D-Day Landing Beaches: Normandy is famous for its role in World War II as the site of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. This event marked the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. The beaches of Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, and Sword are now home to memorials, museums, and cemeteries that honor the soldiers who fought and died there. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer is notable.