Something happened on this day in history. Can’t seem to remember exactly what it was, but for some reason, the date June 6 sticks out to me. Time to head off to trusty Wikipedia. Okay let’s see…
Oh, it must be the Italian Wars and the Battle of Novara in 1513. I remember learning about that in history class. It was when Duke Massimiliano Sforza was restored to power. Wait, I never took European history. I wouldn’t have learned about this. Next.
“In 1752, a great fire destroyed one-third of Moscow, including 18,000 homes.” Nope, that’s not how it goes.
Big event in 1833: U.S. President Andrew Jackson becomes the first president to do something. What did he do? Read below to find out. Don’t think this is why June 6 is a famous day in history.
The Village People were given a reason to exist on this day in 1844. The YMCA was founded in London. Nope, not historically significant enough to really remember.
This might be it: The Battle of Memphis during the American Civil War, AKA The War of Northern Aggression. Damn Yankees! Not what I was thinking, but I think we might be getting closer.
Same general thought, different war: The Battle of Midway was fought in 1942. Spawned a movie, too. Warmer…
Robert (Bobby) F. Kennedy dies on this day after being shot the previous day by Sirhan Sirhan. That would be big news for this day I suppose, but this too is not what is remembered about this day.
In 1984, Tetris was released. Everyone look at pixilated blocks for the next 25 seconds in honor of this games 25th Anniversary! Read somewhere yesterday that this was one of the most played games on a daily basis to this day.
Famous people born on this date: Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger) is 60; Björn Borg (tennis dude) turns 53; Paul Giamatti (actor extraordinaire) is 42; and Uncle Kracker (bad whiteboy rapper) is 35.
It is also National Huntington’s Disease Awareness Day in the United States. There, you’ve been made aware.
But ultimately what this day will be remembered for is something that happened 65 years ago. Operation Overlord began and changed the outcome of World War II.
Better known a “D-Day,” June 6, 1944 marked the start of the largest single-day amphibious landing in history, with over 160,000 Allied troops crossing the English Channel en route to the beaches of Normandy, France. Total allied casualties on this day 65 years ago totaled nearly 10,000, but this was the main operation that turned the fortune of the Allies during WWII.
Our country’s WWII veterans are now beginning to die at a quicker rate as they get into their 80’s and 90’s. It is important to remember the sacrifices that all these brave young men made in defense of future generations, protecting the Western world from further Nazi expansion. One of my 101 Things To Do Before I Die is to stand on the beaches of Normandy, as well as visit the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. Though I know of no direct realtives of mine that participated in these battles, I feel I owe some personal respect to those brave souls who fought in that war.
Picture from here
Answer to 1833: He rode a train. How exciting.
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