Both visits to Normandy in 2006 with students, and in 2008 with Kathie, the weather was superb unlike it was on June 6th, 1944. Kathie and I was able to stay in Normandy for three days visiting several famous sites.
We stayed two nights in Arromanches. Today it is a thriving seaside town.
Arromanches in 1944 became a British beach head, the first major port for the Allies during WWII and famous for the “Mulberry Harbour.” You can still see the flat bottom barges that were used to bring ships and equipment close to shore.
We were given the attic at ‘Le Mulberry Hotel.’ Our room had a wonderful cross ventilation (no AC here!). Kathie and I soon found out that the curved roof is detrimental to one’s head. Due to the unique architecture of our room, there is a large curtain separating the beds from a very large bathroom–forget about privacy!
We were also right next to a church. I felt like the movie ‘My Cousin Vinny’ when the church bells went off at 7:00 A.M. about twenty-five times everyday. Instant wake-up call! The hotel, more like a pension, did serve the best home-made croissants! The total experence was unique and memorable.
We did see the famous church at Ste.Mere Eglise where a U.S. paratrooper (John Steele) was snagged on the church during the night of June 6, 1944. There is an actual ‘dummy’ hanging showing where John was actually snagged and lived to tell the story.
The weather was beautiful as we walked along Ponte du Hoc were our serviceman climbed the cliffs to take out the German batteries.
Kathie was surprised how large the bomb shell holes are.
I will never forget a French fly-over at Ponte du Hoc in 2006. The plane flew so low and loud it brought people out of the bunkers!
The Normandy village of Longues-sur-Mer still had the large German cannons in the bunkers –it was indeed interesting to someone like me whose dad actually fought in Normandy. Henry Bielicki was part of the 83rd Division, known in history as the Thunderbolt Division. His division landed twelve days after June 6th, 1944, the famous date of the largest amphibious landing in France to conquer Europe back from the Nazi’s. He fought for seven months in the front lines until he was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, December 16th, 1944.
We did visit the town of Port-En-Bessin. Along the way we stopped at another church and the World Peace Statue.
In Port-En-Bessin we saw the huge tide difference much like it is in the Bay of Fundy in Canada. We could not help ourselves to some crepes being made near the harbor side.
Along the coast there are places which honor our troops at Omaha Beach. In the 2006 student trip we stopped at one place and I took these two pics”
The American Cemetery at Colleville has a new visitors center. It is literally a museum that one can spend hours viewing. We walked the cemetery from one end to the other. Seeing over 9,000 graves is so sad. The cemetery literally overlooks Omaha Beach–peaceful and beautiful with the dark green grass and flowers. It is very quiet except with the birds and falling pine-cones.
We came across a French gardener and started to ask him a question. ‘No English….’ he said. But, when I said ‘Roosevelt,’ he instantly pointed to the area I wanted. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. died on July 12th during the Normandy invasion. He also was given the Medal of Honor. Gen. Roosevelt’s brother, Quentin, who died in W.W.I is buried next to him.
