D-Day

Today was all about D-Day. These pics are for you, Mom, since you're one of the history buffs that will probably know a lot of what I am about to gush about. Wow. Does that cover it? WOW! Do you feel it now? I can't believe how amazing everything today has been. Bless Tyler's heart I had our day planned and we were off and kickin' . . . as soon as we quit hitting snooze on the alarm. Only an hour behind my packed schedule, we started with a lovely french continental breakfast that cost us too much, but had fabulous hot chocolate. Then I navigated us to the coastal roads that carried us up through all these French villages to the main sites of the Battle of Normandy. Now, I like history, but I don't know how much of what I'll share shows my ignorance, so bear with me. ALSO, my battery is needing charging, so I'll try and be quick. Apparantly the Battle of Normandy was, like, a two month campaign. Not a few days, like I imagined. I also hadn't worked out what the Germans were doing beyond the June 6th and 7th storming of the beaches. Pretty much they were fighting like heck to maintain their postion across the continent. Anyhow, I can share way more facts and figures later (I LOVE a good museum and books . . . I keep buying books for my souveniers.) We drove past the French and Canadian beaches, which are really level compared to the bluffs where the British and American forces entered. The first stop was Arronmanches, pretty much the British headquarters. So, I learned about the amazing technology about how the armed forces made this innovative, never-been-done-before, super-secret, two-year-project homemade port to help the Allies gain a foothold in France. Why did they have to do that? Well. Germany had these honkin' huge battlement guns pointed up and down the coast and were poised to destroy any challenge to the established ports. And the weather was a factor, and on and on. Uh! So much. Anyhow, they made these two floating ports (one British and one American), the American one ended up destroyed by weather, but they were able to salvage the British one and that's how the Allies ended up with ALL their supplies, like thousands of tons of stuff. Anyhow, so this first stop is of the village of Arronmanches. The port was out to the right and they sunk a bunch of stuff and made floating roads ... really amazing.

They had a great museum in Arronmanches celebrating "Port Winston" (Winston Churchill was a huge force in making these home-made ports a reality.) The museum had a couple videos and some cool relics. I thought this one of Tyler and a big gun was funny.

We then drove up to the American beaches and got out at the American Memorial and Cemetery right above Omaha Beach. And Ohmygosh! Words really can't explain the reverance and Tyler kept saying (as we were walking down this crazy, long, steep, paved path down to the actual beach) "No way they could get through all this stuff." I had read that getting to the beach was only the beginning of the trial for the soldiers because the climb up was so treacherous. Yeah, did y'all know it was marshland and thick brush all along the coast of Omaha and Utah beaches? And so steep? It was crazy. I've got pictures I can post later of how thick the growth was, but here's one of the headstones overlooking the ocean.

It was awesome. And I know that hardly covers it, but my battery is about out and it's dinner time. I think Tyler's snoozing or watching French TV, so I'd better go get him going again. Talk to you soon!

Wow. Do you get it? Wow. Does that convey all the emotions and impact that visiting all the D-Day sites today gave me? Probably not, but as Tyler and I were talking it's all we could really decided might cover it. Wow. First off, I like history, but I am not sure how my knowledge compares to anyone elses, so excuse me, history buffs, if some of this is repetitive and my ignorance shines through. So, pretty much the technology in 1940 that was used to put in action the D-day plans was incredible, never-been-done, super-secret, and desperate. I call that blessed.