Trip To Normandy

[Louis of PA]

Conductor, this is my last post on this. I hope you and your wife enjoy your trip. i suggest no less than two, and preferably three full days to properly see Normandy landing beaches.
Regards,
Louis of PA

From:

http://www.eriksvane.com/dday4.htm

“By the end of twenty minutes, Williams and ten men are over the sand and resting in the lee of the sea wall. Five others are hit by machine-gun fire crossing the beach; six men, last seen while taking cover in a tidal pocket, are never heard from again. More mortar fire lands around the party as Williams leads it across the road beyond the sea wall. The men scatter. When the shelling lifts, three of them do not return…

“Indeed, for some the racket was worst of all: "The noise," said another, "always the noise, naval gunfire, small arms, artillery, and mortar fire, aircraft overhead, engine noises, the shouting and the cries of the wounded".

“But the sounds weren't what one soldier, who'd been wounded after coming ashore in one of the subsequent assault waves, remembered: "As I painfully walked back to the beach, thousands of parts of bodies lined it. There were floating, heads, arms, legs. I realized what being in the first wave was all about."

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[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Pluskat, where are those ships heading

DIRECT VOR MICH!

You know thoss ships you say the allies don't have?
Well they've got them!

[Mr. B]

make sure you go and visit the cliffs of Dover and Dover castle. Cool tour of the military bunker built in the cliffs. Oh yea you get to stand where Churchill stood during the battle of britian..

[Sarge]

I was in Normandy in 94 and 2004. Planning on going back this year for the 65th.
For a first timer You will need at least 2 days to see the 3 American invasion areas, probably 3 in you include the cemetary.
Things had changed greatly between 94 & 04, lotsa houses on the beach at Omaha - behind the sea wall - and a road along about half the area. At point du Hoc there werec gravel foot paths and observation stands built on top of the bunkers AND areas fenced off where you could no longer go. Utah had not changed much except for a musuem built right on the beach and giant dirt berms back a short bit from the beach.
Over all the changes were Very depressing!!!
Have never been to Sword, Gold or Juno, But would expect similar changes there?
Still for those who have never been there, it is well worth the trip.
There is also a very good museum a couple of Kliks in from the beach at Omaha. Both it and the one on Utah are well worth seeing.
Sarge