This year marks the 80th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 D-Day landing of the Allied Forces in Normandy. It’s remembered as the beginning of the end of the German occupation in Western Europe but also as one of the single worst days for American military losses, with more than 2,500 soldiers killed.
I always wanted to visit the WWII areas of Normandy, so my wife and I boarded a ship out of Portsmouth, England, and crossed the English Channel to France as they did in 1944 to have a look. We rented a car and apartment in Bayeux and set aside 10 days to explore. Having read several books on the history of Operation Overlord, we were ready and eager to reenact as much as possible. Fortunately, it was the January off-season and we had the place to ourselves. What a fantastic experience that met or surpassed all expectations.
The two takeaways for me post visit were how little the environment had changed over the 8o years and my own realization, in some small sense of the amount of courage and fortitude the G. I’s had back in 1944 to take those beaches and subsequently the rest of France.
Whether it be the bluffs at Omaha or Utah Beaches, the bomb craters at Pont de Hoc, or the hedgerows as you push in from the coast, it all pretty much looks as it did in 1944. It’s still very rural and there is a genuine air of respect and remembrance throughout for what transpired there 80 years ago. The towns of Sainte-Mere-Eglise and Bayeux seem frozen in time and supported by a plethora of then-and-now photos of streets, buildings, or landmarks. Our chateau in Bayeux was next to the restaurant General Eisenhower regularly ate in as his HQ moved forward. The monument to Dick Winters and Easy Company from a skirmish long ago. The rusted Higgins boats and Sherman tanks are all still there.
On courage and fortitude, we were humbled during the visit to the American Cemetery and its acres of white crosses, remembering those who lost their lives. The museum at the cemetery is an outstanding tribute to the fallen, with photos and gear, closely recreating June 6 ++. As a father of three sons who are now the same age as many who took the beaches at Omaha and Utah, you just appreciate how much you owe these men and their sacrifice. While it is not generally known, there is an enormous German war cemetery southeast of Omaha Beach and a fine museum.
Normandy, outside of the landing areas, turned out to be just as wonderful for a vacation. Mont St. Michel, Saint-Malo, and Rouen (where Joan of Arc was executed) provided some of the best experiences we’ve had in France. The hospitality was exceptional and very welcoming.
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