Obama Marks D-Day Anniversary At Normandy

President Honors Allied Forces Who Joined Together To Defeat Fascism, Says "We Cannot Forget" Their Story

(CBS)  Recalling the "unimaginable hell" of D-Day suffering, President Barack Obama paid tribute Saturday to the against-all-odds Allied landings that broke Nazi Germany's grip on France and turned the tide of history.

"The sheer improbability of this victory is part of what makes D-Day so memorable," Mr. Obama said.

He spoke under a sunny sky at the American Cemetery on cliffs overlooking Omaha Beach and the rest of the Normandy coastline where on June 6, 1944 Allied ships disgorged American, British and Canadian soldiers under the withering fire of Nazi troops awaiting the Allies' cross-channel gamble.

Arriving by helicopter, President Obama visited an American battlefield museum with his wife, Michelle; laid a wreath in honor of the fallen; greeted U.S. military members; and mingled with uniformed World War II veterans.

Normandy's cliffs, still pocked with gun emplacements and other reminders of the war, including the white headstones of thousands of fallen American troops, provided sure footing for a new U.S. commander in chief who has made an early priority of strengthening America's relations with Europe.

Mr. Obama noted that Normandy has been visited by many U.S. presidents and predicted, "Long after our time on this Earth has passed, one word will still bring forth the pride and awe of men and women who will never meet the heroes who sit before us: D-Day."

He said the lessons of that pivotal effort are eternal.

"Friends and veterans, what we cannot forget - what we must not forget - is that D-Day was a time and a place where the bravery and selflessness of a few was able to change the course of an entire century," he said.

One American veteran of the D-Day landings, Ralph K. Manley, 85, stood among the graves at the American cemetery and marveled at the thousands of visitors. Manley, who lost a twin brother in the war and was a parachute infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division at Normandy, told a reporter that the importance of the commemoration went beyond Mr. Obama's presence.

"I can see President Obama on the television when I'm home," he said. "But I could never see all the respect and courtesy that all these people pay to come here this day. That's the part that feels really heartwarming, the one that makes me feel good about the sacrifices we made. I'm so thankful I'm not one of those tombstones right here."

Speaking at Omaha Beach at a time when he is directing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - both of which have lasted longer than the U.S. involvement in World War II - President Obama described in stark terms the harsh conditions the Allied invaders faced at Normandy. He noted that in many ways the seaborne invasion plan went awry, leaving the assaulting forces vulnerable to Nazi guns in their path.

"When the ships landed here at Omaha, an unimaginable hell rained down on the men inside," he said. "Many never made it out of the boats."

Some 215,000 Allied soldiers, and roughly as many Germans, were killed or wounded during D-Day and the ensuing nearly three months it took to secure the Allied capture of Normandy, a battle that helped free France from Nazi control.

Mr. Obama paid tribute to the Allies - the British, the Canadian, the French as well as the Russians, "who sustained some of the war's heaviest casualties on the Eastern front."

"At an hour of maximum danger, amid the bleakest of circumstances, men who thought themselves ordinary found it within themselves to do the extraordinary," he said. "They fought out of a simple sense of duty - a duty sustained by the same ideals for which their countrymen had fought and bled for over two centuries."

Earlier, Sarkozy, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown each recalled the sacrifices of the Allies.

Mr. Obama noted that his grandfather, Stanley Dunham, arrived at Normandy six weeks after D-Day and marched across France in Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's army. Attending with Mr. Obama was his great uncle, Charles Payne, who was part of the first American division to reach and liberate a Nazi concentration camp that the president and his great uncle visited in Germany on Friday.

Mr. Obama saluted the contributions of individual veterans of the Normandy landings, including one veteran, Jim Norene, who fought as a member of the 101st Airborne Division.

"Last night, after visiting this cemetery for one last time, he passed away in his sleep," the president said. "Jim was gravely ill when he left his home, and he knew that he might not return. But just as he did 65 years ago, he came anyway. May he now rest in peace with the boys he once bled with, and may his family always find solace in the heroism he showed here."

Bilateral Meeting Presented United Front

Before the ceremony, Mr. Obama met in nearby Caen with Sarkozy. In an exchange with reporters, the president indicated that he was considering stronger responses to what he called North Korean provocations.

Mr. Obama said he preferred to stick to a diplomatic approach to North Korea, after its nuclear and ballistic missile tests, but said that would work only if the communist nation was willing to engage in serious talks. He made no mention of a military option, but suggested he sees a limit to the effectiveness of diplomacy.

"I don't think there should be an assumption that we will simply continue down a path in which North Korea is constantly destabilizing the region and we continue to act in the same ways," he said.

The two stood united in efforts to thwart Iran's disputed nuclear ambitions and bring about a Mideast peace that provides for separate Israeli and Palestinian states.

"We want peace. We want dialogue. We want to help them develop. But we do not want military nuclear weapons to spread and we are clear on that," Sarkozy said of Iran, adding that he worries about "insane statements" by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He called anew for Iran not to develop a nuclear weapons program.

Mr. Obama, in turn, reaffirmed that there must be "tough diplomacy" with Tehran on this issue.

