Concerned Veterans for America

The Infantry is called the “Queen of Battle” for a reason.

But on D-Day, before the assault across Normandy could succeed, another group had to help clear the way.

German fortifications had turned the beaches into a killing zone: mines, steel obstacles, barbed wire, and relentless machine-gun fire slowed the Allied advance and pinned troops down.

Combat engineers and Navy demolition teams charged into that same hell.

Their mission was simple, but deadly: break open a path forward.

Under brutal fire, they cleared obstacles, disabled explosives, and created lanes for the Infantry and follow-on forces to move off the beaches. Without their courage, the invasion could have stalled before it truly began.

Their role was not secondary. It was essential.

No branch wins wars alone. Victory at Normandy came from teamwork, trust, and the understanding that every role matters when lives are on the line.

We joke about rivalries today because we know the truth: when it counts, we always have each other’s backs.

They risked their own lives to save others.

Four days after the Normandy invasion, Army nurses landed on the beaches of France to care for the wounded left behind by the initial assault. D-Day marked the beginning of N**i Germany’s collapse, but the fighting wasn’t yet over.

The moment they arrived, these nurses established tent hospitals near the front lines, often within range of enemy artillery. They worked under constant danger, treating wounded soldiers while knowing they could become targets themselves.

Their courage saved thousands of lives.

They comforted the dying, cared for the injured, and gave countless American soldiers a chance to return home to their families, or even return to the fight.

When we remember Normandy, we often think of the soldiers who stormed the beaches. But victory depended on more than those carrying rifles. It also depended on the nurses who stood beside them, risking everything to save complete strangers.

On D-Day, more than 73,000 Americans stormed the beaches of Normandy to help defeat N**i Germany. Only about 621 of them were Black.

Among them was the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only Black combat unit on the front lines during the Normandy invasion.

At a time when the U.S. military was still segregated, these soldiers faced discrimination both at home and in uniform. Yet they still answered the call to serve.

Their mission was critical: protect Allied troops from German air attacks during the invasion. They deployed massive hydrogen-filled barrage balloons tethered by steel cables across beaches and landing zones, creating deadly obstacles for enemy aircraft.

German pilots were forced to choose between abandoning effective attack runs or risking destruction by flying through the cables.

Though small in number, the 320th played an outsized role in one of history’s most important military operations.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower recognized these men for their courage, strength, and determination. Eight decades later, their legacy endures as a testament to service, sacrifice, and patriotism.

Their story deserves to be remembered.

The White House wants Europe to step up. Europe wants America to keep paying for its security. Is there a middle ground?

Apparently not, so the only solution in America’s best interest is to simply leave, as Benjamin Friedman and Moritz S. Graefrath explain in Defense Priorities.

Stop bargaining with Europe, start leaving - Defense Priorities Key Points The Trump administration’s harsh rhetoric toward NATO allies obscures that the U.S. defense posture in Europe remains mostly […]

Memorial Day hits differently when you’ve worn the uniform. When we took the oath, we understood that protecting America could cost us our lives.

Read our new blog on what this day means to some of our staff who served honorably.

The Last Full Measure of Devotion on Memorial Day These four veterans share what Memorial Day means to them, and how they honor the last full measure of devotion.

Today, we honor the brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free here at home.

May their selfless service and devotion to our nation never be forgotten.