Around 12,000 people expected to visit the military cemetery in Normandy for D-Day on Thursday

Around 12,000 people expected to visit the military cemetery in Normandy for D-Day on Thursday
Credit: Belga

Around 12,000 people are expected to witness American president Donald Trump’s visit to the American military cemetery in Normandy’s Collevile-sur-Mer on Thursday. 

The cemetery is near the beaches. Mr Trump’s visit is part of the commemorations to mark the anniversary of the D-Day landing on the 6th of June 1944. “There will be a lot of people”, the cemetery’s director Scott Desjardins told the German press agency DPA on Sunday. 

Mr Trump will be in France for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy. He will be welcomed by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders will make short speeches during the memorial service. 

There will be a lot of security inside and outside the cemetery. It is located near Omaha beach (North-West of Bayeux), where American troops landed in 1944. 

Mr Desjardins revealed that 9,380 US soldiers are buried at the cemetery. This is not the site’s first presidential visit. The first American president to visit was Jimmy Carter back in 1978. Many of his successors have been to Normandy since, including Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. 

The cemetery’s director explained how important the 75th anniversary is to the United States. “I think this may well be the last time we will be able to thank some veterans for the sacrifices they made”, he explained. 

At least 160 American World War Two veterans are expected to attend Thursday’s memorial service. The oldest among them is 102. 

The Brussels Times

 

 


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