Normandy 6 June 2016 - 72nd Anniversary

[Amer-team]

Anyone planning on going for the 72nd? The 1SG thinks he wants to go this year so am starting to look at options. Our Belgian friends are tentatively planning on going from 3 - 6 June. If you are going, maybe we could meet up and chat somewhere over there.

This may be a slightly less hectic time to go as it is an off year, not being the 70th or 75th. Get you bearings at an easier pace and start making plans for the 75th, which will be over the top crazy. See you in Normandy.

Add you thoughts or events to this one. Last time the best menu of events that I found, was in a French military magazine. Except for translation problems it was pretty good.

 

[bikeman]

No way can I do it this year, but I do want to do this one year.

 

[Tobi]

hey we are planning to go to normandy this year where are u staying maybe we can meet up???

 

[Amer-team]

Tobi, my situation is in doubt. Where we thought we were staying, outside of Carentan, has been booked up, without us getting a room. There still seem to be some rooms available here and there so am working on that . We were looking at going to Brussels for a couple days, then head to Normandy for 3 - 6, then back to Belgium and probably take a couple of days at Bastogne, then head home.

The other thought is to put off the trip and come over for Tanks in Mons in August or go to Normandy in Sept. once the crowds have died down. Also want to go to the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor this year. Too many options and not enough time or money. Situation normal.

I also have not had much communication success when I have been over there before. If i pick up a cell phone, then no one knows my number and if I take my American one. It costs a fortune. We will figure it out. If I can get there, would be happy to meet up.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Our group are thinking of going this year, As time is marching on. (catching up).

 

[Amer-team]

Hope you all get to go. It is always fun, but be sure to get on room reservations if you need them. My best bet may be to head over later, when the festivities have died down. But it is great to see all the vehicles that are brought out for this event.

 

[Amer-team]

It appears that I do have a room now, so need to get on getting a ride. Glad that it is still an important enough event to have that many people turn out. Will be staying in Grainges for the weekend. Hope to get a little Bastogne time in while over there.

 

[Amer-team]

How are the plans going team? Think we will be there 3 JUNE - 6 June. Tried to get a bit more time, but rooms were booked. Weather this week is in the 60's. Just right.

 

[Iski]

Hope to bring my dad one year. He is 90 now so I can't put it off much longer. June 6th is his birthday and he was the guy holding the man line for LCI 478 on Omaha beach for his 18th birthday.

 

[Iski]

Oops LCI (L) 487. Problem is he doesn't want to go.

 

[Another Ahab]

This may be a slightly less hectic time to go as it is an off year, not being the 70th or 75th. Get you bearings at an easier pace and start making plans for the 75th, which will be over the top crazy. See you in Normandy.

I kind of subscribe to the off-year/ non-anniversary idea:

- Like for New Orleans, the musicians and the restaurants still need business when it's not Mardi Gras, and

- Like the Zoo, on a rainy day the animals are looking for the same amount of attention.

But I get that Anniversary blow-outs are more exciting.

 

[JH1]

I was just there a few days ago and walked the beach at Omaha and visited the American Cemetery. Truly humbling experience.
JH1

 

[Guyfang]

Several of us here in germany will be there for the 75th. We are trying to locate a jeep and make it road ready, (ha-ha) so we can make the drive from Oberfranken. One of my friends was a motor sgt. in a MP unit. Had a million jeeps, so if anyone can do it, he can. We shall see!!

 

[Another Ahab]

I was just there a few days ago and walked the beach at Omaha and visited the American Cemetery. Truly humbling experience.
JH1

Did you happen to take any pics you might put up here?

 

[JH1]

I did take some pics. I'll try to post some. A C-130 Hercules made several passes over the beach while we were there. One thing that I learned was that there were at least two 75mm gun emplacements that were heavily fortified as you might expect, but they could only be seen from a hundred yards inland, away from the beach. Ships at sea could not even see them. Their purpose, according to our tour guide, was to fire along the beach sideways, if the Allies ever got to shore. There were two, facing each other at the sector we visited. This was the last sector of Omaha to the south. Further south were sheer rock faces. Words don't begin to describe how tough that fight must have been.

 

[Another Ahab]

I read a history once of Eisenhowers decision-making toward that pivotal day of history, and it was commented how "soul-racking" it was for him to kick it all off by sending the airborne troops into action the night before. A British advisor (whom he respected) was forecasting something like 80%-90% casualties for those troops. Casualties were high but it was ultimately closer to 8% than the 80% anticipated.

He circulated among the troops before the jump, and was uncertain what to say. He mostly assured everybody he spoke to that they had the best equipment and the best back-up in the world behind them.

And what I remember was he got to talking to a group of the men about fishing (he was a big fly-fisherman If I remember right). He said that speaking about that took the tension out of him, and he hoped, for the men he spoke to.

I always wondered if this photo was the fishing story moment:

 

[Amer-team]

The LCI makes more sense right now. If you can talk him into going, the reception he will receive will be stunning. I ended up with 8 days in Belgium and 4 days in Normandie. We hit many of the Normandie museums from Battery Crisbec, a German battery towards the west end of the beaches to Arromanche and Pegasus bridge. We then went to Honflur to a couple of monument ceremonies, where I ended up being the designated American, as I was the only one there, so they had me place a wreath at both places. There was a new attraction at Deadman's Corner outside of Carentan. They had a C-47 mounted up like a ride at Disneyland so you get the opportunity to sit in the back and feel part of what a Paratrooper may have seen, heard, and felt on that fateful night. Got to hang out in St. Mere Eglise with some members of the 507 PIR that were there doing jumps at various events. Talked with some of the C-130 crews about what was happening with them and their schedule of events. Being an off year, there was still plenty going on but it did not seem too busy at most events. It is definitely worth the experience to go.

 

[Amer-team]

Also attended the ceremony at Grainges. 150 or so paratroops ended up there through no fault of their own. Members of both 82 and 101st. It was not a designated area, but it was high ground, so they decided to stay, about 9 June 44, the Germans discovered them and they had 3 battles with over 1200 German casualties, 50 paratroops and 30 or so villagers also as causalties. The paratroops finally had to retreat due to lack of ammo. But due to their presence and the ability to tie up German troops there for several days. They made a very significant contribution to the efforts in Normandy.

This event was supported by members of the 507th as honor guard and a German military band for the National anthems.

 

[Amer-team]

Normandie

The cemetery is the US Ardenne cemetery in Belgium, lest we forget. The M10 is above LaRoche. The other pictures are in the St. Mere Eglise area. You might note the tower of the church that the paratrooper got hung up on and survived.