Fri May 17, 2024
Hi Folks! Well today is our last full day on the ship (so sad!). We are docked in Cherbourg, France but spent the whole day on a tour to the D-Day beaches area of Normandy, France.
As background, on June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied soldiers assaulted a 50 mile stretch of the Normandy coast of France, launching a pivotal effort against Nazi Germany. The Allied armada was comprised of 700 war ships and 2,500 landing craft. In the first six days, 326,000 men, 54,000 vehicles and 104,000 tons of material came ashore. It was called Operation Overlord.
It was the largest land, sea and air invasion in the world. There were 5 code named beaches used as landing zones – Omaha, Juno, Utah, Sword and Gold. The whole operation was delayed 24 hours due to inclement weather. We toured the two American landing beaches, Utah and Omaha. We also went to Pointe du Hoc, Ste. Mere-Eglise, and the American Cemetery.
If you ever get the chance, go to Normandy and take a D-Day beaches tour. It will make you proud to be an American. There are so many memorials to all the soldiers that gave their lives for the cause so we can all live in freedom. But the most moving scene was the American Cemetery with all its white crosses lined up in the perfectly manicured lawn. As we were walking someone played both the National Anthem and Taps. It gave you goose bumps.
I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. I’ll also send out an update tonight after dinner. TGIF to all!
The Wandering Italian 