Advertisement
Utah Beach
Mom sitting on gun turretToday we left our hotel earlier since it was Sunday thinking that the WWII sites around the beaches of Normandy might be busy. It was a very interesting day today. We first went to Pointe du Hoc where the US Rangers silenced the German gun battery by climbing a 100 ft. high cliff in the face of German machine gun fire. Of the 225 soldiers that assaulted the cliff only 90 were fit to fight after 1 ½ days. They still managed to keep control and push the Germans inland. The landscape was what you might think the moon would look, with big craters caused by bombs from planes and artillery fire from ships. Even with the pictures I took it is hard to imagine the devastation there. There were still bunkers and barbed wire there although we thought some of the barbed wire had been replaced.
From there we went to Sainte-Mere-Eglise where the 82nd Airborne landed. In the movie The Longest Day, a paratrooper get caught on a church steeple. Many people thought this was added to the movie for interest (like they always do with movies). However, this event really happened. The man’s was Pvt. John Steele
Le Roosevelt Cafe
This is the actual bunker (Red Buttons in the movie). At that church they have a replica of Pvt. Steele and his parachute hanging from the steeple. Because it was Sunday there was a service going on buy we did get to go in the church once it was over. The stained glass window is a tribute to the paratroopers. If you look closely to the picture you will see them. Unfortunately for the paratroopers of the 82nd a house caught on fire and the entire community came out to put the fire out - ringing the church bells to alert the town. This also brought out the Germans that were stationed in the houses there….just at the moment the paratroopers were landing. Many paratroopers were shot while they were still in the air. One of them actually landed on the burning house and died there. Pvt. Steele hung on the church steeple for a day and was injured but was taken prisoner by the Germans and came back for the 50th anniversary of the landing.
This is the place where we were supposed to have lunch but if you read my earlier posts Larry and Mom are on a hunger strike. I did
Communications bunker
As it was 65 years ago find a pastry shop and had an apple something or other. Larry brought bread from breakfast and I bought him a Coke. It was one of the cheapest we got….$2.00 a bottle!
From there we went to Utah Beach where Brg. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt (son of President Roosevelt) landed 2 miles from where he was supposed to with his company. He said (famously) “Its not where we are supposed to be but we are going to start the war from here.” He found a way inland to face the Germans,took the beachhead, and was awarded a Medal of Honor. The neatest thing there was the German communication bunker which the Americans took intact and used it immediately to communicate with their people. What was so interesting about this is it has been completely preserved just as it was that day and a café was built on to the front of it and is opened to this day. It is called Le Roosevelt Café. They have let all the soliders that have visited there over the years sign the walls and leave a message about that day in history. They even have mannequins in place in the bunker just like
Old Picture from cafe
Soldiers actuallly sitting against the bunker it would have been back in 1944.
Our next stop was the Normandy American Military cemetery which overlooks Omaha Beach. Some of the people with our group walked clear down to the beach. When we left there we went to ridge over the beach called DeLongues-Sur-Mer where the Germans built bunkers. They thought they couldn’t be touched but they were wrong….again.
We then went to Omaha Beach - first to see a couple of monuments, then drove along the beach. The problem with this beach was the the amount of obstacles on the beach (put there by the Germans), The long climb up the hill to reach the Germans(while they were shooting), and the expanse which we didn’t expect. We also got to see the ruins of the artificial harbors which was the first time such a feat was attempted and was very innovative at the time. These harbours were built in England and dragged across the channel all while the fighting was going on at the beaches all around. They sunk 15 old ships to create a breakwater, then pulled the concrete and steel harbours into place. It is very difficult to understand unless you have seen
Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Look for the paratrooper on the steeple the site and the model demonstrations they have in the museum. There were two sets of articficial harbours - one at Omaha and one a Arromoches. Only the one at Arromoches became operational because of terrible storms, however it was the reason we were able to get equipment and supplies to our troops.
We were to eat our dinner there at Arromoches but some of us decided to come back to the McDonald’s near the hotel. What an experience!! Larry and our new friend john went to the counter to order while Janice and I found a table. The place was packed! John ordered first and asked for a double cheeseburger and Le M (French Big Mac). Do you want menu (which means the meal deal)? John said two (and put up 2 fingers). When the boy returned with the tray it had two sandwiches, two fries and one coke - it came to $10.80. John said “Where’s my other Coke”? - Boy “ But you only paid for one” - john - But I want two” - Boy - “then you will have to pay more money” Okay says John. The boy turns around and has two more
Paratrooper
Better look at the paratrooper that landed on the church steeple sandwiches and one more coke - “Than will be $10.80” “For a Coke” - John says. “ For Le Menu.” - Finally Larry told John that we would eat the other sandwiches and he would order cokes for us….just more fuel for the fire that the French don’t like Americans and don’t really try to communicate. Now we aren’t the only ones that feel this way. We have talked to lots of people - Larry can talk to anyone. A guy and his wife from Belguim said the same thing. When Larry asked one woman in a shop if she spoke English she said “A little” - He husband promptly said “NO!” Oh well you just had to be there to really enjoy the McDonalds thing. We have concluded that in Europe they all order the menu (meal deal) because it really throws them if you want just a sandwich. None of these place advertise just the cost of the sandwich…actually it is very hard to find a menu at all…mostly you just have the pictures and prices of the meal deals and nothing else. They do have some pretty good McFlurries though - our favorite was a Mandel….chocolate with
Stained Glass Window
Look for the paratroopers Almonds and chocolate pieces. Oh well as John said while we were walking back to the hotel….”At least if I can get to the US I can read a menu, place an order and understand the language”.
We surely have met some nice people on this trip…and I think some we will remain in contact with. It has been enlightening.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.51s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 12; qc: 56; dbt: 0.1564s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Erin
non-member comment
Thank you for blogging about the travels, it's been great to follow along! Can't wait to see you back home and hear more about it. I'm so glad you were able to go---sounds like an amazing trip.