US soldiers next to the obelisk that includes the name of a Spanish soldier in Normandy

The 82nd anniversary of the Normandy landings, a key operation of World War II, was recently celebrated.

An excellent report on Manuel Otero, the Spaniard who fell in the Normandy landings
A spectacular short film depicts the death in combat of the only Spanish soldier on D-Day

One of the moral duties of every army is to remember its Fallen, those who made the ultimate sacrifice to fulfill their assigned missions. That is why, every year, soldiers from various armies gather in Normandy to remember their comrades who fell in that landing: 4,630 Allied soldiers died on D-Day, June 6, 1944, when the landing took place. Of these, 2,500 were from the United States, 1,760 from the United Kingdom, and 370 from Canada.

One of the bloodiest spots of the invasion was the beach designated by the code name Omaha. This beach was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, the 29th Infantry Division, and the U.S. Army Rangers. On that stretch of sand, the U.S. Army suffered 3,600 casualties, including 770 dead, during D-Day.

The eastern half of Omaha Beach was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, known as "The Big Red One" because of its insignia design. Although this unit is not the most well-known of the U.S. divisions, it earned its reputation in blood that day. The 1st Infantry Division suffered the most casualties of any Allied unit during the D-Day landings: 1,190. This figure was surpassed by the paratroopers who were previously dropped into Normandy: the 82nd Airborne Division had 1,259 casualties and the 101st Airborne Division had 1,240.

A monument commemorates the fallen of "The Big Red One" in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Inscribed in white letters on the walls of the obelisk, next to the Division's emblem, are the names of 627 soldiers who fell in Normandy. On that bloody day, three soldiers from this Division received the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration.

Among those 627 names is that of a Spanish soldier: Manuel Otero. We saw his story here in 2017, thanks to an excellent video published by the YouTube channel Tropa Guripa. Manuel was born on April 27, 1916, in Outes (La Coruña) and emigrated to the United States after the Spanish Civil War, having fought on the Republican side, which left a mark on his hometown. Once in his adopted country, he enlisted as a volunteer in the U.S. Army on March 19, 1943. In Normandy, he wore the Private First Class (PFC) armband and the emblem of "The Big Red One." He was in Company A of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. He landed in Normandy at 7:40 a.m. on D-Day. He died while crossing a minefield, shortly before reaching a German anti-tank ditch.

The photos you see in this article were published by the US 1st Infantry Division a few days ago. They show the tribute paid by soldiers of that unit and the 82nd Airborne Division to their fallen in Normandy. We can see the obelisk that bears Manuel's name along with the initials "NMI" (No Middle Initial, as he did not have a middle name in the style that is customary in the US). Guripa Troop displayed their name on that obelisk in 2022:

Let us never forget the sacrifice of these men. Thanks to them, nazism was defeated and millions of people were finally able to live in freedom. Grant them, O Lord, eternal rest. Let perpetual light shine upon them. Rest in peace.

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Photos: 1st Infantry Division & Fort Riley.