Tuesday marks the 79th anniversary of the Normandy landings by Allied troops in Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944—now known as D-Day. More than 150,000 soldiers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom successfully stormed the shores of Normandy that day despite heavy gunfire from German soldiers. D-Day is now known as the largest seaborne invasion in history, and it helped the Allied Powers achieve victory over Germany within less than a year.
Among the many soldiers and generals that played a pivotal role in the operation are a number of recognizable names, including professional athletes and Hollywood actors, and even a former U.S. president. Here are 11 notable individuals who served on D-Day.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Getty ImagesDwight D. Eisenhower speaks with U.S. troops in Normandy on July 8, 1944.
Before he became the 34th U.S. President, Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the commander-in-chief of the Allied forces and played an integral role in planning the invasion, known as Operation Overlord. He also gave the order to proceed with the attack.
The day before the landings, Eisenhower—knowing the amount of casualties would be large—visited with the 101st Airborne infantry to bolster their morale. He also wrote a short message taking responsibility for the operation in case it failed, keeping the note in his pocket. “If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone,” he wrote. Despite the loss of thousands of soldiers, the invasion was a success, and Eisenhower was promoted to five-star rank later that year.
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Henry Fonda
Getty ImagesLieutenant Henry Fonda during his military service in the summer of 1945
Although he was already 37, actor Henry Fonda enlisted in World War II in 1942, saying he “didn’t want to be a fake in the war studio.” On D-Day, he gave support to the allies by serving as quartermaster on the destroyer USS Satterlee. He later appeared in the 1962 film The Longest Day, which focused on the events of D-Day.
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Yogi Berra
Getty ImagesYogi Berra holds his bat before the start of a 1961 World Series game.
He was best known as a catcher for the New York Yankees, but before his record-breaking career as a MLB star, Yogi Berra served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He manned a naval support craft during the invasion of Normandy and later told NBC News that he didn’t quite grasp the gravity of the situation until it was over.
“Well, being a young guy, I thought it was like the Fourth of July, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I said, ‘Boy, it looks pretty, all the planes coming over.’ And I was looking out and my officer said, ‘You better get your head down in here if you want it on.’”
J.D. Salinger
Getty ImagesThe Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger in 1951
Before he rose to fame thanks to The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger fought in World War II and helped invade Utah Beach on D-Day. While he served, Salinger wrote more than 20 short stories, and his time in the war informed much of his writing.
James Doohan
Getty ImagesJames Doohan in his costume for the TV series Star Trek
Before he played Scotty on Star Trek, James Doohan was a lieutenant in World War II. Because he was part of the Canadian Army, Doohan and his men were in charge of taking on Juno Beach on D-Day. Doohan was struck by six bullets on that historic day, but the only injury he walked away with was a missing middle finger.
Medgar Evers
Getty ImagesMedgar Evers in his army uniform in Charbourg, France
Activist and NAACP member Medgar Evers served in World War II and was part of a segregated unit of Black soldiers in charge of delivering supplies during the Normandy invasion.
Bobby Jones
Getty ImagesGolfer Bobby Jones refused to talk about his experience during the Normandy invasion.
Professional golfer Bobby Jones was 40 years old in 1942, which was when he convinced the commanding officer of his Army Reserve group to let him join the fight. He fought at Normandy on D-Day, but presumably scarred by the experience, refused to talk about it afterward.
David Niven
Getty ImagesActor David Niven appeared in films such as Around the World in 80 Days and Separate Tables.
Oscar-winning British actor David Niven, who was famous for playing British war heroes, was desperate to leave the war early and return to Hollywood ahead of D-Day, which surprised many who knew him. He stuck it out, though, and was one of the first officers to land at Normandy. He was later awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit Medal.
Richard Todd
Getty ImagesRichard Todd sails to America in 1950 aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth.
Irish-born actor Richard Todd was part of the British Airborne invasion, and his unit was in charge of opening communication routes for other allied troops. They famously jumped out of their planes on parachutes and gliders to stop the Germans from crossing a bridge that would allow them to attack, and Todd was the first one to jump.
“That wasn’t my idea,” he said. “I was supposed to be on plane number 33, but when I got to the aircraft, I discovered the pilot was extremely senior and one of the most experienced there. He wanted to go in first because he had the creme crew. My immediate thought was: ‘Oh Lord, I’m going to be the first on the ground.’”
Charles Durning
Getty ImagesActor Charles Durning is shown in a promotion for the 1979 film Tilt.
American actor Charles Durning landed on Omaha Beach in one of the first waves of the D-Day invasion and was one of the few soldiers in his group to survive. He was shot several times during the invasion and went on to be awarded a Purple Heart and Silver Star.
Alec Guinness
Getty ImagesAlec Guinness played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars film trilogy.
British actor Alec Guinness—famous for Star Wars and The Bridge on the River Kwai—was part of the British Royal Navy during World War II and helped land an aircraft that brought British troops to the beaches of Normandy.
Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.
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