Today in History....June 6

On this day in …

* 1918, the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood, which resulted in a U.S. victory over the Germans, began in France

* 1925, Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.

* 1934, the Securities and Exchange Commission was established.

* 1942, Japanese forces retreated in the World War II Battle of Midway

* 1944, the "D-Day" invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Encyclopaedia Britannica has a nice site dedicated to D-DAY

* 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan

* 1978, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a primary ballot initiative calling for major cuts in property taxes

* 1982, Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive Palestine Liberation Organization fighters out of the country. (The Israelis withdrew in June 1985.)

* 1997, Timothy McVeigh's lawyer pleaded with a jury to spare the life of the convicted Oklahoma City bomber, holding up his dress uniform and portraying him as a model soldier deeply disturbed by his government's role in the disaster near Waco, Texas

* 2002, stung by intelligence failures, President Bush called on Congress in a nationally broadcast address to remake the government with a terrorist-fighting Department of Homeland Security. ALSO: in finally showing some gumption, Israeli troops stormed the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, ym"sh, following a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed 17 Israelis on a bus

* 2006, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson acknowledged a stolen computer contained personal data on about 2.2 million active-duty military, Guard and Reserve personnel --- not just 50,000 as initially believed. ALSO: Iran and the United States had a rare moment of agreement, using similar language to describe "positive steps" toward an accord on a package of incentives aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment