Source, meaning of ‘D-Day’ not known for sure
Published 10:03 am Wednesday, July 2, 2014
What does the D in D-Day stand for?
No one can agree.
But the National World War II Museum in New Orleans — formerly known as the D-Day Museum — cites two explanations on its website.
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From “D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II” by Stephen Ambrose:
Time magazine reported on June 12 (1944) that “so far as the U.S. Army can determine, the first use of D for Day, H for Hour was in Field Order No. 8, of the First Army, A.E.F., issued on Sept. 20, 1918, which read, ‘The First Army will attack at H-Hour on D-Day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St. Mihiel salient.’ ”
From “War Slang” by Paul Dickson:
Many explanations have been given for the meaning of D-Day, June 6, 1944, the day the Allies invaded Normandy from England during World War II. The Army has said that it is “simply an alliteration, as in H-Hour.” Others say the first D in the word also stands for “day,” the term a code designation.
The French maintain the D means “disembarkation,” still others say “debarkation,” and the more poetic insist D-Day is short for “day of decision.”
When someone wrote to General Eisenhower in 1964 asking for an explanation, his executive assistant Brigadier General Robert Schultz answered: “General Eisenhower asked me to respond to your letter. Be advised that any amphibious operation has a ‘departed date’; therefore the shortened term ‘D-Day’ is used.”
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Online: www.nationalww2museum.org.
Law doesn’t include reader-cited phrase
Lately I have been seeing defendants charged with “inappropriate sexual contact with a minor.” I would like to know what “appropriate sexual contact with a minor” would be. Also, can you ascertain who worded the law?
The phrase, an example of police- and lawyer-speak found frequently in news releases, doesn’t appear in Louisiana law.
But the state’s Code of Criminal Procedure does feature language similar to the above: “sexually inappropriate conduct with a prepubescent child under the age of thirteen.”
The language appears in Article 330.2, which was included in the code by Act 237 of the Legislature’s 2005 regular session. The law began its life as House Bill 451, whose lead sponsor was Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Moss Bluff.
The “sexually inappropriate conduct” phrase didn’t appear in the original measure, though. It was added by the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
Online: www.legis.la.gov.
Submit complaints to solid waste office
Who do I call to report a problem with a city trash truck leaving trash all over the street?
Call the Public Works Department’s solid waste office at 491-1220.
Online: www.cityoflakecharles.com.
The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.
Robert F. Sargent / National Archives
