There is another difference, if you read about the account of
people in Europe after the invasion from d-day and their encounters
with the American soldiers, you would see quite clearly.
Almost all the stories I heard were, when the people saw American
soldiers, they welcomed them with joy and the soldiers shared their
limited rations with the people, so even up to this day, those
people that went through WW2 have unquestionable gratitude for
their saviours. One of the account says that when looters attacked
the local establishments, the author when he was young, ran towards
the American soldiers in their bases, and they gladly returned to
chase those looters away, till today, he still remember that with
happiness. Another accounts when his family were running in the
forests during the war, he ran towards an American tank, and that
was the happiest thing he saw for dunnoe how long, the American
soldiers were obviously freaked out and ordered him down, after a
brief search, the American soldiers were very friendly and nice,
and today he still remember it vividly.
All these sparks a very distinct difference between what we see in
Iraq today, although they both fought in the same name. Although
more blood were spilled than any wars fought in Iraq, the ideas of
democracy, and freedom were far expressed better than today. People
treasured their lives, their freedom and what they had far more
than people of today, most probably from their experience in
WW2.
Isn't all these make d day something worth remembering for, even if
we're not in Europe or technically have anything to do with us?