Paris and the Heart of France
Day 9 D-Day Beaches of Normandy
After a breakfast buffet (included) at our hotel in a luxurious room complete with tapestries, we headed off to see the D-Day beaches. Our first stop was at the German cemetery. We were told we were welcome to stay on the bus if we didn't want to visit it. Our local expert guide explained the grave markers and what all of the symbols and ranking meant. I must I admit I was a little uncomfortable being at the cemetery, especially given how many Allied soldiers, civilians and Jews died or were brutally killed because of Hitler's and Germany's savage aggression.
At the same time, there certainly were German soldiers who fought not because they wanted to, but because the alternative was an immediate bullet in the head.
Thinking about those Germans who died, I was struck that it is far more tragic to die fighting for what you don't believe in, than it is to die fighting for something you do believe in.
We then headed to Sainte-Mère-Église where we ducked inside the church to get out of the wind and rain. Our local guide told us the story of the invasion, and how the underground/resistance had set a fire to distract the Germans and cause them to lift curfew. Two paratroopers landed on top of the church, one was shot dead, the other survived. A stained glass window pays tribute to those brave para-troopers who helped liberate the city. Afterwards we had a few minutes to peek in the Airborne Museum gift shop, and go to the restroom.
Utah Beach was our next stop. We looked at a life-size landing craft sculpture, complete with charging soldiers, before heading down to the beach. Utah Beach was where the first American soldiers landed on June 6, 1944. The weather on D-Day was a lot like the windy and rainy conditions we experienced. In fact, the weather had been so bad, the German command thought it inconceivable that the Allies would attempt an invasion. So on D-Day, many of the German commanders had traveled back to Berlin, or were relaxing further inland.
We had an included sandwich/picnic lunch inside one of the galleries of the Utah Beach D-Day museum, overlooking an original B-26 bomber (one of six in existence worldwide). We had free time to explore the extensive museum, which was built over/around part of a German command bunker. The museum is filled with with many interesting exhibits of stories and artifacts, and includes the only known original Higgins landing craft.
From there we headed to Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Rangers scaled the 100 ft cliffs to destroy/seize the artillery gun positions so that they could not be used to counter-attack Allied forces. The German positions and artillery battery had been relentlessly pounded by naval bombardment. You can see many visible craters around the site. Ironically, the Germans had actually moved and hidden the giant 155 mm guns beforehand. U.S. Ranger discovered the guns and rendered them inoperable by using Thermite grenades. [Note: The History Channel has interviews with the soldiers who disabled the guns.]
At the tip of the Pointe du Hoc, on top of a German defensive position, stands a memorial to the Rangers. The 2nd division of Rangers suffered a 75% casualty rate at D-Day. 77 were killed, 152 were injured and another 38 were missing. One cannot stand at the memorial on Pointe Du Hoc, and not be moved by the bravery, determination and sacrifice by those soldiers to climb those cliffs under fire so they could achieve their objective.
At Omaha beach, our guide shared the story of one of the brave soldiers and how while under fire, he made his way across this open section of beach. We also made a quick stop at the first American cemetery marker.
The most moving part of our day was going to the American Cemetery where some 9,380 are buried, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and following operations. The Walls of the Missing list 1,557 names, with rosettes for those whose remains have since been identified. The cemetery receives over a million visitors each year. As a result, some sections near the memorial are roped off to casual tourists. Other areas at the far end of the cemetery are open to walk through.
Schedule
We walked around and saw the marker for the highest ranking officer in the cemetery, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (son of President Theodore Roosevelt). General Roosevelt volunteered to land with the troops on D-Day. He was the only general on the beach that day and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Many of the landing craft landed far from their intended target, which in some cases was a fortunate thing. Roosevelt had studied the maps and photographs of the area and quickly recognized where they were, and was able to direct troops to get them to their objectives and meeting points.
Another somber and moving moment was when taps was played and the American Flag was lowered at the end of the day. The flag was folded and presented to an American veteran and his family. This simple ceremony honors both those who fought and died, and the sacrifice of their families and loved ones, as well as those who fought and survived. When I looked at the over 9,000 stone crosses, I could not help but think of what is unfortunately stated sometimes too casually, "Freedom is not Free."