June 16 – American Cemetery at Normandy

Breakfast this morning was an interesting walk through a bakery and a butcher shop. Picked up bread and pastries at the bakery and meat at the butcher shop. We still had the left over cheese from our lunch in Reims, France on the way to Paris. All in all it was an okay breakfast. The French have a very different idea of breakfast than most Americans do. But it all worked out okay.

American Cemetery - Normandy,  France

We were off to Normandy once again to the American Cemetery. This is both awesome and humbling at the same time. There are about 9400 graves in the American Cemetery and thousands in the British Cemetery just down the beach. When this monument was built the families of the dead servicemen had the option of returning the remains to the U. S. or having them left in Normandy. This is one of the American Monuments that cannot be adequately explained by words, pictures will not even do it justice but I will try to include some.

American Cemetery - Normandy, France

The cemetery and the museum are on the heights over looking Omaha Beach. The Germans heavily fortified this area.  It is nearly impossible to imagine how the Allies were able to get up on the heights at all and they did it in just a few hours. The cost was indeed tremendous in lives and equipment. I thank each of the men and women, who fought, were wounded, or died in order that I might live in freedom. Without their heroic efforts we might still be under the heels of the dictators or emperors of the world.

This was a sobering visit that brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.  I experienced a constant wash of conflicting emotions. I would return in a heartbeat to honor once again the fallen heroes of World War II.

Once again this evening we enjoyed a nice meal in Deauville, France. No seafood this time. We went to a crepe restaurant. Bonnie and I had omelets, Ed and Kay had “burger” crepes and Melanie had a ham and cheese crepe that was set on fire. After dinner we went for a short walk on the beach and had gelato. Ending the day we took Mel to the airport for her flight home.