KateSince being stationed in England, visiting the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France, was high on our list to visit. Tucked away in the Northern French countryside/coast lies so much history and significance. All around, you see American alongside French and British flags flying and pictures of soldiers on lamposts.
We scratched the surface on our Normandy trip and visited, The American Cemetery, Point Du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and the Overlord Museum.
Here is a bit of a brief overview of D-Day:
On June 6th, 1944, Allied troops descended onto the Normandy beaches; the weather was not ideal, causing issues with navigation, time, and overall having the upper hand. Yet the troops persevered and conquered.
It is insane to think of all the troops trudging through cold and treacherous ocean waters, propelling and climbing up cliffs with 70+ pounds of equipment, and facing gunfire from the enemy, all while on foreign soil. Seeing the landscape they landed on really put things in perspective.
About 133,000 US troops and British & British commonwealth troops were involved, sadly over 10300 casualties. You can learn more about D-Day here.
Highlights From Our Visit:
This beautiful cemetery homes
over 9,000 buried there who lost their lives during D-Day.
We learned a lot about D-Day and some of these men, their bravery, and their ultimate sacrifices.
The fact that soldiers had to climb up these cliffs while avoiding gunfire is utterly incomprehensible
Here you can see craters from bombs and go into where the bunkers were.
More Information on Point Du Hoc
Omaha Beach was one of 5 beaches Allied troops landed on if they could survive being dropped off into the ocean. It was full of German soldiers, mines, and obstacles. While today is a beautiful tranquil beach, it is hard to imagine the horrors many soldiers went through.
To learn more about Omaha Beach, visit https://www.travelawaits.com/2561551/omaha-beach-normandy-things-to-know-before-visiting/
If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting Normandy; it is a humbling and eye-opening experience.
Charlie Marlow
Rachel S
