Movie icons Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks joined world leaders in Normandy on Thursday morning as part of the 80th D-Day anniversary commemorations.
The pair, known for their collaboration the Oscar-winning 1998 epic Saving Private Ryan, which portrayed the events of the fateful day in 1945 when the tide turned in World War II in favor of the allies, joined dozens of world leaders at the events.
Following Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg and Hanks collaborated again for the drama series Band of Brothers, which followed US soldiers in northern France in the aftermath of the storming of the beaches.
Hanks and Spielberg could be seen talking at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach.
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle.
The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.
Hanks and Spielberg could be seen talking at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach
Steven Spielberg attended the ceremony at the American cemetery
Spielberg and Hanks pictured while filming the iconic opening scene in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ showing the landings in Normandy
More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
Spielberg’s father, Arnold, was drafted into the US military in January 1942, a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thanks to his skills with radio equipment, Arnold was put in the Signal Corps.
He eventually rose to the rank of Communications Chief in the 409th Bomb Squadron which was based in India. It’s estimated that the Spielberg family lost as many as 20 relatives in Nazi concentration camps. Arnold passed away in 2020.
Just this year, Hanks and Spielberg teamed up once again to executive produce the Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air.
In recent days veterans of the conflict, who are dwindling in number as the years pass, have travelled to France to take part in events commemorating the fallen.
Among those attending the ceremony today is US President Joe Biden, who is expected to compare the struggle of Europe to defeat the Nazis to the current battle in the Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped up his attacks.
‘Today, in 2024, 80 years later, we see dictators once again attempting to challenge the order, attempting to march in Europe,’ said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
He added that Biden will ‘be drawing a through line from World War II through the Cold War and the stand up of the greatest military alliance the world has ever known, the NATO alliance, to today, where we face once again war in Europe, where NATO has rallied to defend freedom and sovereignty in Europe.’
Biden will also meet with American veterans who fought in D-Day. French President Emmanuel Macron will join him at the event.
President Joe Biden will address the crowd on Thursday
Veterans attend a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at the Caen-Carpiquet Airport in Carpiquet, France, enroute to ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk off Marine One as they arrive at Normandy American Cemetery, where they will attend ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day
Planes fly over the beaches at Arromanches in Normandy
Earlier today, Biden and first lady Jill Biden had an emotional meeting with D-Day veterans ahead of the ceremonies.
In a lighthearted moment during today’s somber event, veteran Robert Gibson told the 81-year-old president: ‘Don’t get old.’
Biden gifted each of the men a special challenger coin to mark the occasion.
Biden was one year old when the invasion took place. It’s thought he will be the last U.S. president at a major D-Day anniversary event who was alive when D-Day occurred. His predecessor, Donald Trump, was born two years after D-Day.
The president chatted with each veteran and, when he heard it was one’s birthday, he rallied everyone in the pavilion to sing happy birthday to him.
The 172.5 acre cemetery was established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II.
A French and American flag decorated each grave site. Many buried there lost their lives on D-Day. There are also names of 1,557 service members inscribed on the Walls of the Missing.
Within the graves are 307 unknown personnel, three Medal of Honor recipients, and four women. Forty-five sets of brothers are commemorated or buried in the cemetery. A father and son are also buried alongside each other.
World leaders have flocked to Normandy for the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations. Pictured: France’s President Emmanuel Macron (center) and France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron (second right) are welcomed by French officials as they arrive at Normandy
The Prince of Wales is greeted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day at Juno Beach