United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday (June 6) led a commemoration ceremony with France's Sebastien Lecornu on the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied soldiers arrived in France by sea and air to drive out the forces of Nazi Germany.

“To walk over, or run if you can, carrying equipment over that open beach as shells and bullets thunder around you again and again, I cannot imagine. Could you do that? Could I? Could we?" Hegseth said in a speech.

D-Day was the assault phase of the Allied invasion of continental Europe, or Operation Overlord, which marked a decisive step in the liberation of Europe from German forces during the Second World War.

Veterans took part in the ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer’s American cemetery, overlooking Omaha Beach, which still bears the scars of the fighting in history's largest amphibious invasion, and in which thousands of Allied soldiers died.

Speaking alongside Hegseth, Lecornu said France remained a loyal ally of the U.S.

“We should not forget anything in the face of a world marked by the return of war and of ideologies of hate. Ands it's with you, dear American allies, that we will continue to defend peace and freedom,” Lecornu said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE (JUNE 6, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, AND FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER, SEBASTIEN LECORNU, ARRIVING FOR COMMEMORATION CEREMONY ON 81ST ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY, HEGSETH SHAKING HANDS WITH U.S. CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, DAVID R MCCAWLEY

2. VARIOUS OF VETERANS IN WHEELCHAIRS

3. VARIOUS OF HEGSETH STANDING LOOKING ON

4. FLAGBEARERS MARCHING WITH U.S. AND FRENCH FLAGS

5. ONLOOKERS STANDING AT VETERAN CEMETERY

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"This day, June the 6th, is the price of freedom. We remember the losses, we celebrate the victories, we rededicate ourselves to the fight for liberty, security and peace."

7. VETERAN LOOKING ON

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"You see, war reveals the true character of men, the character of a people - lead from the front or capitulate and fall out. To walk over, or run if you can, carrying equipment over that open beach as shells and bullets thunder around you again and again, I cannot imagine. Could you do that? Could I? Could we?"

9. CEMETERY

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"Today, the United States and France again rally together to confront such threats. Because we strive for peace, we must prepare for war and, hopefully, deter it. We must ensure that our children and our grandchildren know what these men did, that they understand."

11. LECORNU WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM

12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER, SEBASTIEN LECORNU, SAYING:

"Today, we should not forget anything in the face of a world marked by the return of war and of ideologies of hate. Ands it's with you, dear American allies, that we will continue to defend peace and freedom, loyal to the memory of the heroes of June 6."

13. VETERAN HOLDING HAT AS U.S. NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS

14. VARIOUS OF HEGSETH SALUTING AS U.S. NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS

15. CEREMONY IN PROGRESS

16. LECORNU SINGING AS FRENCH NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS

17. OFFICIALS STANDING AS FRENCH NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS

18. U.S. FLAG

19. VENUE, FRENCH AND U.S. FLAGS IN BACKGROUND