The day started off at 8:30am where a group of fifty St. John's students met up to begin our four hour bus ride journey to Normandy. We were provided with a light breakfast and some munchies before we stopped at a rest-stop on the way for lunch. It rained basically the entire way to Normandy and quite a bit while we were there. Despite the fact I was soaking wet and a little cold I did not mind the rain at all. In fact, I think the rain really put things into perspective. During the D-Day attacks and the days following the attacks it rained in Normandy and on the beaches. To imagine soldiers fighting in the rain while carrying pounds of gear really made the rain I was enduring really not see that bad. The rain added to the general mood of the day.
The first stop on our trip was Omaha Beach. Omaha Beach is where the majority of the American Invasion took place on D-Day. The allied invasions of German occupied France took place on five sections of the French Normandy beaches. The beaches were given code names such as Juno, Omaha and Gold just to name a few. After the invasions eventually this became the actual names of the beaches that remain today.
For those that have seen Saving Private Ryan the movie ... we went to the exact spot where the majority of the D-Day beach invasion scene takes place. We had to walk down some steep hills in order to reach the actual beach. As we were walking down my adviser Mike explained these hills were where all the German's were located, shooting down at the American's. They are also the hills the Americans and allies (British, Canadian) had to get up in order to reach the German's. Many Americans climbed these hills exhausted, carrying pounds and pounds of wet gear, being shot at and already wounded. It amazed me there were any survivors of D-Day at all.
With every step I took on this path I imagined what it must have been like to be here for both the Germans and Allies. I pictured what the scene must have looked like below at the beach; mangled bodies, missing limbs, the blue ocean water the color of crimson red blood. To be honest, I cant really imagine what that day must have been like, but I tried my best. I will admit I got choked up a lot throughout the day for many reasons.
First of all, I got emotional imagining what took place on the ground I was walking on. The thousands of American soldiers that died right where I was standing. The bravery of an American solider is like no other. Every inch I walked not only on Omaha Beach, but the path leading up to it I tried to think of all the American lives lost here. Many of the soldiers during WWII were drafted. They had a choice to either go to jail or invade Omaha Beach. Many of those soldiers were younger than me. Younger. Even as I write this Blog post I am getting emotional. These young men were fighting for a cause. They were fighting to free the world and they did it. The majority of them did not live to see what their efforts caused. They did not live to see their family again, Hitler taken down, the World Wars end. They just died on this beach fighting for a cause they may or may not have understood.
The second reason I got very emotional was seeing a lot of older men and women at the American cemetery and wandering the beach. I could not help but wonder why they were here. Were they just tourists like me interested in what took place here? Or did they have a brother, father, cousin or friend that perished here? Were they visiting the site their loved one died at? I spent a lot of my day observing the older folks at Normandy, curious about their story.
The third reason I got very emotional had to do with my Dad and Grandpa's. I am extremely proud to say both of my Grandfathers are Veterans of War and my cousin was also in the Army along with my Dad. My Poppy Chuck and Dad were both really excited and interested to hear I was going to Normandy. Both are extremely interested in War, especially D-Day. I also know my Poppy Ned, my mom's father who has passed away, would have loved to know I went to Normandy as well. Throughout the day every step I took I was also thinking about them too. I greatly wished they could be with me not only to explain certain things that went on during World War II, but also because I knew they would have found it all so fascinating. I made sure to take tons of pictures, every angle of the beach and every view I could possibly think of to share with my Dad and Poppy when I get home.
The last reason I got very emotional throughout the day was because of the realization I came too. I am studying Journalism and Politics in college and in recent months I have realized my own fascination with war and the extreme importance of exposing truths about war. I realized while walking the beaches of Normandy that I have a calling to become a War Correspondent. It is a calling I have always been in touch with, but in recent months it has become more and more real. To walk the grounds of Normandy, reaffirmed my calling.
I am not going to spend too much time on the History of D-Day or Normandy. Many people already know the History behind D-Day... and I am afraid if I try to explain from memory what I know I will get key details mixed up. I would suggest checking out Wikipedia for an explanation on Omaha Beach, D-Day, Operation Overlord and Normandy in general. I read up a lot on D-Day before we went to Normandy and I found Wikipedia the most useful.
Normandy Landings
Operation Overlord
What Does D-Day Mean?
Omaha Beach
Though the hills and brush leading up to Omaha Beach do not look exactly the same as they did the day of the attack, they look rather similar. Nature has taken over the land where German bunkers and hideouts once resided.
Below is Omaha Beach that you can actually see from some of the pictures above. Despite being a place where a violent and gruesome attack took place, the beach is gorgeous. In fact, it was one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The beach is five miles long with cliffs on both sides. I will explain more about the cliffs and their importance when I get to Pointe du Hoc. We spent awhile on the beach. Mike explained some about it and then we were on our own to soak in the environment. I walked the beach alone, trying to soak in what happened here. I pictured the scene from Saving Private Ryan. The scared soldiers wading through water up to their necks gear and guns on their backs, the boats and tanks that did not even make it to shore, soldier's jumping ship, soldier's crying, soldier's running towards gun fire, soldiers running to their death. As I mentioned earlier I tried to picture all of the bodies on the beach, a reality of war and D-Day. I pictured soldiers watching their fellow soldiers and friends killed right on the spot, just moments before they were killed themselves. I wondered what their last thoughts were, their last words. For such a beautiful beach... it is difficult to picture such an ugly scene that took place. I touched the water in front of me, imagining it colored red. The water was clear blue, beautiful tan sand beneath the waves. It is an eery feeling touching water and sand that so many lost their lives on.
