{"id":12714,"date":"2019-07-07T06:00:37","date_gmt":"2019-07-07T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/?p=12714"},"modified":"2019-10-04T18:21:42","modified_gmt":"2019-10-05T01:21:42","slug":"returning-to-normandy-personal-ww2-reflection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/returning-to-normandy-personal-ww2-reflection\/","title":{"rendered":"Returning to Normandy \u2013 A Personal WW2 Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Last month many in Europe, and possibly others around the world, celebrated the 75<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary of June 6<sup>th<\/sup>, 1944, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Normandy_landings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">when the Allies invaded Normandy<\/a> in France to begin WW2\u2019s liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. As a result of this 2019 Anniversary of the 1944 invasion, newspapers, television shows, magazines, and the media in general, were filled with photos of that June 6<sup>th<\/sup> day in 1944, along with remembrances by the few remaining WW2 military that \u2013 amazingly \u2013 are still with us.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12712\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12712\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12712\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Omaha-Beach.jpg\" alt=\"Omaha Beach in Normandy, France\" width=\"850\" height=\"519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Omaha-Beach.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Omaha-Beach-600x366.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Omaha-Beach-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Omaha-Beach-768x469.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12712\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Here is the \u201cVisual Significance\u201d of Omaha Beach, lower RIGHT, and the WALL of the American cemetery on the LEFT. The land between the two \u2013 along the entire beach \u2013 is a steep hillside, so giving the enemy lot of room to position countless machine guns, mortars, and other killing systems. While all the other beaches faced German guns, none had the landscape that Omaha had, where myriad machine guns could be hidden \u2013 or hard to see.<\/span> Photo by John Clayton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As I saw each photo and watched (and still utterly fascinated) the media programs and so called \u201cSpecials\u201d about those historic days, it reminded me, yet again, of MY many trips to Normandy. As a long time travel journalist, I felt honored to have been invited 4 times to that part of France by the French government tourist office.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12708\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12708\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12708\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/US-Navy-Band.jpg\" alt=\"US Navy Band at D-Day Normandy Anniversary celebration\" width=\"850\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/US-Navy-Band.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/US-Navy-Band-600x392.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/US-Navy-Band-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/US-Navy-Band-768x501.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12708\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Dressed in their crisp and sparkling white uniforms, the US Navy band enters the \u201cStaging Arena,\u201d playing their rousing and spirited version of \u201cWhen the Saints Go Marching In.\u201d<\/span> Photo by John Clayton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Anytime the subject of Normandy comes up, I\u2019m often asked why THIS destination continues to intrigue me. Going all the way back to my childhood in London, Normandy has always mesmerized me because much of my upbringing was spent in the county of Dorset, with frequent visits to the seaside town of Weymouth. WW2 Aficionados will know that name instantly, as this was one of the British ports where an enormous armada of landing craft, warships, troop carriers, supply ships, and all the seagoing means of transportation available to the allies for the invasion, were berthed. I fondly recall the American military \u2013 or as many Brits called them &#8212; \u201cthe Yanks\u201d &#8212; were seemingly everywhere you looked in England, and I especially remember US sailors and their marvelous white hats &#8211; still part of their uniform today \u2013 that were, like them, unique.<\/p>\n<p>The other factor \u2013 and very vivid memory \u2013 is that of so many British kids being thrilled when they saw an American service person. Why? Well, lots of British children would run up to them and say \u201c<em>Got any gum, chum<\/em>,\u201d and, more often than not, they\u2019d be rewarded by a friendly smile and a piece of highly treasured American chewing gum!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12713\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12713\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12713\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Queen-Elizabeth-at-Normandy.jpg\" alt=\"Queen Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh arrive for the D-Day Anniversary celebration\" width=\"850\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Queen-Elizabeth-at-Normandy.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Queen-Elizabeth-at-Normandy-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Queen-Elizabeth-at-Normandy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Queen-Elizabeth-at-Normandy-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12713\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The arrival of Britain\u2019s Queen Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.<\/span> Photo by John Clayton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>My memories are equally vivid about Normandy, particularly my visit in June 2004, when the tourist office in Normandy invited me and my KNX1070 travel show, to the 60<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary of D-Day. Four totally diverse memories of that visit stand out. First, visiting (for the 4<sup>th<\/sup> time)\u00a0the American cemetery\u00a0and\u00a0memorial\u00a0in Colleville-sur-Mer that honors\u00a0the 9, 388 American\u00a0troops, and the 307 unknowns, who died in Normandy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12710\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12710\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12710\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Badges-Teddy-Roosevelt-Grave.jpg\" alt=\"Normandy press\/media badges and Brig. Gen. Teddy Roosevelt's grave\" width=\"768\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Badges-Teddy-Roosevelt-Grave.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Badges-Teddy-Roosevelt-Grave-600x412.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Badges-Teddy-Roosevelt-Grave-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Badges-Teddy-Roosevelt-Grave-320x220.