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Contributed commentary by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee on D-Day:

“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 hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”

On June 5, 1944 – the night before the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day – Gen. Dwight Eisenhower wrote these powerful words to the 175,000-strong expeditionary force. One day later, these soldiers would form the largest armada in world history – with more than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft – with the goal of liberating Nazi-occupied Europe and defending the free world.

To our country’s eternal gratitude, they succeeded. And on the 80th anniversary of D-Day last week, I joined a bipartisan Senate delegation to Normandy to honor the Americans and Tennesseans who put their lives on the line in the name of freedom.

Of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II, less than 1 percent are still with us today, so it was a special honor to meet with some of these brave heroes during the memorial services. Among them was Tennessee native Cletis Bailey, who fought to liberate Europe while serving in the 84th Infantry Division. Two years ago, at the age of 96, Mr. Bailey received a Bronze Star for fighting at the Battle of the Bulge – 76 years after his service came to an end.

Like so many Americans who served in WWII, Bailey was gracious and humble about the incredible sacrifices he made to defend our country. It was a powerful reminder that the Greatest Generation viewed service to our country – even through the horrors of war – as their duty as Americans.

But during last week’s memorial ceremonies, these heroes received the recognition they deserve in front of a crowd of 10,000 people from all over the world. It was especially moving to see French President Emmanuel Macron recognize 11 U.S. veterans with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest distinction, for their role in helping free France from Nazi oppression.

While we thanked the surviving D-Day veterans for their service, our delegation also honored the brave soldiers who never returned home to America. In Normandy, there is no greater symbol of their sacrifice than the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, which holds the graves of 9,387 American war dead.

Many of these warriors fell just hundreds of feet away from the cemetery grounds on Omaha Beach, the site of the fiercest fighting on D-Day, where U.S. forces suffered approximately 2,400 casualties. While many markers of the landings have long since disappeared, along the coastline you can still see fortifications which Nazi forces used to rain machine gun fire on American soldiers who stormed the beaches to free a continent.

More work to be done

In so many ways, Normandy is a reminder that America is the home of the free because of the brave. And while we can never repay their sacrifices, we must ensure that no veteran is left behind—especially when it comes to the benefits and quality care that they deserve.

In the U.S. Senate, I have championed legislation to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs’ caregiver program and protect veterans’ personal information. Thankfully, both bills became law, but there is so much more we can do for our veterans. That’s why I introduced the Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, which would expand health care options for veterans by allowing them to seek care in their local communities instead of VA facilities that are often far away from their homes.

These efforts will not only benefit our nation’s veterans, but also the more than 1.2 million active-duty troops when their service comes to an end. During the delegation trip, I was pleased to meet many of these brave warriors, including members of Fort Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division who live in Tennessee.

On D-Day, the 101st was crucial to the Allies’ victory, parachuting into France behind enemy lines to clear a path for the infantry divisions storming the beaches. Eighty years later, the current members of the 101st honored this incredible legacy, conducting an air assault drill in Carentan, a French town liberated by the 101st.

The outpouring of support for our veterans and service members was a powerful reminder of Eisenhower’s words that – then and now – the hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with America and our armed forces.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn