We had the privilege of spending eleven days in France so we were able to see many varied places in the country. The first part of our France visit was spent in the Normandy area where the history is rich in WWII stories. We visited the sites of the D-Day invasion; Utah Beach and Omaha Beach where thousands of American lives were lost to preserve freedom and liberty. We had a dear gentleman on our tour who had actually landed on Utah Beach with his regiment on that fateful day June 6, 1944. How touching it was to observe him as he visited the places again.
It's difficult to imagine how that war affected the many families in the United States, but it is almost impossible for me to imagine the lives of the families that lived where their homeland was actually being attacked. Visiting these areas and listening to the stories told I came away with a new appreciation of how it must have of changed everyones lives in Europe. The rich, the poor, the soldier as well as those at home, no one was exempt from trauma and sacrifice. I know I didn't realize or appreciate the immensity of the devastation.
The American Cemetery was incredible. To see the rows and rows of crosses representing all the U.S. soldiers who died in that campaign was so overwhelming. It is certainly hallowed ground. How thankful I am for the brave men and women who fought for our freedom then, and I'm especially grateful for those who volunteer to fight today in the military to protect all of our rights and privileges that we enjoy in our country.
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| A German Bunker |
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| Inside a bunker where the German Soldiers could fire at oncoming troops |
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| The large holes in the ground were made by bombs landing |
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| Utah Beach |
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| Mr. Clark who landed on Utah Beach |
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| Omaha Beach |
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| The American Cemetery |
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| Most of the markers had names but many were like this one- an unknown soldier |
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