Once D and I realized that we would be on the continent for awhile, we knew that we wanted to visit the WWII site of Normandy. For those that don’t know, Normandy is the location where allied troops started the campaign to take back Western Europe from the Nazis with an amphibious attack across the channel from England to France. After our time in Ypres (the WWI site of first conflict between the British and Germans) we knew that it would be an unforgettable experience.
A brief history lesson: During the Second World War, the Allies coordinated a massive build-up of troops and supplies, to support a large-scale invasion of Normandy in the D-Day landings under the code name Operation Overlord. Germans were dug into fortified emplacements above the beaches. Caen, Cherbourg, Carentan, Falaise and other Norman towns endured many casualties in the Battle of Normandy, which continued until the closing of the so-called Falaise gap between Chambois and Montormel, then liberation of Le Havre. This led to the restoration of the French Republic, and a significant turning point in the war.
The five beaches chosen for the invasion – dubbed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword – are along the Calvados Coast, to either side of the french city Arromanches. Preparations started in mid-1943, and British shipyards worked furiously through the following winter and spring building two artificial harbors (called Mulberries), boats, and landing equipment. The operation was originally scheduled to take place on June 5, but poor weather caused it to be postponed for a day. The British troops that landed on Sword, Juno, and Gold quickly pushed inland and joined with parachute regiments that had been dropped behind the German lines. US forces met with far tougher opposition on Omaha and Utah beaches, however, and it took them six days to secure their positions and meet the other Allied forces.
The day was gorgeous and we started at the American Cemetary just on the cliffs overlooking Omaha beach. Again, the beauty of the beaches and the surrounding countryside stood in stark relief to the horror that had taken place here. We walked down to the beach and couldn’t help but see the comparison with the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Very surreal.
Next we ventured out to Pointe du Hoc, which is a truly remarkable place. The site was given to the Americans in the 1970’s to be preserved as a memorial site and was dedicated by President Reagan on the 40th anniversary in 1983. What makes it so special is that it has been virtually untouched since the end of the war. Pointe du Hoc was important to the Germans because they had built, as part of the Atlantic Wall, six casemates to house a battery of captured French 155mm guns. With Pointe Du Hoc situated between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east, these guns threatened Allied landings on both beaches, risking heavy casualties in the landing forces.
The Army Rangers from the 2nd Ranger Battalion were responsible for taking this strategic position, which required scaling the steep cliffs, only to discover once they reached the top that the guns they came to destroy had been moved inland 2 days earlier. They quickly discovered their location and destroyed them. The most costly part of the mission was holding the position for an additional 2 days before reinforcements could come.
It was eerie walking in, around and through German built fortifications at this location. I was grateful to do it because it was a chance to reach back into history and have a taste of what this place meant to both sides in their struggle to hold it – seeing what the conditions might have been like. The absolute darkness of the casements was too spooky. Again, the stunning beauty was jarring. D and I talked about how important places like this are to help us remember what is important and the price paid to achieve it. D wondered aloud if people would still come and remember the brave men who died here (and why they died) in 50 years when there wouldn’t be a person (grandfather) that they knew personally. I hope so. It is a moving place. The impact it had on us is difficult to put into words. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this place and proud of our country and the part we played in serving freedom and justice.
The five beaches chosen for the invasion – dubbed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword – are along the Calvados Coast, to either side of the french city Arromanches. Preparations started in mid-1943, and British shipyards worked furiously through the following winter and spring building two artificial harbors (called Mulberries), boats, and landing equipment. The operation was originally scheduled to take place on June 5, but poor weather caused it to be postponed for a day. The British troops that landed on Sword, Juno, and Gold quickly pushed inland and joined with parachute regiments that had been dropped behind the German lines. US forces met with far tougher opposition on Omaha and Utah beaches, however, and it took them six days to secure their positions and meet the other Allied forces.
The day was gorgeous and we started at the American Cemetary just on the cliffs overlooking Omaha beach. Again, the beauty of the beaches and the surrounding countryside stood in stark relief to the horror that had taken place here. We walked down to the beach and couldn’t help but see the comparison with the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Very surreal.
Next we ventured out to Pointe du Hoc, which is a truly remarkable place. The site was given to the Americans in the 1970’s to be preserved as a memorial site and was dedicated by President Reagan on the 40th anniversary in 1983. What makes it so special is that it has been virtually untouched since the end of the war. Pointe du Hoc was important to the Germans because they had built, as part of the Atlantic Wall, six casemates to house a battery of captured French 155mm guns. With Pointe Du Hoc situated between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east, these guns threatened Allied landings on both beaches, risking heavy casualties in the landing forces.
The Army Rangers from the 2nd Ranger Battalion were responsible for taking this strategic position, which required scaling the steep cliffs, only to discover once they reached the top that the guns they came to destroy had been moved inland 2 days earlier. They quickly discovered their location and destroyed them. The most costly part of the mission was holding the position for an additional 2 days before reinforcements could come.It was eerie walking in, around and through German built fortifications at this location. I was grateful to do it because it was a chance to reach back into history and have a taste of what this place meant to both sides in their struggle to hold it – seeing what the conditions might have been like. The absolute darkness of the casements was too spooky. Again, the stunning beauty was jarring. D and I talked about how important places like this are to help us remember what is important and the price paid to achieve it. D wondered aloud if people would still come and remember the brave men who died here (and why they died) in 50 years when there wouldn’t be a person (grandfather) that they knew personally. I hope so. It is a moving place. The impact it had on us is difficult to put into words. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this place and proud of our country and the part we played in serving freedom and justice.
1 comment:
I really enjoyed reading about your "day at the beach." Not a typical day at the beach, eh?
I pray that people will still be visiting places like that in 50 years. It is so important to remember the sacrifices that others made so we might be "free".
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