troops were amassed in southern England. The largest armada in history, made up of more than 4,000 American, British, and Canadian ships, lay in wait, and more that 1,200 planes stood ready. Against a tense backdrop of uncertain weather forecasts, disagreements in strategy, and related timing dilemmas, Eisenhower decided before dawn on June 5 to proceed with Overlord. Later that same afternoon, he scribbled a note intended for release, accepting responsibility for the decision to launch the invasion and full blame should the effort to create a beachhead on the Normandy coast fail. Much more polished is his printed Order of the Day for June 6, 1944, which Eisenhower began drafting in February. The order was distributed to the 175,000-member expeditionary force on the eve of the invasion.

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's D-Day Message

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's D-Day Message

Military leaders reflect on the 75th anniversary of the Allies victory in Europe.

Victory in Europe 75th Anniversary

Victory in Europe 75th Anniversary

Service members walk on a road in a village setting.

WWII 75th Anniversary: Operation Market Garden

WWII 75th Anniversary: Operation Market Garden

Veterans tell their stories of World War II and V-E Day.

WWII Veterans Stories 2

WWII Veterans Stories 2

A short video review of the events leading to V-E Day.

Video by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Lebron, DOD

V-E Day History

V-E Day History

President Harry S. Truman addresses the nation on V-E Day, May 8, 1945.

V-E Day Introduction

V-E Day Introduction

Service members raise an American flag.

75th Anniversary WWII: Battle of Iwo Jima

75th Anniversary WWII: Battle of Iwo Jima

A woman speaks.

Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter

Angelo Ciota, Geoffrey Hart, Larry Pinto, and Jack Seiferth, veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima, recall the events that took place during their time on the island 73 years ago. This video was shot to capture the experiences these veterans had during the Battle of Iwo Jima. This was shot in New York, New York on Mar. 1, 2018.

(U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Tara Bray)

Memories of Iwo Jima

Memories of Iwo Jima

Tanks drive on a road.

WWII 75th Anniversary: Battle of the Bulge

WWII 75th Anniversary: Battle of the Bulge

Three civilians sit in chairs and speak.

"Midway" Actors Pay Respect to WWII Veterans

"Midway" Actors Pay Respect to WWII Veterans

Service members gather and walk on a roadway by a building.

WWII 75th Anniversary: Liberation of Paris

WWII 75th Anniversary: Liberation of Paris

Billows of dark grey smoke filled the Hawaiian skies. With ships toppled over and aircraft in ruins, it was like a grave site. At about 8:10 that morning, Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese had dropped a 1,800-bomb through the deck of the battle ship USS Arizona (BB 39).

Battle of the Coral Sea

Battle of the Coral Sea

A veteran exchanges greetings with service members at a cemetery.

100-Year-Old Sentinel Shares Experiences

100-Year-Old Sentinel Shares Experiences

Photos

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