Category: mapping

It was a World War, but one of the most important operations of WWII can be boiled down to a single day in a single region of a single country. Operation Overlord, otherwise known as the Battle of Normandy, took place on June 6, 1944. There were 13 countries taking part in the bombings, amphibious landings, and fighting that began on what is called “D-Day,” after the military term used to plan the operation in secret. The map below showcases some important landmarks in Normandy, the coastal region across the English channel from Britain.

View Selected D-Day Landmarks in a full screen map

The most well-known aspect of the operation is the beach invasion. Over 4,000 vessels carried over 125,000 troops to six primary landings. Charging amidst German gunfire, this allied success helped regain control of Normandy, then France, and eventually all of western Europe. The beaches are known by their military code names: Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach, and Sword Beach.

The largest number of troops landed on Omaha Beach, which was portrayed with bloody accuracy at the opening of the film Saving Private Ryan. Omaha also suffered the most casualties, with as many as 10,000 troops injured or killed. Percentage-wise, the smaller invasions of Utah Beach and Pointe du Hoc saw 35% and 60% casualties respectively.

The Atlantic shared a great then and now photo essay of D-Day for the 70th anniversary.

There are at least two memorials near the beaches. The best known is the Normandy American Cemetery, where 9,387 US veterans are buried. There is also a memorial near Juno Beach honoring the United Kingdom’s involvement in the operation.

The map also shows a handful of the important objectives shared by the troops coming across the water and the paratroopers who preceded them behind German lines. Many of the objectives involved either protecting or destroying bridges as a way to control transportation throughout Normandy.

It’s been over 70 years since the invasion. The beach storm changed the tide of the war, which was completely over in Europe a year later.

38 years ago in a galaxy close, close to our own… In fact, it was within our galaxy that Star Wars was originally released on May 25, 1977. While “May the 4th” has become known as “Star Wars Day,” it’s later in this month that the real fans celebrate. With a set of new films set to release later this year, now is a good time to look back at some of the real life places that became the fictional places in that “galaxy far, far away.”

View Star Wars Filming Locations in a full screen map

The map above shows significant filming locations that were outside of studios, from the forest of Endor to the sand of Tatooine. Due to special effects, much of the Star Wars series has been filmed in sound studios. The three sequels will call Pinewood Studios, just north of London, home. Previously, most Star Wars films had studio work done at Esltree Studios, also in England.

One of the better-known locations is Tunisia, which has been home to the desert planet of Tatooine in episodes I, II, and IV. Episode VII will break tradition, as Abu Dhabi replaces Tunisia for Tattooine. The only other place to represent Tatooine was Death Valley, California, used only in the original movie and Return of the Jedi.

Casual fans may have trouble remembering the progression of Star Wars movies. The original movie was retroactively named Episode IV. In the 2000s, Lucasfilm released the much-anticipated prequel trilogy. Here’s the chronological order of the six films, along with the year they were first in theaters.

• Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
• Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

The most geographically diverse location has to be Naboo. The picturesque planet has been portrayed by Spain, UK, and multiple areas in Italy.

Like most films, Star Wars did some filming in California. However, it got outside of typical Los Angeles for its other-worldly settings: the desert of Death Valley and the Redwood Forest join the Yuma Desert as the only US locations.

Of course, the best of Hollywood frequently films outside of SoCal, as we discovered when looking at the filming locations of Oscar Best Pictures.

It’s been 15 years since fourth-generation racer Adam Petty died during a practice session for the Busch 200. While there were two fatal crashes that year, there are relatively few fatal crashes for a sport that can see speeds cross over 200 miles per hour. The map below shows all fatalities during practice or competition since NASCAR started in 1948. You can group by year, event, circuit, series, and the activity during the crash (such as qualifying or practice).

View NASCAR Fatal Crashes in a full screen map

Adam Petty was the son of Kyle Petty, grandson Richard Petty, and great-grandson of NASCAR pioneer Lee Petty. The youngest Petty was just 19 when he died at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. That circuit, or race track, suffered one other fatality, later in 2000 when Kenny Irwin, Jr., crashed at the same turn as Petty had earlier. Both men suffered a basilar skull fracture. Other than Irwin and Petty, no other racer has died at this circuit.

Daytona International Speedway has seen the most fatal crashes. Famous for the Daytona 500, the circuit also hosts many other events, the most likely reason 14 drivers have lost their lives there. The first was in 1961, the most recent was Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500.

NASCAR as a whole has not had a driving death since 2009, which puts it at over half a decade. The sport has become undeniably safer. The 1950s saw 17 fatalities, and there were 10 in the 1960s. The 1970s saw a dip, with only six, but the 1980s are the second-most dangerous decade with 14 fatal crashes. There were 11 in the 1990s and nine in the 2000s.

The most fatal year was 1956, with five deaths.

The most common time for a fatal crash, unsurprisingly, is during a race. Over half of all fatalities (46) have come during competition, when the track is often crowded and the event is on the line. Practice (11) and Qualifying (8) come next. Only three drivers have died during testing, two in the 60s.

Of course, driving fast is a risky business, but also one increasingly focused on safety. To prevent basilar skull fracture, NASCAR and other motor sports now require drivers to wear head and neck restraints. With luck and further innovations, perhaps there will be very few additional drivers added to this map.