Sept. 2 Omaha Beach and American Cemetery at Normandy

OMAHA BEACH

After leaving Pont du Hoc we traveled a few miles to Omaha Beach. Our guide, Stephan, said he found it was interesting that the planners of the invasion decided to name Omaha Beach, which is rugged, after an area in the U.S. he thinks of as flat and that Utah Beach is named after an area in the States that is more rugged terrain but the actual beach area is flat. I had never thought of it that way. I wonder if the powers that were in 1944 had a reason. Did they see the dichotomy?

Omaha beach was the direct opposite of Utah beach. The beach was not that wide, there was more greenery and houses were built into the cliffs. The landing was more difficult. There were more German defenders and we paid a very high price for that patch of land - 2,374 of our bravest and mostly young men died that day.

Sign at entrance to Omaha Beach

A view at the cliffs at Omaha Beach

Their landing craft first hit sandbars and they were under heavy fire. Some of the landing craft dropped the door only to find on the other side of the bar they were in very deep water. Many soldiers drowned.

You can see the remnants of a gun bunker high on the hill and imagine the bullets raining down on soldiers struggling in the surf.

Gun bunker high on the hillside

Omaha Beach did not have the visual effect of Pont du Hoc. No craters, no gun turrets. You were left to your imagination of what happened using old films like "The Longest Day" as your point of reference. I could only imagine the fear our young men faced. So many of them met their Maker on June 6, 1944. The U.S. 1st Division took the high ground on which the cemetery stands. They suffered tremendous losses, but secured the area before the day ended!

AMERICAN CEMETERY

As I walked down the long pathway toward the cemetery, I remembered the scene in "Saving Pvt. Ryan" when the older Ryan is walking down towards the graves. How many wives, sons and daughters have walked that same path to visit the remains of a loved one? I personally did not know anyone who died on D-Day.  But I wanted to make this trip in honor of my father who was a true patriot.  He enlisted in WWII at the age of 41, leaving Mother at home with 9 children.  The sadness can overwhelm you.

I was struck by the physical beauty of the area. It is so well maintained. Even the trees were pruned to look like (to me) sentries standing their duty. Not like Gettysburg where old trees are called "witness trees". But rather new, young, standing tall in honor of those buried here. In one area I captured the U.S. flag flying proudly.

View from the entrance

The first thing you come to is the main monument entitled: "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves". It is a semicircle of columns with a statue in the middle. The inner walls are lined with details of the landing.

Carlos in front of the bronze statue

"The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves" 

One of the inscriptions on the statue:  IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER SONS AND IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THEIR SACRIFICES THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

We left the monument area to proceed down to the English Channel and to the gravesites. Here we encountered a map of the area depicting the battle areas. It overlooked the channel.

Looking out to sea from cemetery

D-Day Invasion Map

We finally arrived at the gravesites. Carlos and I started to walk the many paths to the different sections. The sadness was palpable. So many of our brave soldiers gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. I recalled to mind something John Finn had said to our son Chuck. John, up until this summer, was the oldest living Medal of Honor winner from Pearl Harbor. He put it so simply when questioned why he did what he did on Dec. 7, 1941. "I was just a soldier doing my job". How many of the 9,387 buried here felt that
same emotion as John Finn?

The simple white stones are lined up in military precision. So many of them. They are enscribed with name, home state, rank, division, and date of death. There are even unknown soldiers buried here.

One of many Unknown Soldier crosses

Teddy Roosevelt Jr. is buried here as well as 2 of the Niland brothers from Saving Private Ryan movie.

General who landed with his troops at Utah Beach

First of 3 Niland brothers killed on D-Day

Second Niland brother whose story inspired the movie "Saving Pvt. Ryan"

We walked for about 30 minutes up and down the rows. There are flowers planted everywhere. I saw mostly roses and heather. So pretty.

peaceful setting under a tree

one of many heather beds

Carlos overlooking graves with English Channel in background

A peaceful setting

Our final stop was the chapel. It was small but said so much. The dome is a mosaic.  It symbolizes America blessing sons as they depart by sea and air to fight for freedom, and a grateful France bestowing a laurel wreath upon American Dead who gave their lives to liberate Europe's oppressed peoples. The return of peace is recalled by the angel, dove and the homeward bound ship.

Dome of the Chapel

Simple yet beautiful

On our walk back to the coach, Carlos spent a few seconds at each grave along the way, saying out loud the name on the tombstone and the state from which he hailed. He said he was struck with the thought that some of those names may not have been said out loud since the day they were buried here, some 66 years ago.

We left The Cemetery for our long drive back to the ship. All of us were left with our personal thoughts about D-Day. I think what Lincoln said at Gettysburg could be superimposed on any wall here at Normandy.
".... we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men....who struggled here, have consecrated it,..... but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us....for which they gave the last full measure of devotion...that these dead shall not have died in vain...."

Another item checked off my bucket list. But I promise myself I will return one day. To each of my children, please make sure you too visit Normandy. Encourage your children to do the same, ......lest we forget.


Footnote to tour - NOT ENOUGH TIME. One could easily spend the whole day here in the cemetery.