--- title: "Watch how sand from Omaha Beach brightens veterans’ tombstones" description: "Sand from Omaha Beach is used to ensure that the names of those who were lost never disappear from their faded gravestones." date: "2021-06-25" modified: "2021-06-26" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/sand-omaha-beach-military-gravestones/" categories: - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # Watch how sand from Omaha Beach brightens veterans’ tombstones ![]() On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) shared a video on Twitter of a remarkable ceremony. "The letters on the white crosses almost disappear in the brightness of the stone, so a soldier fills the indentations with sand from Omaha Beach to bring the name forward." It's a quiet practice that adds to the many rituals that honor service members, including [leaving coins on gravestones](), placing wreaths on graves during winter holidays, or setting the American flag at graves for Memorial Day. This video is particularly special to watch, as it clearly shows how effective the process is: --- https://twitter.com/repspeier/statuses/1136744058779389952 In the video, the soldier conjures the name of William A. Richards, a fallen World War II veteran, killed in 1944, with sand from Omaha Beach, one of the D-Day invasion sites. D-Day marked the turning of the war in Europe, where millions and millions of Allied service members perished. ### Also read: [Hero medic remembers what it was like to land on Omaha Beach]() https://twitter.com/sidgustafson/statuses/1136799027989753856 Others began to respond to the tweet with their own experiences witnessing the ceremony, including the graves of their relatives. The sands from Normandy beaches are sent to military cemeteries throughout Europe. In the [Netherlands American Cemetery](), the graves of American service members have been adopted by Dutch families, who research the lives of the fallen and honor their graves with flowers. https://twitter.com/sgoodl/statuses/1137013884894830593 For so many, these rituals are powerful reminders of the cost of freedom. The sanctity of a military funeral is one that is shared across the country — and, in the case of the world wars, across the globe. It can be easy for many Americans to feel separated, through both time and distance, from the horrors of World War I and World War II; but for our allies in Europe, the wars were fought in their own backyard. The sands of Omaha Beach bring forth the names of those who died fighting against Nazi Germany and the enemies of freedom, lest we ever forget. ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()