Page 1 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, June 2019
P. 1
“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen†June 2019
Vol. 18, No. 6
INSIDE
StorIES
ï® Siblings fly together, 3
ï® Park Grads, 4
ï® Master Sgt. selects, 4
ï® Be safe this summer, 5
ï® Licensing
reimbursement, 6
FEAtUrE
Eisenhower Library Courtesy photo
EYES OF THE WORLD June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy, France. Those who
took part witnessed one of the most pivotal battles against Axis forces, and the beginning of a successful campaign to liberate
See Page 8 northwest Europe.
Epic 1944 invasion changes course of WWII
Continue to get Luke’s latest The 75th anniversary of D-Day was target. By late August 1944, all of north- conducted a disastrous dress rehearsal
news and information from June 6, 2019. D-Day commemorates the ern France had been liberated, and by the of the Normandy invasion on an evacu-
these sources: http://www. tremendous human cost of the first inva- following spring the Allies had defeated ated English beach called Slapton Sands.
aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/ sion of the Battle of Normandy, which the Germans. The Normandy landings Known as “Exercise Tiger,†749 U.S. troops
ultimately liberated Western Europe from have been called the beginning of the end lost their lives after a fleet of German E-
http://www.luke.af.mil Nazi control. of war in Europe. boats caught wind of the mock invasion
and social media Operation Overlord commences and torpedoed American tank landing
The invasion combined the forces of ships. Survivors described the Exercise
Luke56thFW @LukeAFB During World War II (1939-1945), the 156,115 U.S., British and Canadian Tiger fiasco as more terrifying than the
Battle of Normandy, which lasted from troops, 6,939 ships and landing vessels, D-Day landing on Omaha Beach.
Date of publication June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in and 2,395 aircraft and 867 gliders that Germany had fortified France’s coast
the Allied liberation of Western Europe delivered airborne troops.
First Friday from Nazi Germany’s control. Codenamed Allied forces carried out a massive de- Anticipating an Allied invasion some-
Operation Overlord, the battle began on ception campaign in advance of D-Day where along the French coast, Adolf Hitler
of the month June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when charged Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
forces landed on five beaches along a 50- The idea behind the ruse was to trick with fortifying Nazi defenses in France.
Submission deadline mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast the Nazis into thinking that the invasion In 1943, Rommel completed construction
of France’s Normandy region. would occur at Pas-de-Calais, the closest of the “Atlantic Wall,†Germany’s 2,400-
15th day of the month French coastline to England. The Allies mile line of bunkers, landmines, beach
The invasion was one of the largest used fake radio transmissions, double and water obstacles. It’s estimated that
prior to date of publication amphibious military assaults in history agents, and even a “phantom army,†com- the Nazis planted 4 million landmines
and required extensive planning. Prior to manded by American Gen. George Patton, along Normandy’s beaches.
Veterans D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale to throw Germany off the scent.
deception campaign designed to mislead A D-Day dress rehearsal was a fiasco See WWII Page 10
Tell us Your Story the Germans about the intended invasion
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees Two months before D-Day, Allied forces
All military branches are included
Go to www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
Email name, phone number and a or use your smartphone to connect to our website!
brief description of your service to
56fwpathunderbolt@us.af.mil
