Fort Riley ceremony honors sacrifice of Big Red One soldiers in D-Day invasion

Troops stationed at Fort Riley joined the rest of the free world Thursday in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the daring D-Day invasion that led to victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Fort Riley-based First Infantry Division, also known as the Big Red One, led the assault on German forces on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Abilene, Kan., native, future president and supreme commander of Allied forces, conceived the invasion.

Six World War II veterans attended the ceremony at Fort Riley, which included a recitation of names of the 316 1st Infantry soldiers who died on D-Day. The ceremony was punctuated by a 21-gun salute.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)