(AP Photo/Thierry Charlier)

First lady Michelle Obama, French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Barack Obama are seen during an arrival ceremony at the Prefecture of Caen, France on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

Sarkozy also agreed with President Obama's call for Israel to stop building settlements in the West Bank, and Mr. Obama said that he and Sarkozy will work "in close collaboration" on many issues, including anti-terrorism strategy.

The French leader said his country would take some detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, facility, as the United States has asked.

France has resisted U.S. appeals for greater efforts to stimulate European economies and more European troops in Afghanistan, where the United States has stepped up its engagement under Obama's administration.

CBS News correspondent Chip Reid reports that after today's ceremony, the president and first lady will head back to Paris, where they'll meet up with their daughters for a very brief weekend in the City of Lights.

Michelle Obama and her two daughters paid a surprise visit to the Eiffel Tower on Friday night. It is the first excursion abroad as presidential daughters for 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, expected to stay in France until at least Monday. The president leaves tomorrow.

[FromStuttgart]

Wow! I'm so happy that I actually got to see this ceremony in Normandy. I'm an active duty US Air Force enlisted who went on a VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)-sponsored tour to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of D-Day. Our group attended the British ceremony the day before this one and visited the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in St. Avold (Moselle), France on our way back to our posts/bases in Germany. I don't understand all the negativity about this President who made us all proud on that day. Attendance was by invitation only and the American embassy in Paris did a wonderful job accommodating our request. Our brothers/sisters in arms that were there were all proud to be there that day. A soldier in our group wore his Army combat uniform proudly, but with a patch on his right eye. He left for Homburg the next day (Sun) because he got notified that an eye organ donor just became available and that the surgeons could replace his eye this (Monday) morning if he accepted. His eye injury was due to an IED incident in Afghanistan. We all wished him well and we'll all be waiting for good news on his recovery...On our way back to Germany today-Monday, we were all exchanging e-mail addresses to share our photos and keep in touch. One of us got closer to the stage and got a pretty good picture of Pres Obama--we will all share that captured moment via e-mail...All in all, it was a day I will always cherish. I was an American among Americans and Europeans who, regardless of nationality, race, creed, and political persuasion could only be grateful for the peaceful moment we could all share. Indeed, this President, our Commander-in-Chief, has made us all proud and hopeful all over again.

[thusspokezara]

Folks stop panicking. One year from now, Rahm Emmanuel will be in charge. Obama will be a a figurehead and will be spending most of his time fundraising and taking Michelle out on dates.

[Riteaidbob3]

Did the Messiah apologize for killing German's in WWII????

[starleo146]

WTH has a Kenyan-Muslim President to do with the D-Day?
Posted by ereHsdadhgaB-2009 at 7:28 AM : Jun 7, 2009

His uncle was one of the soldiers who fought in World War 11and saw for himself at the Jewish concentration camp what the Germans did to human beings, is that good enough for you, without him,and a lot of Americans fighting in World War 11 we all may be speaking German so thank God for them and each and every World War 11 veteran who fought and SACRIFICED FOR US , YES EVEN YOU

[starleo146]

This President is merely a mouth-piece for speech writers. He CAN'T speak extemporaneously with any sort of pizzazz. Unfortunatly for him, he needs the teleprompter.

Posted by hoseobama at 9:49 AM : Jun 7, 2009

You are completely wrong on this. Obama did MOST of the work writing his Cairo speech and had been working on it for over a year. And an excellent speech it was.

He spoke extemporaneously with clarity and conviction during his press conference with Sarcozy a day or two ago (for example). Why don't you stop regurgitating the Hannity/Limbaugh lies and actually listen to the man yourself.
Posted by realnews12 at 10:19 AM : Jun 7, 200

We will never change these right wingers, honestly I am ashamed they are Americans talking like this, they are filled with hate, ignorance, and fear. bigotry all that is bad in this country. They want there beliefs to be all there is, and any one who dares to disagree they form a activist group to rid any one who dares to disagree.Something will happen in this country at some point that will show these people that there mindset is not of all American thought, thank God. If they are so unhappy why don't they leave this country. We will be well rid of you, and take your leaders with you Rush and Newt and the lot of them

[starleo146]

Obama - the leftist-fascist bogus President presiding over the most freedom loving men that died who fought against the most tyrannical regime (Hitler) that this idiot Obama espouses right here in this country.....

What a travesty. I turned it off right after he opened his stupid mouth......
Posted by Walking_Talking_GOO at 7:07

People like you who spew from the mouth just hurts in the pit of my stomach, not too long ago we had a President who couldn't speak, let alone read. We now have a president that people listen to, and I thank God we do. When he speaks he doesn't spew fear, call people names, what he says means something. Maybe you should lighten up and learn something. Listen please, and take all that bigotry out of your system.

[nolalou]

Obama - the leftist-fascist bogus President presiding over the most freedom loving men that died who fought against the most tyrannical regime (Hitler) that this idiot Obama espouses right here in this country.....

