US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin addressed veterans, officials, and families at an event marking the 79th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, on Tuesday, June 6.

Austin joined American and French speakers to commemorate the Normandy landings of 1944, which began the campaign to liberate Europe and defeat Nazi Germany.

Speaking at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Lloyd said: “It’s easy to forget how desperate the battle was, how loud the clash was, and how many things could’ve gone wrong. How many did go wrong. But on D-Day, courage won out over terror, daring over cruelty, and liberty won out over tyranny.” Credit: US Department of Defense via Storyful