https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1W_wxroE0
Army Rangers D-Day memorial in Grafton, Illinois
https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/new-grafton-memorial-honors-army-rangers-d-day-assault/
New Grafton memorial honors Army Rangers’ D-Day assault
By Patrick Clark, reporter KTVI FOX 2 | May 20, 2026
“For those driving the Great River Road in Grafton, Illinois, it might be a shock to see 12 U.S. Army Rangers scaling side of a cliff.
The bronze statues are part of a new memorial to be dedicated on the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landing. During the famed allied assault on June 6, 1944, Army Rangers scaled the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc to overtake Germany artillery firing at troops at Omaha and Utah beaches.
The City of Grafton, Illinois, recreated the dramatic assault with the National Memorial of Military Ascent.
For retired colonel and Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow, it was a trip to France that provided the inspiration to bring Normandy back with him to the Great River Road.
“The U.S. Army Rangers 2nd Battalion climbed the cliffs at 7:10 that morning to take out the German guns,” Morrow said. “There were 225 Rangers that climbed, 77 were killed, and 152 were wounded, and the remainder continued to fight for two days with German counterattacks until they linked up to the forces on Omaha Beach.” . . . “