WASHINGTON – A solemn service at the National World War II Memorial in Washington on Friday morning marked 81 years since 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline to fight Nazi soldiers.

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A solemn service at the National World War II Memorial in Washington on Friday morning marked 81 years since 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline to fight Nazi soldiers

On D-Day alone, about 4,400 Allied troops — including 2,500 Americans — were killed

As of last year, there were about 66,000 living WWII veterans nationwide — less than 1% of the estimated 16.4 million who served during WWII, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs

Four WWII veterans who attended Frida

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