Normandy Beaches - a patriotic day

Normandy Beaches * St. Mere Eglise, Pont Du Hoc * Omaha Beach * American Cemetary

We haven't hired many private guides or tours for this adventure, but this was one day we really wanted to understand the history of June 6, 1944, so we hired Lucie Hoffman for the day.  She did such a great job bringing the events of Operation Overlord (Normandy Invasion) to life, especially for the kids.  We started at Saint Mere-Eglise, which was appropriate since it was this city that saw the first soldiers of the battle, the paratroopers, who came in on planes and gliders in the middle of the night.  Because of an unrelated house fire near the church in the this town, many paratroopers were dropped right into the middle of town.  Because the Germans were awake with the sound of the fire half the paratroopers were killed in the sky before even landing.  One landed right on the steeple of the church and faked dead for 2 hours before he was rescued and captured by Germans.  We visited the museum in this town and went inside a glider (called flying coffins by the soldiers).

After Saint Mere-Eglise we went to Pont Du Hoc where the Rangers were charged with scaling a 100 ft cliff and destroying german guns with a 15 mile range.  When the Rangers arrived their ropes with grappling hooks were too heavy with water to shoot to the top of the cliff.  Miraculously one Ranger made it to the top using sharp tools on the edge of the cliff then helped his mates up.  140 out of 225 Rangers made it to the top of the cliff.  For the next 2 - 3 days the Rangers fought the Germans (250) in a fight to the death with no reinforcements.  They killed every last German.  90 Rangers survived.  We went in the German bunkers, saw the turrets for the guns, and the pill boxes that were never used.  The Germans had moved their guns to safety from Pont Du Hoc to build more protected pill boxes for them - when the Rangers arrived, they found decoy guns (large tree trunks) covered in camouflage.  Good news for the troops on Utah and Omaha beaches, but unfortunate for he Rangers who lost many lives fighting over decoy guns.

Next we went to Omaha Beach.  We approached the beach from the street Easy Company would have used to exit the beach.  Omaha, although ultimately successful, was the worst battle fought that day losing over 3000 soldiers by mid-day.  Measures to prepare the beach for the landing had failed, because of high winds, bombs had missed their mark, because of high seas tanks to destroy the mines on the beach had sunk.  Soldiers arrived in 7 minute increments unprotected and like sitting ducks on an open beach exposed to German fire.  It took the Allies until 12:00 noon to secure the beach and then another 6 hours to travel up the access roads from the beach to the town.  (Probably 1 km).  Our guide drew the battle plan in the sand as we 

looked out onto the peaceful beach and tried to imagine what it could have been like on that fateful day.

Finally we ended up at the American Cemetery where 9000 soldiers from WWII are buried (not all from the battle of Normandy).  The entire day was very moving and made us all realize the great sacrifice others have made for our freedoms.  It was a great 4th of July.

Eric and I finally got our anniversary date tonight.  We took the kids to the grocery store so they could pick out their dinner - frozen pizza, fruit and whipped cream and a French cookie.  Eric and I went to a nice French restaurant in town and had the best meal of our trip - with dessert!  Tender meats (lamb and pork) with yummy sauces and perfectly cooked vegetables.  Fresh salad with warm goat cheese on the side.  Dark chocolate cake and apple pastry with ice cream.  Yum!  We might need to celebrate another occasion soon and leave the kids home.  

St Mere-Eglise

bunkers on Pont du Hoc

Omaha Beach