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IN ENGLAND
London. The HMS Belfast. Now permanently stationed on the south bank of the Thames, this vintage bombardment vessel supported British and Canadian troops at Gold and Juno beaches and was one of the first ships to open fire on the Germans at Normandy. Until June 7, the ship will host a photo exhibition and re-enactments and on June 4, the London Swing Dance society will lead a '40s dance party. The Belfast's six-inch guns will be fired on June 5 and 6 and a remembrance ceremony for veterans will be held on June 6.
London. For a more amphibious experience, take a D-Day Duck tour in one of the boat/truck hybrids similar to the ones that carted Allied supplies during the Normandy invasion. in one of the boat/truck hybrids similar to the ones that carted Allied supplies during the Normandy invasion. The two-hour tour around London — and through the Thames — includes free admission into the Cabinet War Rooms, the HMS Belfast and the Imperial War Museum's D-Day. Advance booking is recommended.
Portsmouth. The coastal town that saw the launch of many of the troops who landed in Normandy will hold several days of commemorative events including contemporary rock and retro swing music concerts and a field gun demonstration. The grand event will take place on June 5 when Veterans of the Normandy invasion will set sail on a ferry to France at 8:45 am from the Southsea Seafront, accompanied by a convoy of Royal Navy and other Allied warships. An estimated 7,000 vets are expected to relive their historic crossing of 60 years ago. The celebrations will culminate on June 6 with a commemorative service and Parade of Veterans at the Portsmouth waterfront, an annual service at the Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral, a military vehicles display and a show by the Glen Miller Orchestra UK.
Portsmouth. The D-Day Museum will undoubtedly be the center of attention during the commemoration celebrations. Don't miss the center's biggest attraction: the massive Overlord Embroidery, a 34-panel textile that recounts the entire history of the invasion. Other vivid displays include reconstructions of the assault as well as an audio-visual theater in which archival footage, period music and wartime images are presented, along with the periodic shrieking of air raid sirens.
IN THE U.S.
California. The S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, a surviving member of the U.S. Normandy invasion fleet now berthed in San Francisco, will mark the 60th anniversary by offering a five-hour cruise of the bay. On-board guests can enjoy 40s music, explore the ship and watch flybys of World War II-era aircraft from the deck. Boarding is at 9am on June 6; reserve tickets ahead.
Georgia. The Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins Air Force Base (90 miles south of Atlanta) will hold daily screenings of the PBS film D-Day: Down to Earth — Return of the 507th from June 4-6. In addition to vintage World War II-era aircraft that you can inspect, this massive, 43-acre museum will also have a special showcase of original D-Day operational maps.
Illinois. The 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army—known as the Fighting First—was one of the many units that landed on the stormy beaches of Normandy in 1944. The First Division Museum at Cantigny, 30 miles west of Chicago, will commemorate the unit's role in the invasion with a special photographic exhibit of black and white images of the Normandy coast as it appears today. On June 6, visitors can see reenactments as well as a display of vintage World War II military gear. Flint Whitlock, author of The Fighting First, will give a talk on the history of the division in the afternoon.
Kansas. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene is the spot to learn more about the supreme commander of the Allied Forces who would later go on to become the 34th President of the United States. In addition to archiving an extensive collection of personal and historical papers, the Library will host special D-Day events on June 4 and 5, presenting special documentary films on Eisenhower and World War II as well as talks by military historians.
Louisiana. One of the top places to spend D-Day Stateside is the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. The commemoration, which will be held through the weekend of the anniversary will offer a surfeit of activities related to the Allied invasion. Visitors can participate in hourly tactical briefings that monitor the progress of the D-Day invasion in a simulated World War II briefing room and wander through the museum's extensive collection of World War II memorabilia.
Massachusetts. The Museum of World War II in Natick houses a private 6,000-piece collection, including many pieces related to D-Day. Among the more intriguing artifacts: personal letters written by German field marshal Erwin Rommel and Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower to their wives on the day of the invasion. The collection, generally open for viewing only by appointment, will be open the afternoon of June 6 (1-5pm) to U.S. veterans and their families. Because of the fragile nature of the exhibit, no children under 16 are permitted.
