Day, the first day of the Normandy landings that laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Friday, June 6, marks 81 years since the allied forces of World War II stormed the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day. The amphibious assault – codenamed Operation Overlord – involved landing approximately 160,000 Allied soldiers on the French beaches, resulting in 4,427 casualties – according to the National D-Day Memorial Foundation.

Historic photos illustrate the D-Day landings, which happened 81 years ago Friday. A reenactment in Conneaut, Ohio, happens later this summer.