After some exhaustive research by librarian and genealogist Carol Tuckwiller, more than 4,400 Allied troops (2,500 of those Americans) have been confirmed killed in the first 24 hours of the D-Day assault, which sounds horrific but way below what Eisenhower probably calculated going in. I've seen reports where he estimated up to three-quarters of the men dropped behind the lines would be killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
It was definitely sheer luck as to who got where when, particularly for 20 young men of Bedford, Va., who died in that first assault. Those men had massively high casuality rates but as more soldiers got on the beach and German positions were destroyed or captured, the chances of survival went up significantly. When you consider 150,000 Allied troops were involved, that 4,400 figure is amazingly small. Even considering 5,500 wounded, a grand total of 10,000 casualties had to be best-case scenario for the Allies.
Thanks to the Russians for holding off the Germans during the four years between Dunkirk and Normandy. Thanks to the French Resistance for taking out key electrical and phone communications. Thanks to some massive blunders by German High Command. Thanks to the weather. And especially the grit, determination and willingness to crawl across the sand with bullets and grenades going off everywhere by British, Canadian and American fighters.
And a special salute to those brave photographers who gave us such gripping images of that day.
Bless all of them.
