(NEXSTAR) - Eighty years ago, American soldiers and their allies stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the process of liberating continental Europe from the Nazis. In the decades since, the heroism exhibited that day has been honored in print, song, and on the movie screen. But the American heroes of D-Day were also members of communities across the United States. Their individual stories continue to inspire those around them eight decades after setting foot on French sand.
To mark the anniversary of this moment of national pride, a team of Nexstar journalists spent months following threads that humanize the ordinary people who teamed up to achieve victory on this extraordinary mission. The result is a special called “D-Day: The Greatest Victory,” airing this week on all 117 Nexstar television markets nationwide.
To understand what went into telling some of the most harrowing stories of WWII, Nexstar will host a live conversation with the creators of the special beginning at 11 a.m. ET Thursday, June 6th, the 80th anniversary of the invasion. You can watch that conversation in the video player above.
During the livestream, WAVY-TV Anchor Marielena Balouris, Chief Photographer Jeff Myers and Nexstar Senior Vice President Jerry Walsh will discuss the filming of some of the most poignant segments of the special. You'll hear anecdotes capturing the immense sacrifice asked of this unique generation of patriots.
Check your local listing for the air date and time of the full special in your market. Nexstar’s national cable news network, NewsNation, will air the program on Sunday, June 9, at 10 p.m. ET 9 p.m. CT.
For still deeper exploration of Nexstar's D-Day reporting, please visit our dedicated D-Day Anniversary section, which includes additional journalism from across the U.S. and a timeline of the D-Day invasion.