Thursday, June 6, marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, one of the largest and most decisive battles of World War II. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), and Representative Terri Sewell (D-Selma) will join a bipartisan congressional delegation traveling to Normandy, France to mark the anniversary.

Senator Tuberville's father, Charles Tuberville, served in the U.S. Army during this battle, landing on the Utah coast on June 6, 1944, as a tank driver.

“I am honored to join my colleagues in commemorating the brave soldiers who lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago,” said Senator Tuberville. “It has been the dream of a lifetime for me to see the beaches where young men like my father fought bravely for our freedom. I will honor them by never forgetting their sacrifice and making sure our children know the truth about the freedoms that made America great.”

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) is also part of a bipartisan delegation led by Sens. John Boozman (R-Arkansas) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

“I am proud to be here in France to celebrate this historic anniversary, honoring the brave Americans who bravely landed on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago,” said Senator Britt. “We must never forget that the freedoms, opportunities and rights that the Greatest Generation fought to protect came at a great cost. It is because of brave men and women that we are a free country, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to express my enduring gratitude, admiration and reverence for our great state and nation.”

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Senators Tuberville and Britt also co-sponsored a bipartisan resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary, led by Senator Boozman and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), which passed the Senate unanimously on Tuesday.

Rep. Sewell spoke on the House floor in memory of Captain Malcolm Smith, an Alabama native who was killed in action during the Normandy landings.

“Captain Smith was born in Alabama in December 1917,” said Senator Sewell. “He attended Ramsey High School where he served as student council president and was a standout baseball and track athlete.”

“He was a cadet at West Point and expressed a desire to become a pilot when World War II began,” Sewell continued. “He began his flight training in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1942. He qualified in December 1942 and graduated as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps on January 19, 1943.”

“Captain Smith was married and was overjoyed to learn after arriving overseas that his daughter, Susan Ann, was born on Feb. 29, 1944,” Sewell said. “He flew many combat missions and was awarded five Air Medals. His P-47 was nicknamed 'Mary Ann' after his wife. His unit was one of the most heavily involved air units in isolating and weakening enemy defenses just before the Normandy invasion. His unit suffered heavy casualties. On May 21, 1944, Malcolm was killed in action aboard his P-47 while flying a ground mission near Vibrant, France.”

“Captain Malcolm A. Smith is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. He was 27 years old.”

Captain Smith rests in the cemetery which Sewell, Tuberville and Britt plan to visit on Thursday.

The delegation will arrive in Normandy on Thursday, June 6, and join U.S. and French leaders and veterans at a ceremony at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. The delegation will meet and pay their respects to World War II veterans at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Later that day, members of the delegation will join other heads of state representing the Allied powers at an international ceremony at Omaha Beach in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.

While in France, the delegation is also scheduled to meet with US diplomatic and military leaders in Europe. A key topic on the agenda will likely be the Ukraine-Russia war and the extent to which US aid is reaching Ukrainian forces locked on an 800-mile front. Security concerns in Europe and the US troop posture there are also likely to be key on the agenda.

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