By the Summer of 1944, the war in Europe had evolved and the momentum was definitely on the side of the Allies. The Soviet Union was on the offensive, pushing their way through Eastern Europe towards Germany.

The Allies secured North Africa, and were making slow progress up the boot of Italy. It was now time to open another front in the West.

The much anticipated invasion of Normandy took place on June 6,1944, dropping 150,000 fresh Allied troops on Germany’s doorstep. There had been discussion about invading Southern France on the same date, but due to the logistics involved, there was no way to support both operations on the same date. Instead, my Father would participate in Operation Dragoon on August 15, 1944. This would place Allied forces in the Southern half of France, an area under the authority of the Vichy French regime, and left largely undefended by Germany. – Harrison Woodard