What a travesty. I turned it off right after he opened his stupid mouth......
Posted by Walking_Talking_GOO at 7:07

What is a travesty is MORONS like you spewing the nonsense and hatred you have for our President. Don't get me wrong, I don't fault anyone if they disagree with his policies, that's your right as an American, but your criticism goes beyond that to pure racist hatred! Let's not sugar coat it, that is EXACTLY what it is!
You give me ONE EXAMPLE, Just ONE, showing where President Obama is espousing a Hitler like tyrannical regime in America ! You cannot because there is none. You sir, and an UTTER COMPLETE MORON, in addition to BEING A RACIST PIG ******!

[afrazier1]

You nay sayers make me sick. Here is our President doing what every President since D-Day has done and you ignorant, no-sense or feelings a-holes want to dis him because of who he is? All I can say is SHAME, SHAME and MORE SHAME. Let him honor our fallen with the dignity and grace they deserve! And he's doing just that! So give it a rest and find some REAL ideas that the President or one of your neo-con buddies can work on that will actually make things better. Put up or shut-up. By the way, tell your buddy Hannity that he's a chicken!

[realnews12]

This President is merely a mouth-piece for speech writers. He CAN'T speak extemporaneously with any sort of pizzazz. Unfortunatly for him, he needs the teleprompter.

Posted by hoseobama at 9:49 AM : Jun 7, 2009

You are completely wrong on this. Obama did MOST of the work writing his Cairo speech and had been working on it for over a year. And an excellent speech it was.

He spoke extemporaneously with clarity and conviction during his press conference with Sarcozy a day or two ago (for example). Why don't you stop regurgitating the Hannity/Limbaugh lies and actually listen to the man yourself.

[hoseobama]

"What a travesty...Obama, speaking with his teleprompter, at the most significant event in the history of this world. - Posted by Walking_Talking_GOO


This President is merely a mouth-piece for speech writers. He CAN'T speak extemporaneously with any sort of pizzazz. Unfortunatly for him, he needs the teleprompter.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

What a travesty...Obama, speaking with his teleprompter, at the most significant event in the history of this world.

Obama - the leftist-fascist bogus President presiding over the most freedom loving men that died who fought against the most tyrannical regime (Hitler) that this idiot Obama espouses right here in this country.....

What a travesty. I turned it off right after he opened his stupid mouth......

[violist47]

On page 47 of these largely ludicrous comments, the purported AP article from April 1, 2009 is quoted as evidence that Barack Obama attended Occidental College as a foreign student under a different name.

Ha! Note the date of this article! It was intended as an April Fool's spoof. See the Snopes website on this! Someone here is the Fool that was spoofed.

[xlib]

bluegrass-deferments you say, why, thanks for giving me the chance to bring up one of your own. How bubba clinton who got a deferment to go to Oxford, smoke (opps, didn't inhale)pot and protest against his own country. Now, that's class.
And since your messiah is now Commander in Chief, what branch did he serve in?? And, acorn doesn't count.
What an idiot.

[hungry1968-15]

Which war did Clinton or Obama start?

There's a difference between an ACTUAL veteran launching a war, and some coward that was too afraid to serve their country launching one.

[dennisgreen5]

I served in the armed forces and visited the grave of General Patton in Luxombourge(or was it Belguim). Today we remember D-Day, June 6, 1944 and try to imagine the hell of Omaha and Utah beach. Our fighting men were our fathers and grandfathers now but they were still young men who fought for their country.Their sacrifices during that great conflict gave us the freedoms that we enjoy today.

[hagar39]

Half the idiots on these boards need to IM each other. They talk foolish and crazy, and make no sense. They need to get a life. The sad thing? They have a computer and don't use it to learn anything.

THANKS TO ALL THE USA WW II VETS AND TO THE ALLIES VETS.

[wdh3007]

The first lady was not invited to Saudi Arabia becuase she is a woman and seen as a third class citizen in the so called religion of peace in the arab world. The Queen who is a woman and distinguished at that actually survived WWII and would overshadowed both of these socialists in France who seem to like the attention.

[Libertarian1776]

spaceatoms,
The fine World People of 1940 ERA saved the world as we know it....
This Generation, gave us a second chance!
All technology came from this era
(You must be a spoiled liberal!)

[Libertarian1776]

President Sarkozy, and President Barack Obama are smacked arses!
They are alike attention ho's
If they really cared and wanted to pay tribute, the veterans would have walked the red carpet.
Been the focal point.
Ask either of these butt-holes about WWII the will have to consult!
What an insult to Veterans!

[spaceatoms]

This is the biggest waste of time in the world, using anticipation as a tool while people lose their jobs. The bailouts were a mistake and its just a matter of time before a the globalization effect wears off.

[hungry1968-15]

To bad Obama and Sarkozy didn't invite the Queen as she would have been the only one that went through WWII of the 3 of them. The Brits got the raw deal on this one after what they suffered through the war. And their would not have been a D-Day if it were not started from England. Chalk another one up for the most inexperienced President we have had in over 5 years. Seems like all he can do is apologize.
Posted by jschmidt27 at 8:10 PM : Jun 6, 2009






What does Obama have to do with FRANCE not inviting the queen for the ceremony?