The aftermath of D-Day on Omaha Beach: a US Graves Registration Company collection point for dead American and also German soldiers, laying next to each other, whom are to be processed and prepared for temporary burial.

The aftermath of D-Day on Omaha Beach: a US Graves Registration Company collection point for dead American and also German soldiers, laying next to each other, whom are to be processed and prepared for temporary burial.

In World War II, the US Army 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company was responsible for the care of the dead in all the branches of military service. The unit was officially activated on 15 July 1943 at Vancouver Barracks, Vancouver, Washington. They worked with reverence and respect to preserve the dignity of those who sacrificed their lives.

The US military would officially declare a soldier dead after he was missing for a full year. So many soldiers who went missing on D-Day - some bodies, for example, were swept out to sea or destroyed in plane crashes - had a death date on their military records of 7 June 1945, a year and a day later.

While casualty figures are notoriously difficult to verify, the accepted estimate is that the Allies suffered 10,000 casualties in total on D-Day itself. The highest casualties occurred on Omaha Beach, where 2,000 US troops were killed, wounded or went missing. At Utah Beach, the Americans suffered 197 casualties. At Sword Beach and Gold Beach, 2,000 British troops were killed, wounded or went missing. And at Juno beach, 961 Canadian soldiers were killed or wounded.

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