Normandy Beaches, France

Today, Dave and Emily had a humbling opportunity to take a tour out to Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, and the Normandy American Cemetery. Our tour started with Utah Beach. The landing there wasn't planned as part of the original D-Day invasion. It was added by Eisenhower as a means to attack and capture nearby German controlled derp water port at Cherbourg to the north west. The invasion was largely a success because the allied forces staged a fake invasion of Calais to the east. The allied forces went as far dropping fake paratroopers, and inflatable tanks. Many of the German fires were rerouted east to that location. The Germans also relocated forces Cherbourg leaving the beaches vulnerable.

It was a different story at Omaha Beach. This is where the opening scene to "Saving Private Ryan" was set. The beach was heavily fortified with German bunkers, high cliffs, barbed wire and more. The invasion force was provided support by bombers taking out many of the German bunkers. Bomb craters can still be seen in side of the picture below. They now appear somewhat smaller, as they are filled with vegetation.

The Allies landed more than 160,000 troops at Normandy, of which 73,000 were American.Read more