Today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion of France during World War 2. To commemorate the day, I’m sharing an article from the June 8th edition of the Courier Tribune in Seneca, Kansas.
Arrival of D-Day Was
Announced at 5:45 A. M.
Seneca folks were informed early Tuesday morning that the Allied invasion of Europe had begun. According to plans made in preparation for this occasion, Marshal Herbert S. Sweetland was responsible for awakening the town to the fact. About 5:45 the city sire was sounded and a few minutes later church bells were rung out. Mrs. Gene Hart, chief operator at the Southwestern Bell Telephone office, was informed of the great Allied invasion in Europe at four o’clock Tuesday morning from the Manhattan office. About five o’clock, W. D. Adam tuned in his radio and learned the news and soon after this hour he called the marshal and members of the defense council were notified. Many Seneca people observed a period of silent prayer and a good number attended church services or made a visit to the church some time during the day.
The group of blood donors felt it a special honor to give blood on this particular date. Work went along the same as usual in Seneca but there was much discussion on the streets and radios were tuned in all day.
For more information on this historic date, check out some of the following sites:
- D-Day and the Normandy Campaign (The National WWII Museum)
- World ar II: D-Day, the Invasion of Normandy (Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library)
- Normandy Landings (Wikipedia)
- H-Hour – D-Day Historical Overview (U.S. Army)
- D-Day: The Allies Invade Europe (The National WWII Museum)
- 80th Anniversary of D-Day at Normandy American Cemtery (American Battle Monuments Commission)
- Every Story LIves On (dday.org)
- D-Day: The Beaches (U.S. Department of Defense)
- D-Day – Stories from the Veterans History Project (Library of Congress)
- D-Day (National Army Museum)