The *Normandy Landings* were the first operations of the Allied<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allies> invasion of Normandy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy>, also known as *Operation Neptune* and Operation Overlord<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord>, during World War II <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II>. The landings commenced on June 6, 1944 (*D-Day*), beginning at 6:30 British Double Summer Time <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Double_Summer_Time> (H-Hour). In planning, *D-Day <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day_(military_term)>* was the term used for the day of actual landing, which was dependent on final approval. The assault was conducted in two phases: an air assault<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_assault> landing of American, British <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth> and Canadian airborne troops <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_forces>shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibious_landing> of Allied infantry and armoureddivisions<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_(military)> on the coast of France commencing at 6:30. The invasion required the transport of soldiers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers> and materiel<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materiel> from the United Kingdom by troop carrying aircraft and ships, the assault landings, air support <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_support>, naval interdiction of the English Channel<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel> and naval fire-support <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_gunfire_support>. There were also subsidiary 'attacks' mounted under the codenames Operation Glimmer <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Glimmer> and Operation Taxable <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Taxable> to distract the Kriegsmarine <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsmarine> and the German army from the real landing areas.[3]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day#cite_note-2> The operation was the largest single-day amphibious invasion of all time, with 160,000[4] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day#cite_note-USMil-3> troops landing on June 6, 1944. 195,700[5]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day#cite_note-4> Allied naval and merchant navy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_navy> personnel in over 5,000[4] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day#cite_note-USMil-3> ships were involved. The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy> coast divided into five sectors: Utah <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Beach>, Omaha<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Beach> , Gold <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach>, Juno<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Beach> and Sword <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach>. The Allies had previously invaded mainland Europe September 3, 1943 with the landings in Italy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy>. more <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day>
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