Sept. 2 Normandy - Part One

Our final tour day, and the whole purpose of this cruise, was our long-awaited visit to the Normandy beaches.  For purposes of clarity, I will break each visit down as best I can. Because of time constraints (that is becoming an on-going theme) we could not visit each landing beach. We did have Utah and Omaha beaches on the itinerary because of the significance of each to the success of the invasion.

We arrived early in port. I was on another cruise critic tour - this one with Overlord tours. We were to be in a bus for 8 and 2 buses were scheduled to be in caravan. However, at the last min. Overlord decided to combine the groups and we were in 1 bus. Overlord was highly recommended on Cruise Critic.

Our guide was Stehpan and he has been a guide in Normandy for over 8 years. He was extremely knowledgeable. He is an ex marine in the French military.  He planned for us to drive to the furthest beach which was Utah beach. He said it was a 2.5 hour drive. I had NO idea the beaches were that far from the Le Harve port where the Princess was docked. Time for a short nap while refineries and industrial areas passed us by.

Just before our arrival at Utah Beach, we passed a spillway. In 1944, the Germans used this to flood the area for protection against a possible invasion. Soldiers would have to march for miles in knee deep water.

The spillway that the Germans used to flood the lowlands.

UTAH BEACH

When we arrived at Utah Beach I was struck with the peacefulness of the area. Not true so many years ago. The beach is wide and flat. The tide was out. The sun was shining and the sky so blue - this too was the same as June 6, 1944.

Utah Beach at low tide

Utah Beach was chosen in order to secure the Cherbourg port which has a large natural harbor. The allied Armies would need this harbor for bringing in supplies for the march to Germany. The fight at Omaha Beach was met with little resitance from the German army. The allied forces suffered only 250 deaths.

Bunker on top right of photo - Utah Beach

U.S. and French flags flying over Utah Beach

Carlos at monument to U.S. Navy at Utah Beach

Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.

At 44 years of age, he was the only general to land with his troops at Utah Beach. He was first off his landing craft and found they were 1 mile up the coast. He personally did a reconnaissance of the area and determined they would start the invasion "from here". He is a medal of honor winner and died of a heart attack in July 1944. He is buried in the cemetery of Collesville.

STE MARE EGLISE

Our paratroopers were being dropped all over the area in a surprise attack against the Germans. However, winds wrecked havoc on them and so many were lost. Some landed behind enemy lines. Others died landing in water. One landed on the steeple of the church of Ste Mare Eglise. This is commemorated at the church with a parachute and mannequin hanging from the steeple. Private John Steele's chute caught on the steeple. He was knocked unconscience for about 2 hours. There were 2 German soldiers stationed on the balcony of the church just above Steele. When Steele regained consciencenous, he was shot at by the Germans. But the older of the two decided not to keep up the shooting for fear it would give away their position to the advancing Americans. John was eventually captured and suffered several broken bones. He escaped captivity and returned to fight another day. He died in 1969.

Steeple of the Church of Ste Mare Iglise

Note balcony where chute is secured.  This is location of two German's that were shooting at Steele

rung in fence where bullet pierced steel

PONTE DU HOC



This is a very moving and visual battlefield. The mission was to take out the large 155 mm guns. They were perched atop a 100 ft cliff. Bombing by the U.S. Air Force began the day before in order to soften up the German defenders. Also the battleship TEXAS was offshore providing support to the 225 U.S. Rangers who were picked for the mission commanded by James Rudder. When an intelligence officer was asked if the Rangers could climb the cliff, he stated that 3 old women with brooms could knock them off. But Rudder told Gen Bradley that his rangers could handle the mission. And handle it they did, but after suffering terrible casualties. Of the 225 only about 90 survived the 2-day battle.

first sight of bombed out cliff area defended by the Germans

our guide giving us visual as to width and depth bomb cratrer

cliffs that Rangers scaled

another view of the cliffs

bunker and foundation for the big 155 mm gun

Carlos looking out to sea

another view of the rugged terrain captured by the Rangers

bunker overlookibng the sea - what a vantage point the Germans had from here

To be continued with Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery