Summary
- American Airlines flew 70 WW2 veterans to D-Day ceremony in France.
- The airline organized special events and honored veterans during the trip.
- Over 50 cadets from military academies accompanied the veterans.
American Airlines has announced it flew almost 70 WW2 veterans to the 80th anniversary D-Day Ceremony. This announcement comes soon after USDOT has been naming and shaming major US-based airlines for not committing to the “Support Our Troops” benefits. Major US airlines say this is unfair as they offer a range of service member benefits that are not listed by the USDOT dashboard. In February, it was reported that rival airline Delta Air Lines would be flying 60 WW2 veterans to the D-Day ceremony.
American Airlines flies veterans for D-Day celebrations.
American Airlines announced “To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, American flew nearly 70 World War II veterans to Normandy, France.” The D-Day landings were a harrowing experience for the soldiers who landed under fire. It was one of the major turning points of the 20th century and decided whether democratic or Fascist governments would rule Western Europe.
Photo: American Airlines
American Airlines did more than just fly the veterans; it went above and beyond to help make it a special occasion for them. The airline stated the trip began at the airline’s headquarters in Dallas-Fort Worth with a dinner complete with a 1940s-era big band and the Victory Belles from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. American Airlines stated their employees gave the veterans a heroes’ arrival.
“Additional trip participants include a few Rosie the Riveters, an iconic representation in the United States of the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, and six Medal of Honor recipients, our nation’s highest award for valor.” – American Airlines
Photo: American Airlines
Remembering the past is also a great opportunity to look forward to the future, and over 50 cadets and midshipmen from America’s military service academies also joined the group. They accompanied the veterans and provided music as a joint academy choir.
Related
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Remembering the D-Day landings
The D-Day landings (called Operation Neptune) were the largest seaborne invasion in history and were a joint Anglo-American operation (the significant Canadian contributions were part of the greater British landings). The event is remembered as the bringing of the liberation of France and Europe (although the Allies had already landed in Sicily and mainland Italy the previous year).
Over 150,000 Allied soldiers came ashore during D-Day; by the month’s end, 875,000 men had disembarked. The operation claimed over 10,000 Allied casualties, of which over 4,400 were confirmed dead.
Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock
The landings were a success, and the Allies pushed inland from the beachhead (although the Americans faced significant resistance at Omaha Beach in particular). As the landings took place on June 6, 1944–80 years ago, the veterans still alive today are all in their late nineties or are over 100 years old.
Across the Atlantic, the British also commemorated the landings (three of the five beaches were British and Canadian operations). Tragically, a few days ago, a vintage veteran Spitfire fighter aircraft (which had fought during the D-Day landings) crashed during a British D-Day demonstration, killing the pilot.