Normandy

Today is May 8, 2016. By coincidence my Normandy tour took place on the 71st anniversary of V-E Day!

 The tour started at the German Cemetary. Very subtle and understated.  John M Steele was the American paratrooper who landed on the church tower in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first village liberated by the Americans on D-Day. Made famous in the movie "The Longest Day". He played dead for hours before his comrades could save him. Nothing hi-tech here. Carrier pigeon lying on it's cage carrier. Utah was one of several beach heads made on D-Day.

 

  Higgins boat. 36 men on each one. They were carried about 90 mi across the channel on a bigger boat and then launched several miles out. They hit the beach at daybreak on a day that was chosen when the moon, tides, and weather were optimal- June 6, 1944.  Pointe-du-Hoc was an elevated promontory midway between Omaha and Utah beaches. This heavily fortified spot had many bunkers and artillery guns that could shell each beach. 280 commandos took this 

position just prior to the beach invasion.

 View from inside one of the bunkers.  In the days leading up to the invasion, heavy shelling from sea and air softened the German positions with varying degrees of success. This is a bomb crater. Background shows a German artillery Gun position. Our tour guide Adrian with the expanse of Omaha Beach behind him. Many things went wrong on this beach-Veteran German soldiers defending, pre raid bombing inaccurate, strong current washing attacking boats off target. Heavy casualties. Hence the name "Bloody Omaha" when the ocean ran red. The American Cemetary, located on a beautiful bluff above Omaha beach. Some of those buried here may have been killed on this very spot.  Sobering and solemn tour on a gorgeous day on the north coast of France. Proud and happy to be an American. Both my parents were in the war. An Uncle I never met was lost in France.