On June 6, members of the Department of War and veterans of World War II gathered in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day. Among them was 107-year-old veteran Art Rose. (Photo credit: Department of War / Facebook)
82 years ago, on June 6, 1944, the “hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere” accompanied the Allied Forces as they invaded the beaches of Normandy, in Nazi-occupied France.
A total of approximately 160,000 soldiers landed in Normandy on D-Day, and the invasion’s success paved the way for the defeat of Adolf Hitler and, ultimately, the eventual end of World War II. However, the victory seen that day by the Allied nations cost the lives of an estimated 10,300 men.
For the second year in a row, D-Day was commemorated by Sec. of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, and others at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
This observation comes as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is only weeks away, on July 4.
107-Year-Old Veteran Reads Letter He Wrote On D-Day
There, 29 veterans of World War II were also present at the ceremony in Normandy, including Art Rose, a 107-year-old Navy veteran who served as an engineering officer at Omaha Beach.
Rose spoke at the ceremony, reading a letter he wrote home on June 11, 1944, just a few days after the D-Day invasion.
“‘Dear Mom and Dad and kids, About a month after we landed, I had a feeling I might be part of the invasion,’” he read. “‘I couldn’t quite believe though … I kept thinking, ‘What could I possibly do in an invasion?’”
Near the end of the letter, he reads, “‘What had just been another stretch of French coast had suddenly become a vast harbor filled with hundreds of ships and thousands of men.’”
Giving commentary on his letter, he stated, “I don’t remember writing this.”
Concluding the letter, he read, “‘What a country we are. I will always be grateful to my commander for taking me along [to battle]. Don’t worry about me. I am well, whole and happy. Love, Art.’”
Watch 107-year-old Art Rose read his letter to home from after D-Day, here:
Watch Sec. of War Pete Hegseth meet the World War II veterans who were present at the D-Day ceremony, here:
.@SECWAR just met World War II veterans at the Normandy American Cemetery Ceremony.
Their courage and sacrifice helped save the world—America will forever owe them a debt of gratitude. pic.twitter.com/kK9wCrNCNz
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) June 6, 2026
Sec. Of War Pete Hegseth Speaks On D-Day Anniversary
“This is not merely a resting place, it is a monument to the unyielding spirit of the American warrior,” Sec. of war Pete Hegseth said as he addressed attendees of the 82nd anniversary of D-Day ceremony in Normandy. “A testament to the supreme sacrifices our warriors made to liberate an entire continent from the grip of tyranny.”
Later on, Hegseth goes on to powerfully say, “Much of the West — in some places, in some quarters, and in some capitals — grew comfortable. We forgot that freedom is not free. We forgot that peace isn’t wished into being — it is bought with purpose, with honor, and with strength. The men who landed on these beaches knew this. The question we ask ourselves is: do we?”
He said, “Their legacy demands far more than quiet reflection. it requires our active vigilance … The men who fought and died here restored freedom to Europe. That freedom must be maintained by this generation of leaders and warfighters, or what they fought for was merely temporary.”
Near the conclusion of his speech, Hegseth said, “The formidable alliance forged in the crucible of World War II will remain ready, will rebuild, and will recommit, and, in doing that, we truly commemorate the men of D-Day, and we place them, all of them, in the hands of Almighty God.”
Turning to his Bible devotional readings from this morning, Hegseth read from Psalm 20:7, reading, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
Watch Hegseth’s speech, here:
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