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12710\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Left: The Normandy press\/media badges John had to get in order to visit the \u201cEvents\u201d he most wanted to see. Right: The final resting place of Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt. All American \u201cMedal of Honor\u201d recipients buried in US military cemeteries have the words engraved in gold.<\/span> Photos by John Clayton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As I gazed at the multitude of crosses that filled 172.5 acres, I thought of all the lives that were never allowed to grow old, and of the life losing sacrifice they\u2019d made. Many visitors to this sacred part of America \u2013 yes, America &#8212; are not aware of that fact: This cemetery IS American land and United States property, given to us by the grateful French at the close of WW2. Another little known fact, is that there\u2019s a specific reason the cemetery<strong><em> IS<\/em><\/strong> where it is. Just below is a beach, but it\u2019s a special beach that most know as <a href=\"http:\/\/travelingboy.com\/archive-travel-john-normandy_ww2beaches.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Omaha Beach<\/a>, a place where many of those interred here, died to protect our way of life.<\/p>\n<p>The second place is <a href=\"http:\/\/travelingboy.com\/archive-travel-john-pointe_du_hoc.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pointe Du Hoc<\/a> \u2013 dramatically portrayed in the brilliant WW2 movie <em>&#8220;The Longest Day.&#8221;<\/em> Unbelievably it still looks like the moonscape it was back in June 1944 when British and American bombers relentlessly bombed it trying to destroy the five massive guns there, because these guns were able to shell the nearby invasion beaches.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12711\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12711\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12711\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Normandy-Bocage.jpg\" alt=\"bocage along a road\" width=\"850\" height=\"517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Normandy-Bocage.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Normandy-Bocage-600x365.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Normandy-Bocage-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Normandy-Bocage-768x467.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12711\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">One of the biggest \u2013 and unforeseen \u2013 challenges for the troops landing in Normandy, was the \u201cBocage\u201d along all the roads there. On either side were thick undergrowth of small trees and bushes that were almost impossible to get through, yet gave the enemy plenty of places to hide snipers and machine guns \u2013 a deadly combination.<\/span> Photo by John Clayton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The third place \u2013 and this might surprise some \u2013 was the German cemetery of La Cambe. Ironically, it\u2019s located near Omaha Beach. It too is vast, somber, and eerily awesome.\u00a0 As the largest\u00a0German war\u00a0cemetery in Normandy, there are over 21,222\u00a0German military\u00a0personnel buried there, along with 207 unknowns.<\/p>\n<p>The most poignant memory took place during the concluding moments of the commemorative events attended by world leaders and other dignitaries on June 6<sup>th<\/sup>, 2004 above Arrowmanches Beach. At least a dozen or more military marching bands paraded through the stadium like arena, all decked out in colorful uniforms and all playing rousing tunes that expressed pomp and circumstance. As the last band but one exited, the crowd of 2,000 roared their approval as the American band entered, featuring 20 smartly outfitted US Navy sailors in their dress white uniforms playing, with massive enthusiasm, \u201cWhen the Saints Go Marching In!\u201d I was so overcome with pride I jumped up and shouted \u201cWay to go America!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12709\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12709\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12709\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/At-Pointe-Du-Hoc.jpg\" alt=\"the writer at Pointe Du Hoc\" width=\"850\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/At-Pointe-Du-Hoc.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/At-Pointe-Du-Hoc-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/At-Pointe-Du-Hoc-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/At-Pointe-Du-Hoc-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12709\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">T-Boy author John Clayton, here at Pointe Du Hoc, still (at least in 2004) showing the large bomb craters from 1944, the result of the massive bombing by US and British aircraft.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For a historic and awe-inspiring destination, visiting Normandy is a marvelous memory you\u2019ll never forget. You\u2019ll be fascinated by what you see, and you&#8217;ll discover more gift shops and souvenir places than you ever knew existed. Best of all, it\u2019ll make you proud to be an American, as you gaze in silent wonder at where American men and women, most VERY young, gave their all for Democracy.\u00a0 Contact John: <a href=\"mailto:jd******@***il.com\" data-original-string=\"Ayc5WRVEllpKIjT\/JSVjHw==8d4vBO9+6hWYnpz0EAUV0bQV1OrpQL7wIuy12ZM+Z9L1t0=\" title=\"This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.\"><span \n                data-original-string='MxH1GhUFua\/bA53mAXm9vQ==8d4fnM8td9+MpSv9KPxzZZ5FUVKBk\/wiUJO8eWpf4CSD+0='\n                class='apbct-email-encoder'\n                title='This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.'>jd<span class=\"apbct-blur\">******<\/span>@<span class=\"apbct-blur\">***<\/span>il.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last month many in Europe, and possibly others around the world, celebrated the 75th Anniversary of June 6th, 1944, when the Allies invaded Normandy in France to begin WW2\u2019s liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. As a result of this 2019 Anniversary of the 1944 invasion, newspapers, television shows, magazines, and the media in general, were filled with photos of that June 6th day in 1944, along with remembrances by the few remaining WW2 military that \u2013 amazingly \u2013 are still with us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[2657,2656,53,242,2654,2658,2659,247,2655],"class_list":["post-12714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-travel","tag-bocage","tag-d-day","tag-france","tag-history","tag-normandy","tag-omaha-beach","tag-pointe-du-hoc","tag-world-war-2","tag-ww2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Normandy: A Personal WW2 Reflection - Traveling Boy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For a historic and awe-inspiring destination, visiting Normandy is a marvelous memory you\u2019ll never forget.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/returning-to-normandy-personal-ww2-reflection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Normandy: A Personal WW2 Reflection - 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