Normandy, France: 70th Anniversary of D-Day

Day 1: On June 5th, Mom, Dad, Brian and I started our journey to Normandy, France for the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion which took place June 6th, 1944.  First we flew to Paris and then rented a car to make the 2-3 hour drive to the Normandy region.

 Brian was our driver and did great despite the GPS leading us closer into the center of Paris then he preferred.  We realized after being directed off of the major highway and awhile of  zigzagging us back and forth that the GPS was programmed to a setting to avoid tollways.  After getting stuck in traffic and being set back about an hour we eventually made it to our hotel.  

Once we arrived and checked into our hotel we quickly set out to explore along the coast and to see some of the beaches where D-Day was carried out.  Since the roads are tiny in this area and there were TONS of people and cars in town for the anniversary getting around was a bit difficult.  We got stuck in some traffic jams and turned around to try alternative routes a couple times during the weekend. 

After quite some time in the car we eventually arrived at Omaha Beach.  Omaha Beach was the largest and most intensely fought beach during the invasion on June 6, 1944. As I've sat here now typing and deleting for awhile I've realized it is because there really is no way to put the experience into words.  Even being there it was hard to imagine what took place under the ground we were standing on.  I am not going to give a history lesson of all that I learned while in Normandy because it was way more than I ever learned in school but all I can say is that I think everyone should visit here because it is truly powerful.  After being there I've never felt prouder to be an American or more grateful for the sacrifices made by thousands of brave young men.  They fought for their lives and many to their deaths to achieve freedom. 

Omaha Beach

Memorials and flowers dedicated to the fallen...

 Walking down to the beach...

 

 Omaha Beach stretches 6 miles along the Normandy Coast...

Most of our time on the beach was spent like this...

Reflecting...

Many men army crawled across this sand...

Others lay dead or wounded  on what became called "blood beach" as the red stained water washed over them.

Below is standing on the beach and looking up towards where we first came down.  This was the view the soldiers had when they came ashore by boat.  They were aiming to make their way up the hill running directly into enemy eyes and thousands straight into their deaths.  The land is very uneven in spots and a lot of it comes from craters caused by many bombs and explosions. 

As it was getting later the sun began to set, another moment to moving to describe while standing there on those grounds.

Such a beautiful natural memorial on the eve of the 70th Anniversary of the attacks.  I don't think it was coincidence...

That night we watched synchronized fireworks displays that that were shot off from spots staggered all the way down the beaches as far as we could see.  (Think they were shot from around 20 locations along the coast).

  

Day 2:  We started each morning with a bakery stop for delicious french pastries and even picked up some baguette sandwiches to have along for later in the day.  So yummy! 

On the actual 70th Anniversary, June 6th, the major sites in Normandy were pretty much impossible to get to.  Major security was in force blocking roads, and helicopters flew overhead while Obama, Queen Elizabeth II (and other members of the Royal Family), Putin and various other important world leaders were on site.  We did visit a museum called Memorial de Caen. Which had very interesting D-Day history. 

After the museum and since everything was pretty much on lock down still we took the rest of the day to drive about another hour to see one of the places on Brian's list, Mont Saint-Michel. This is a very unique island community where when the tide comes in it almost fully surrounded by water (except for one road going in and out). The focal point of the tiny island is a large Abbey built on top. As of 2009 the island had a population of 44 people living on it. Here it is in the distance.

And closer up...

We happened to be there during low tide so didn't actually get to see the water surrounding it but that meant we could walk out on the sand in front.  If you take a close look you can see the village which is along the lower part surrounding the Abbey.

We wandered through the tiny village streets, checked out some shops and finished with some drinks before leaving.  What a cool place to see!

 

On our way back through the countryside we happened to see a sheep dog rounding up sheep for the night.  It was pretty interesting to see so we pulled over and got out to watch.

 Notice the dog in the below left picture, and on the right moving them through the gate where they eventually crossed a road to the barn...

 

Day 3:  We started out the day going to the Overlord Museum where we learned more history and even saw some of the boats used during the D-Day landings.  Here we are before entering by some old WWII jeeps.  There were lots of these all over throughout the weekend that people were driving around.  

Next we visited the American Cemetery and Memorial...

 The bodies of over 9000 fallen American men rest here just beyond the hill overlooking Omaha Beach...

Another 1557 names of those who were never located or identified are inscribed inside the Memorial...

We saw a handful of D-Day veterans throughout the anniversary weekend and everyone was so in awe to see them and thank them for their service.  We witnessed a few tears among some of the men during an incredibly emotional weekend for them.  Unbelievable to think that most of these men are in their 90's and what they've been through...

Wreath laid the day before by President Barack Obama,

 

Next we visited Pointe Du Huc.  These are the sheer 100 foot cliffs between Omaha and Utah Beach in which a group of American Rangers scaled up the walls in combat to fight the Germans on the morning of June 6th, 1944.  Here you can actually see some of the barbwire that the Germans had snarled along the coast which is still there today 70 years later.  

 

There were memorial ceremonies going on all weekend and we just happened to arrive just when one was about to begin here. There was a group from the U.S. Air Force and we noticed Secret Service men there as well because there were some very highly ranked officers on site. Before the ceremony started it was pretty cool because a Vet and his wife arrived with family in wheelchairs from a path that was blocked off by a gate so some of the Air Force men lifted them up (wheelchairs and all) over the gate. They were then wheeled right up for front row seats.

The ceremony was ended with the U.S. Air Force Band playing Taps and a 4 plane military flyover...

Next we went to the tiny village of Saint Mere Eglise.  This is where one of the paratroopers who jumped from a plane during the air invasions got caught hanging by his parachute on the steeple of this church when he came down.  He ended up living through the war and during the 70th Anniversary weekend we saw a dummy hanging on the church in honor of his heroic efforts.

This town was packed full of people! Like most of Normandy and various small villages there were lots of celebrations and events going on, it was bigger then the 4th of July at home!

 There were flags everywhere throughout the weekend, even saw this balloon launch which was pretty neat...

Finally on the last day we were able to get some great pictures of the poppies we had been seeing in the fields throughout Normandy.  Poppies became a symbol of remembrance among the Commonwealth countries after World War I.  The red color is meant to symbolize the blood shed by those who've died in the line of duty.  They also bloomed across some of the worse battlefields, coincidentally they also bloom in the fields of Normandy.     

Unforgettable experience... 

June 6, 1944 **70th Anniversary**June 6, 2014