I asked our adviser Mike if people in France vacation on these beaches and he said actually they do. I found that very surprising. He said these are the main beaches in France closest to Paris. Though many do not vacation on Omaha Beach the other beaches many do during summer. The beaches are major tourist attractions especially in June and July around the D-Day Anniversary, but they are also vacation spots for the French.
After viewing Omaha Beach and walking around we walked back up the hills to the American Cemetery. What I did not know before going to the American Cemetery is that I was actually walking on American Soil. The land was donated by the French to America. The cemetery was another emotional experience. It is one thing to hear numbers of how many American's died in Normandy on D-Day and the months following D-Day, but it is a whole different ball game to get a visual of those numbers. In fact, it was shocking. To read actual names on the Crosses and Stars of David put a name to the numbers. Each stone read the name of the soldier that died, the date they died (many died on D-Day, they did not even make it off the beach) and the state they were from. Several stones were for soldiers that were never identified. I saw stones with soldiers from nearly every state in the United States. I saw soldiers with last names that were Italian, Irish, Jewish, Hispanic and more. Soldiers came from New York to South Carolina to North Dakota to Arizona to California. Every stone I walked by I kept in mind this solider had a family and friends. They were not just a number. They were a person fighting for freedom. They were a person fighting to rid the world of Nazi's. To rid the world of Hitler. They were fighting for America and they were fighting for me. I was proud to be an American. Truly proud that there are people out there this brave. I am a proud supporter of the United States military and the bravery of those men and women that sign up to fight for freedom.
On each end of the cemetery was a memorial. This circular memorial that was located at one end of the cemetery housed a chapel inside.
On the opposite side of the circular memorial is another memorial. This one shows maps of the D-Day Invasion. In the front is a reflecting pool.
On the other side of this memorial building was another very impacting memorial. It is the garden and wall dedicated to those soldiers who remains were never found. The soldiers ranged from Navy Cooks to front-line soldiers to Commanders, Captains and more. It was another emotional site. Seeing the names of so many people who were never found and whose families never got that closure is difficult to imagine.
After a few hours of viewing the memorial we headed back towards the bus to go a few miles down the coast to Pointe du Hoc. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Normandy with a fairly mature group. I really think the majority of us got a lot out of the trip and were very thankful for the sacrifices the American soldiers made.
After a brief bus ride to Pointe du Hoc we made it. I will briefly explain Pointe du Hoc, but for those that do not know anything I would suggest checking out Wikipedia once again:
Pointe du Hoc is a location near Omaha Beach that overlooks the entire coast where D-Day occurred. From this location you can see all of the beaches and the cliffs. It was the perfect spot for German Nazi's to set up camp. Here is where they stored stolen French guns and ammunition. The Nazi's figured it is difficult to shoot looking over a cliff and actually hitting someone like at Omaha Beach. Here at this clifftop location they were able to shoot down the coast and guaranteed to hit American soldiers. The American's got wind of this and during the early hours of D-Day decided to invade the Nazi hideout. Today still the underground shelters and the places the Nazi's stayed in remain. Also major craters are everywhere in the ground that weren't made by nature...they are leftover from where the bombs blew up. There are also bullet holes all over the remaining German structures. You will see from the picture below the cliffs and it makes it easier to picture why the Germans chose this location and why it was crucial for the American's to take it over.
What the American soldiers did not know before they attacked Pointe du Hoc was that the guns were moved and actually not there anymore. The attack overall really did not go according to plan. Even so, the attack was still necessary.
Unbelievably enough, the soldiers lead by Colonel Rudder hoisted ropes up on the cliffs and began climbing up the ropes. Many were killed in the process. Of the approximate 300 men involved in the attack only about 75 survived. They did not receive any back up from the attack until about three days later. It was truly amazing to view this sight, walk inside the bomb craters, get the view of the entire coast, walk inside Nazi safeguards and so on.
One thing that really struck me about my entire day in Normandy was the beauty. I know I mentioned that earlier, but Normandy was truly beautiful. The beaches, the coast, the green grass and brush. It was a beautiful place.
I truly hope their is never a time in history that Normandy and D-Day are forgotten. The things that took place on June 6th, 1944 are one of the reasons America is free. Brave American's fought for the freedom of you, me, America and for people around the world they did not even know on D-Day. Their efforts changed the world. Literally. I have a whole new view of D-Day, World War II and the events that took place in Normandy. I also have a whole new set of respect for American Soldiers.
I would like to finish off this post with thanking all United States Military Veterans, those that are currently serving and those that will serve America in the future. Your efforts continue to contribute to the freedom of the United States.
Normandy was truly a life changing experience as cheesy as that may sound. I got so much out of it. This post obviously does not do justice to the events that took place in Normandy, my emotions on the day or the beauty of Normandy now...but I tried my best to give you all a little more visual and a look into what I did.
A big thanks to St. John's for pulling off another great excursion. This was by far the best excursion I was on yet and possibly the best thing I have done my entire time abroad.
God Bless our American Soldiers. God Bless Bravery.
XOXO
Shann
Poppy Ned is smiling down, knowing that living in a fox hole was well worth it. His granddaughter walked the footsteps of heroes; he is proud and so am I. I love you. xoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteNice post Shannon. We should never forget what happened there.
ReplyDeleteMadame M