A lifetime ago, military forces of the United States, Great Britain and Canada united to storm beaches at Normandy in northern France. Tuesday, June 6, 1944, to be precise, is the date of this historic venture, which is commonly known as D-Day.

Many of you also know the operation as a part of Operation Overlord. That was, of course, not just an exercise in coordination for training, but an especially aggressive maneuver to break Nazi Germany’s hold in most of Europe. The Allies, obviously, were ultimately successful. In less than a year, the iron grip of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini over Europe would be permanently broken; Japan would fall in August 1945, courtesy of Little Boy and Fat Man.

You can also learn more about Franklin and Southampton’s participation in D-Day by reading Clyde Parker’s “Looking Back” column, found today on Page A7.

On the recent Memorial Day, the fallen men and women who have ever served our country in battle were honored. We believe that D-Day further merits an extra moment of remembrance — another salute, if you will — especially as tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of the event. The courage and actions of all who served did much to ensure liberty and lasting freedom.