No yard work today. We set off "early" (9am) for the D-day beaches and spent the entire day up north. (As most of you know, I was born in Omaha and currently live in Utah so it's pretty awesome that both American beaches bear those names!)
Our first stop was St. Mere Eglise...one of the first cities liberated in the invasion. Paratroopers flew in from above, and many died doing so because they'd get caught on poles/trees and get shot at before they could get free. One paratrooper got caught on the spire of the town church. He hung there for two hours, pretending to be dead, before the Germans captured him. There is a fake soldier hanging from the church today. It's pretty cool! There is also a really nice stain glass window in the church that honors the soldiers that freed the town.
We went to Utah Beach next which is one of the two American D-day beaches. There was a monument for each branch of the military. We walked down to the beach and imagined coming ashore with bullets and bombs flying everywhere. What a sight it would have been!
We drove to Pointe du Hoc which is in between Utah and Omaha Beach. It is up on a cliff and was a strategic location for the Germans. They had perfect aim at both beaches which is why it needed to be seized before the Americans arrived on those beaches. The German's didn't think that it could ever be taken or even challenged because the cliffs were so steep. They never anticipated an attack there, but around 300 US soldiers climbed up the cliffs using rope ladders borrowed from the London Fire Dept to seize the location/guns at Pointe du Hoc. They had to stay hidden and protected for a few days until back up arrived. Only 90 Americans survived. At Pointe du Hoc today, there are dozens of crater holes from bombs (Pointe du Hoc was attacked by air before being attacked on the ground) as well as the German bunkers/batteries from Hitler's Atlantic Wall. We could see where machines guns would be and once again try to imagine battle in such a beautiful place.
Our last and final stop was at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. We passed through security and looked around the visitor's center/museum. We watched a 15 minute movie about soldiers and the letters they were writing to home. The movie told stories about specific soldiers and there not so happy endings for them and their families. We read through the WWII timeline in the museum, and then headed outside. There is a huge memorial with a 22 foot statue, "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves," facing the headstones. All 9,387 of them. The cemetery covers 172 acres with beautiful gardens, thousands of headstones, and the memorial. It was absolutely beautiful! The rows of crosses went on forever with an occasional Star of David. In the visitor's center, there were plaques telling stories of specific soldiers, and they gave their headstone location (plot, row, and grave numbers). We were able to find a Medal of Honor stone, the brothers, that the movie Saving Private Ryan is based on, buried side by side, and Theodore Roosevelt's son's grave (also a Medal of Honor). It was peaceful, and one could spend hours roaming through the rows and rows of soldiers. I think our favorite part was the quote on the wall as we were leaving the visitor's center:
"If ever proof were needed that we fought for a cause and not for conquest, it could be found in these cemeteries. Here was our only conquest: All we asked...was enough soil in which to bury our gallant dead."
General Mark W Clark
Chairman, American Battle Monuments Commission, 1969-1984
I never thought about that. These were Americans freeing FRANCE. They didn't know any of the people here. They had no reason to save them. They were fighting for us, you know? They gave up their future so that we could have ours. The sacrifice, commitment, bravery, and courage that the soldiers had was just unimaginable. I can't fathom it.
We walked down to Omaha Beach and were able to more easily "see" the boats carrying soldiers coming ashore. A story from my aunt (I hope she doesn't mind me sharing!):
"My dad was the capitan of a supply ship, and arrived at the beachhead a couple of days after D-Day. He told a story I never forgot, and that really came alive for me when I lived on the English Channel coast where the tide goes out for about a mile and a half leaving a long stretch of shallow water. As his ship approached the docking location he saw the hand of a soldier sticking up above the water and swaying in the waves. That was quite a dose of reality for a 23-year-old from Ogden. I can't begin to imagine how far away from home he felt that day."
The things I learned about in European history were actual events. Real people. Real places. I got to see that today! I'll never forget today's visit, and I hope that everyone can go and appreciate what the soldiers did for France as well as us during WWII. It makes you so patriotic. I'm so proud to be an American!
We came home to make Roger dinner. Rice pilaf, salmon (cod for him), and steamed veggies. I thought the fish was good, but it's hard to mess up salmon. It's my favorite. Dad and I stopped at the store to buy a dessert for tonight, and we found a thing with flan, eclairs, a macaroon, and an apple tart for just 5 euros. So we bought it, and I cut each dessert into enough pieces to share amongst us. We enjoyed tasting all the different desserts. My favorite was the eclair, but Roger and Dad's favorite was the macaroon!
Tomorrow, dad and I are free from the confines of Roger and his yard work. We are off to explore Paris and go where we want, when we want, and how we want. Our first stop is church near Paris where we will surprise my favorite cousin that is on his mission. I can't wait. I have no idea what his reaction will be. We have to leave at 7 am so we're in for an early morning, but I think it will be worth it. Au revoir Normandy, Bonjour Paris!!!
Shout out to my brother, Alex...I turn on the radio every once in a while hoping to find a song being sung in English. Today, dad and I drive trough France listening to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. So fitting ;)
We both have learned many things on this workaway. Patience. TOLERANCE. How to bite our tongues. Service. Cooking. Cleaning. French/English customs/traditions. Etc. Etc. Though dad may not have seen the point in this, he worked hard and definitely earned his stay as much as I did. He did not come to work in France. He came to be with me and see Paris...so the next 5 days will just be AWESOME! We are excited!!
 |
| St Mere Eglise Stained Glass Window |
 |
| In proud remembrance of the achivements of her sons and in humble tribute to their sacrifices this memorial has been erected by the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
 |
| Pointe du Hoc |
 |
| Bomb crater |
 |
| Machine gun was here. (Not referring to dad) |
 |
| View from Pointe du Hoc |
 |
| Omaha Beach...view from the cemetery |
 |
| Inside a bunker at Utah Beach |
 |
| Me at Utah Beach |
 |
| A TANK |
 |
| <3 |
 |
| Pointe du Hoc |
 |
| Outside of where a machine gun was |
 |
| View from Pointe du Hoc |
 |
| USA USA! |
 |
| Omaha Beach |
 |
| Paratrooper on St Mere Eglise |
 |
| USA |
That must have been a really humbling experience. So amazing to be able to actually SEE the place instead of just reading about it. Have fun surprising Chad. It will be fun to read about his reaction.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing songs in English on my mission and it was always a welcomed tune. It just so happens you guys got to hear the best song ever created. After all these years I'm still trying to convince dad that Metallica has some good songs.
ReplyDeleteDad said, "Well, it was one of the best ENGLISH songs we heard. " I, on the other hand, was singing out loud and trying my hardest to not crank up the volume and rock out. It was hard, but I contained myself.
ReplyDelete