The 80th anniversary of D-Day, the defining battle of World War II that turned the tide for good in favor of the Allies and marked the beginning of the end for Germany and Japan, was observed on Thursday.

It was on June 6, 1944 that U.S. forces led the storming of the beaches at Normandy, France. It was a long, brutal and bloody battle, costing thousands of lives over weeks and weeks, but when it was finally over and victory had been achieved, it became a seminal moment in the war.

Much, of course, has been written about D-Day, especially in the last few days and weeks as this special milestone neared. But what should be pointed out locally is that almost all of the members of those early Browns teams in the late 1940s and early ‘50s were part of the war effort. Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Otto Graham, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli and even head coach Paul Brown were involved in some way, shape or form.

As such, then, stop and take a moment to consider the sacrifices made by those men and all the other service people so that we can have the freedom that allows us to enjoy not just the Browns and the NFL, but the other sports as well.

Have a respectful day, everyone.

Steve King