Page 1 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, June 2019
P. 1
Vol. 12, No. 7 Serving Southern Arizona’s military community, including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base June 2019
INSIDE
STORIES
ï® D-Day Doll returns to
Normandy, 3
ï® â€œWise Guy†back in sky, 4
ï® Licensing
reimbursement, 5
ï® Summer safety, 10
ï® Total Force Recruiting, 12
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
See Page 6 took part witnessed one of the most pivotal battles against Axis forces, and the beginning of a successful campaign to liberate
northwest Europe.
Epic 1944 invasion changes course of WWII
Continue to get Davis-Monthan The 75th anniversary of D-Day was June campaign designed to mislead the Germans beginning of the end of war in Europe.
Air Force Base latest news 6, 2019. D-Day commemorates the tremen- about the intended invasion target. By late The invasion combined the forces of
and information from these dous human cost of the first invasion of August 1944, all of northern France had
the Battle of Normandy which ultimately been liberated, and by the following spring 156,115 U.S., British and Canadian troops,
sources: http://www.aerotech- liberated Western Europe from Nazi control. the Allies had defeated the Germans. The 6,939 ships and landing vessels, and 2,395
news.com/davis-monthanafb Operation Overlord commences Normandy landings have been called the aircraft and 867 gliders that delivered air-
borne troops.
and social media During World War II (1939-1945), the Allied forces carried out a massive de-
Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June ception campaign in advance of D-Day
Desert Lightning News 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied
liberation of Western Europe from Nazi The idea behind the ruse was to trick the
Date of publication Germany’s control. Codenamed Operation Nazis into thinking that the invasion would
Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, occur at Pas-de-Calais, the closest French
First Friday also known as D-Day, when forces landed coastline to England. The Allies used fake
on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of radio transmissions, double agents, and
of the month the heavily fortified coast of France’s Nor- even a “phantom army,†commanded by
Submission deadline mandy region. American Gen. George Patton, to throw
Germany off the scent.
15th day of the month The invasion was one of the largest am- A D-Day dress rehearsal was a fiasco
phibious military assaults in history and
prior to date of publication required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, Two months before D-Day, Allied forces
the Allies conducted a large-scale deception conducted a disastrous dress rehearsal of
Veterans
See WWII, Page 8
Tell us Your Story
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees
All military branches are included
Email name, phone number and a
brief description of your service to
deborah.leuthold@us.af.mil