Mississippi. Visitors to the Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby (12 miles south of Hattiesburg) can meet with local World War II veterans all day on June 5, when the museum will also host various living history reenactments. The following day, there will be a dedication ceremony for a new monument to airborne soldiers, with special honors to members of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.
North Carolina. The Charlotte Museum of History will host a full weekend's worth of activities. On June 5, there will be a living history encampment of Allied troops on museum grounds, a simulated briefing room and screenings of the film D-Day: The Landings, a documentary that includes historic Allied and German footage of the invasion. The evening will be capped with a swing dancing event.
Texas. The Battleship Texas, docked in LaPorte, is part of a permanent display on D-Day, having played a significant role in key World War II battles. In 1944, the battleship supported the invasion by firing on Nazi defenses at Normandy. This June 5, there will be a special D-Day commemorative ceremony, with a keynote address delivered by Chase Untermeyer, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Texas. The French-American Chamber of Commerce in Houston will host a special celebration in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary. The event, on the afternoon of June 6, will include music from the 1940s and an exhibit of period vehicles and World War II military uniforms.
Virginia. The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford serves as a monument to honor the memory of those who gave their lives for the invasion. On June 5, the Foundation will host a GI Jive 1940s dance, followed by a commemorative ceremony the next day. The latter will include performances by the U.S. Navy Band, oral history interviews with veterans and a fly-over. Tickets to both events must be reserved ahead of time.
Washington. On the day of the anniversary, the Museum of Flight in Seattle will host a grand opening ceremony of its Personal Courage Wing. The new hangar, which has an abundant display of historic aircraft, includes a World War II-era Supermarine Spitfire, which flew support missions during the Allied invasion. There will be live theater presentations and a hands-on workshops for kids. Ceremonies begin on Sunday, June 6 at 11 am with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili delivering the keynote address.
Wisconsin. The EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh offers aviation buffs the opportunity to view a variety of observation airplanes that were used in the course of the Normandy invasion. Three days of events will kick off with a "Hangar Dance" on June 4 with plenty of big band music and a keynote address by Milo Flaten, a local vet who took part in the first wave assault on Omaha Beach. There will be various live and multimedia presentations throughout the weekend in addition to a commemorative ceremony on the morning of June 6.
IN CANADA
Ottawa. The principal Canadian commemoration of D-Day will take place here on June 6, when official D-Day ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Canadian National War Memorial. As part of the ceremony, serving members of the Canadian Forces will make a five-mile march from Dows Lake to the war memorial, commemorating the distance the Canadian units advanced on D-Day. Present at the ceremony will be a Canadian Forces guard of honor, a band, piper and fly-past. The ceremony will be followed by a parade of veterans.
The Canadian War Museum will give visitors an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of D-Day landings and the Normandy campaign. Veterans have volunteered to share their memories and answer questions at the museum on June 6 (1-4 pm). A free exhibit of historic military vehicles will be on display as well.
Around Canada. Smaller tributes and candlelight vigils will be held throughout Canada. The Canadian government's official website has a listing of candlelight tributes around the country, along with detailed location and contact information for each one.
ONLINE
Can't make it to any of the above? Information about D-Day is at your fingertips.
PBS.org. The companion site to the PBS film D-Day, this informative site has first-person testimonies, an invasion map, the text from letters that GIs sent home after the invasion and a full list of what it was paratroopers carried in their 70-pound equipment packs (Among some of the items: Hershey bars, pipe tobacco and bullion cubes.)
Encyclopaedia Britannica. This is a detailed site devoted to the history of the invasion. Maps, images and a written history are all paired with abundant images from before, during and after June 6. Of particular interest is a postscript on Normandy, displaying then-and-now photographs which reflect the remarkable rebuilding effort that occurred in Europe after the war.
The Newseum. The interactive museum about news in Washington, DC. has an online exhibit devoted to the day. Here you'll find historic newspaper front pages from all over the U.S. and Europe. Also featured are various historic radio broadcasts, in addition to interviews with some of the journalists who covered the invasion.
The Veterans History Project. Poignant personal stories, correspondence, vintage photos and audio interviews make up a worthy trove at this site dedicated to the experience of war. In time for the 60th anniversary, the Project, which is administered by the Library of Congress, has a dedicated online exhibit as told by the participants who would change the course of history on June 6, 1944.
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