Friday marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the courageous World War II invasion of Northern Europe by the Allied powers. To commemorate that fateful Normandy Beach landing back in 1944, the oldest commissioned warship in the United States Navy will set sail in Boston Harbor and fire a 21-gun salute.

According to the Associated Press via CBS, the USS Constitution, known colloquially as Old Ironsides, raised anchor at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, and will situate itself off the coast of Castle Island and initiate the salute at 11:00 a.m. Castle Island, of course, is the location of Fort Independence, a Civil War-era fort that sits upon the site of previous wartime fortifications, dating back to the colonial era.

The AP notes further that a 17-gun salute will take place at the U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston in the North End around 12:00 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., Old Ironsides is expected to return to its berth in Charlestown.

The Normandy Invasion was a multifaceted, multinational assault on the German’s beached stronghold that saw 3,000 landing crafts; 2,500 accompanying ships; and 500 naval vessels storm the coast, according to Encyclopedia Brittanica. Some 822 aircrafts deployed parachuters while another 13,000 flew in for aerial support. Allied casualties were estimated around 12,000, though roughly 4,000 were confirmed to have died.

Our thoughts, prayers and utmost appreciation are with those who died fighting for freedom.

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