How New Orleans helped win D-Day
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Vintage 1944 illustration of American troops landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, during World War II. Photo: GraphicaArtis/Getty Images
New Orleans on Saturday will commemorate D-Day, a pivotal WWII battle with deep ties to the city.
Why it matters: The Higgins boats built here carried Allied troops onto the beaches of Normandy 82 years ago during one of the most consequential military operations in modern history.
The big picture: The free event at the National WWII Museum features more than 30 Rosie the Riveters.
- These women answered the call to serve by joining the wartime workforce, which led to reshaping women's place in American society, the museum says.
- The ceremony will be livestreamed too.
Living World War II veterans in Louisiana
By the numbers: Louisiana had 214 surviving WWII vets as of September 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Nationally, about 45,000 veterans remain, compared with about 66,000 in 2024, per VA data.
Flashback: On June 6, 1944, Allied forces invaded Normandy with more than 150,000 troops.
- It was the "beginning of a prolonged, costly and ultimately successful campaign to liberate northwest Europe," according to the museum.
Zoom in: Andrew Higgins designed and built the amphibious Higgins boat in New Orleans, using an integrated workforce of more than 25,000 people.
- President Eisenhower called Higgins "the man who won the war for us," thanks to his namesake landing craft.
- The boats were used in every major amphibious assault of WWII. Less than 10 original boats remain in existence, and the museum has the only fully restored, operational combat unit.
- Workers in the city also played a secret role in developing the atomic bomb.
Zoom out: The museum opened in 2000 as the D-Day Museum.
- It has since expanded and now tells the story of the American experience in the war — why it was fought, how it was won and what it means today.
Pro tip: New Orleans and Jefferson Parish library cardholders can get free tickets through the Culture Pass program and Experience Pass program, respectively.
- Military personnel and their families also get free admission through Labor Day as part of the Blue Star Museums program.
- The museum usually participates in Museum Month in August, which offers free reciprocal admission.
What's next: The museum is overhauling its signature exhibit that tells the story of the Normandy landings.
- It's expected to reopen next year.
