The United States Air Force has made extensive contributions to the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Among the assets deployed were C-130Js carrying the black-and-white "invasion stripes" applied to allied aircraft ahead of the operation in 1944.
The decision to give aircraft the distinctive, simple and highly visible scheme for Operation Overlord was taken following the loss of more than 20 C-47s during the invasion of Sicily in 1943, when army and navy gun crews mistook them for enemy aircraft. Eighty-eight airmen were killed, 162 wounded and 69 listed missing.
The commemoration events began May 31 and run through June 10.