Day, the first day of the Normandy landings that laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

A U.S. flag lies as a marker on a destroyed bunker two days after the strategic site overlooking D-Day beaches was captured by U.S. Army Rangers at Pointe du Hoc, France, June 8,

Veterans are gathering on the beaches of Normandy to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a pivotal moment during World War II that eventually led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler’s regime