The invasion of Normandy,(operation Overlord) is commonly referred to as D-Day. Does the D actually stand for anything?

MrsAce

Apparently it stands for "Day of Invasion". http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/ddaydef.htm Jun 07 05, 3:52 AM

anselm

The Oxford English Dictionary corroborates this, giving the etymology as simply "D for day". Their first supporting quotation is dated 7th September 1918, and is from an order referring to the Allied First Army's attack "at H-Hour on D-Day". Jun 07 05, 4:53 AM

DukeDawson

As anslem states: "H-Hour," would be at 06:30 hrs. or 6:30 A.M. to commence the attack on that historical day. Jun 07 05, 1:44 PM

ogicu8abruok

I think it means Disembarkment Day. Jun 07 05, 4:14 PM

lanfranco

According to military historian Stephen Ambrose, in his book "D-Day: June 6, 1944," (note on p. 491), anselm is right: "D" stood for "Day," and the terminology did come from an A.E.F Field Order (No. 8) from the First World War: "The First Army will attack at H-Hour on D-Day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St. Mihiel salient." Jun 07 05, 4:51 PM

ogicu8abruok

Ok, I was just quoting my history teacher. But he also said, when talking about elevators, "If you lived on the hundred and first floor, you wouldn't want to have to walk up a hundred and one flights of stairs." Jun 07 05, 5:47 PM

RickF

I believe that "M" minute "H" hour and "d" day were used for two reasons: 1 - they could be written in orders without actually defining when and giving the game away. 2 - if,as was the case, the operation was postponed, all the relevant timings and dates (D+2 etc) would remain valid. Jun 08 05, 12:26 AM