There is urgency in their voices when Metro Detroit historians remember D-Day, a day often referred to as the beginning of the end of World War II.
June 6, 1944, was the day the Allied Forces were able to establish a beachhead in Normandy, opening the way for more than 326,000 troops to arrive, along with 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 tons of equipment to use in their drive to clear northern France of German forces and liberate Paris.
Where did that supply of equipment and vehicles come from? The answer is a long list of cities, but there is total agreement: no American city contributed more to the Allied powers during World War II than Detroit.
Hence, the city became known as "The Arsenal of Democracy," a term coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during one of his Fireside Chats on the radio.
From children in school to line workers in factories to cooks in the kitchen, Detroiters could assure the Allied soldier – “We’ve got your back.”
Exhibition and Lecture Series
In the "We've got your back" exhibition and lecture series, we are honoring those on the home front.
The Michigan Military Technical and Historical Society of Eastpointe combed through its collections, combining posters and artifacts for the exhibition that will open at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 9, along with the first of four lectures that will continue each Thursday at 6:30 through May 30.
D-Day Celebration
The goal is to add context to the June 6, D-Day celebration, on the lakefront lawn of the Alger House, home to Les Braves II, At Water’s Edge. The sculpture is a twin of the sculpture dedicated on Normandy Beach in honor of the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
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The exhibition in the Patriot Gallery will be open 9 am – 8 pm, daily, thru June 10.
The Lecture series and celebration schedule is:
6:30 pm, May 9 — An overview of Detroit manufacturing focused on the war effort by Ron Lamparter, introduced by Alan Wagner.
6:30 pm, May 16 – The Willow Run Chapter of the American Rosie the Riveter Association will delve into the many ways women stepped up during WWII. They will have an artifacts table and perhaps bring some “Rosies” for you to meet.
6:30 pm, May 23 – John Rusche will share an insider’s look at the Jam Handy Organization. Noted for its ability to craft easy-to-understand tutorials, it was called upon to make 7,000 training films for the U.S. armed forces.
6:30 pm, May 30 – Alaine Bush of The Grosse Pointe Garden Center and a member of its Veterans Garden Committee will remember the importance of Victory Gardens. .
6 pm, June 6 – Join the 80th Anniversary of D-Day Ceremony on the lakefront lawn of the Alger House on The War Memorial campus. It is free to attend the ceremony, but registration is required. Click here to confirm you will attend.
THANK YOU to the many individuals and organizations that made the exhibition and lecture series possible: Chris and Wendy Causley of the Michigan Military Technical and Historical Society of Eastpointe, Ron Lamparter and Alan Wagner of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society, Grosse Pointe Public Schools, Alaine Bush of the Grosse Pointe Garden Center, Selfridge Military Air Museum, Great Lakes Ace, Amber Dietz, Donna Wallace, Jerome Patryjak, Linda Boyle, The Willow Run Chapter of the American Rosie the Riveter Association and John Rusche.
Vegetables were planted in a public Victory Garden on the grounds of the Detroit Zoo.
The Detroit News Archive