| General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the order of the day “Full Victory – Nothing Else” to paratroopers just before they board their airplanes to participate in the 1st assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe. United States Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), Commander of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), talks with American paratroopers on the evening of June 5, 1944, as they prepared for the Battle of Normandy. Eisenhower believed that as many as 80 percent were expected to be casualties. This is 1 of the iconic photographs of World War II. The men are mostly part of the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Taken in “Tent City” at Greenham Common Airfield, England. Later that night, in Operation Albany, these men were deployed over France to Drop Zone A over Sainte-Mère-Église by the 438th Troop Carrier Group. From left to right: United States Navy Captain Harry C. Butcher (November 1, 1901 – April 20, 1985), aide to Eisenhower. United Kingdom Royal Army Lieutenant Colonel James F. “Jim” Gault (June 26, 1902 – January 14, 1977), Eisenhower’s British military aide, can be seen behind him in his Scots Guards uniform. Private Thomas J. “Tom” Beszouska (August 2, 1917 – October 17, 2004), F Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, talked with Eisenhower briefly. He captured Fallschirmjäger gloves and wore them in Normandy. Corporal Edward J. Sapinski (September 30, 1922 – August 20, 1997), F Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, later claimed he took this photo with his own camera. He was lightly wounded in the Netherlands and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured on January 3, 1945, and incarcerated at Stammlager IX B Bad Orb-Wegscheide until a fast task force liberated him in April 1945. The photo is credited to United States Army Lieutenant Leo S. Moore (May 21, 1904 – July 22, 1981), who was working in public relations in London when Eisenhower selected him as his personal photographer. He often joined Eisenhower on his travels. He photographed the Ohrdruf Konzentrationslager. Moore was with Eisenhower for his ticker-tape parade in New York City in June 1945. He was the head projectionist for Metro Goldwyn Meyer after the war. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0924.jpg |
| Image Size | 405.97 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2121 x 1695 |
| Photographer | Leo S. Moore |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 5, 1944 |
| Location | Greenham Common |
| City | Newbury |
| State or Province | Berkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | 111-SC-421508 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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