Les Braves monument on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France

© Christopher Furlong/Getty Image

D-Day: 80 years on. The 80th anniversary of D-Day

Eighty years ago, on the beaches of Normandy, northern France, an event unfolded that would alter the course of history. The day was June 6, 1944, a date forever etched in time as D-Day. It marked the launch of Operation Overlord, the ambitious Allied invasion of western Europe that became a turning point in World War II. The audacious assault by sea, air and land involved nearly 160,000 troops mainly from the USA, Britain and Canada.

Today, on this 80th anniversary, we are featuring Les Braves, a sculpture that pays tribute to the courageous troops who landed here. One such symbol is Les Braves, a sculpture gracing Omaha Beach. French artist Anilore Banon's design features three sections called 'Wings of Hope', 'Rise, Freedom!' and 'Wings of Fraternity'. In addition, across the ocean in Michigan, its twin, 'Les Braves II: At Water's Edge,' resonates with the same spirit at The War Memorial. These sister sculptures stand as guardians of memory, inviting a moment of silence from a world that benefitted from the bravest of the brave.