The Greatest Generations Greatest Battle. http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/05/opinion/opinion-d-day-myth-reality/
I've become aware of the significance of this battle primarily because it occurred 6 days after I was born. My awareness has come to me as I've aged and after my mom and dad had passed, so I couldn't ask them how they felt, with a new baby, learning about what had happened. It had to be an enormously emotional experience for all Americans, especially those who lost loved ones.
If you've seen the opening minutes of Saving Private Ryan you have some idea of what it must have been like that day. I can't imagine the terror and courage that arose in those heroes. Those that were there avoided ever talking about that day. They earned the right to try to forget.