Normandy

Normandy was an amazing place for us. It was beautiful, serine, and haunting. We learned a piece of American history that we never knew before, and it was taught to us from a French man that intertwined the history of France though World Wars I and II with American history. 

It was an emotional day. The cemetery flies the American Flag but it is on French land. The French care for the cemetery like it was their own because they honor those that lost their lives for both countries.

Omaha Beach, where the Americans landed on D-Day, is a beautiful beach that spans well more than a mile long.  It is totally unprotected. It is amazing that our troops made it up the hill. there was a tremendous amount of strategy to make D-Day and the days that followed successful.  Being on the beach brings the reality of the events into a clear focus. 

 

The memorial features maps of the invasion at Normandy featuring the routes of  the American, British and Canadian attack forces. 

We are not big museum people but the Museum at Normandy is phenomenal.  It's collection of war memorabilia, equipment, photographs and letters is so touching and sad.  Yet, it made us proud of the young men that fought the war.

So glad we made this trip.  The history lesson was important.