06/06/2026
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Soldiers of the New Jersey National Guard’s 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron waited just offshore of Normandy as the first assault waves fought their way onto the beaches. While German aircraft strafed the invasion fleet and enemy artillery rained down on the crowded waters, the Troopers of the 102nd endured nearly two days under fire before the beachhead expanded enough for their vehicles to land.
Landing in France the 102nd immediately began reconnaissance operations that helped drive the Allied advance across Europe. Over the next 334 days of combat, the Squadron fought from Normandy to Germany, with 71 Troopers giving their lives in the fight to liberate Europe.
Eightytwo years later, we remember the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of the Soldiers who answered the call and lived up to the regiment’s motto: “Show ’Em the Way.”
