Spring Break Part 2 - D-Day tour

Some places affect our minds because they create curiosity and others affect our souls because they evoke strong emotions.  

On 22MAR2013 we took a tour of the D-day sights with Bert a young French gentleman, includes the accent, who became fascinated by the events of June 6, 1944 at a young age.  His knowledge and eagerness to share was contagious and exciting.  If I could take every person I know on this tour ... I would!  It is through men like Bert that assure me the relationship between France and America will remain forever one of friendship and mutual admiration.

Our day started by seeing tanks, including one of only a few German tanks still actually in France and an American Sherman tank.   Some things that we learned (I'll try to keep this brief)

German tanks were built low to the ground so they could make their way through the hedgerows (hedgerows are thick growths around fields) making it easy to conquer their European neighbors.  The tanks were also expensive to build and were built to last.  Germany didn't have the means to mass produce these as the US did with the Sherman tanks through the "lend-lease" program.  The US would make more than 40,000 Sherman tanks alone (they didn't start any real production until after Dec. 7) and would distribute them to all fronts; while, the Germans only made 25,762.  I think that tanks set a good example of why the US joining the fight would be the difference maker.  The Sherman tank was not designed for making it through the hedgerows of Europe.  Actually, the narrow roads kept the tanks from making any progress and made them targets for antitank rockets.  When a tank tried to go over the berms it exposed the unarmored underbelly.  Curtis Cullin, of the 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, invented rhinoceros horns. He had salvaged two scrap-metal bars from the German obstacles on Omaha Beach and welded them onto the front of his Sherman tank so they stuck out in front, like horns.  The horns dug into the berm and kept the tank from climbing. Instead, the tank's engine powered all that weight straight ahead, punching through the berm. Gen. Bradley was so impressed that he ordered combat engineers to strip Omaha of all of its scrap metal and rush it forward to tank units. Soon, three out of every five Shermans became a rhino.  I love that story of American ingenuity being demonstrated on the go.

Even though you were the enemy, 

you had family and friends we now 

honor you by laying this wreath with respect 

as we fully understand

Our next stop was the German cemetery, La Cambe.  One of the things that I have noticed is that Germany doesn't have many memorials (some churches list the sons lost) to those who fought in WWI or WWII.  While these seems appropriate in one way, they were in the wrong for starting these wars and caused much unnecessary death and destruction, I wanted to still get a feeling of the losses that our host country did endure.  Observations and lessons learned at La Cambe - many of the German soldiers who were occupying France were either very old (over 50) or young (under 17).  Many of them weren't actually German - they had been captured by the German army (a lot from Korea) and instead of putting them into POW camps, they put them into German uniforms and sent them off to occupy other countries far from home.  Because they used non-German soldiers to be soldiers there are no good numbers of how many were killed, wounded and missing.  Estimates are from D-Day to 14 August, 210,000 - 450,000 men.  We know that 200,000 were taken POW by Allied troops. The La Cambe cemetery has more than 21,000 men interned who were identified in some way, identified means that they knew they were a German soldier, and then an additional 200+ bodies that couldn't be identified in any way.  This is not a place of peace, it is a place of great sadness and loss.  The dark colors, design of the memorials, just everything - it evokes no feelings of rest and peace.  There is nothing good that comes from their loss of life.  Up until approaching the central mound Clark was just playing with MJ and running around.  As there were no other visitors I didn't stop them.   After he had seen the wreath at the mound a very sad young man came over to me with a few tears running down his face.  For the rest of the day D-Day meant something to him - men of all ages had died, they had given up on futures, families, and all of the joy that life is supposed to bring.  It didn't matter at that moment who was right and who was wrong, it only mattered that this unthinkable thing had happened.  Kids like him would not be there because of this war.
He doesn't yet understand why men serve, but he finally understands the consequences.  It was amazing, I'm crying as I write this, to watch my son grow up a little more on that day.  

Our next stop is the famous Ste. Mere-Eglise - the first town liberated on D-Day.  If you have not watched "The Longest Day" I recommend doing so.  It is Hollywood's attempt at a dramatic documentary of the events of that day.  It is long (over 3 hours), but it is not as grizzly as some of the later movies on WWII.  I have labeled the photos from here with the story, so that it makes a little sense.  The church of the town, (built between the 11th-15th centuries) does play a central role in the story.  First there are some main "players" that you need to be aware of - 1st are the Pathfinders - they were sent in gliders prior to the paratroopers to identify the locations for the paratroopers to be dropped and 2nd are the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers.

While it is not in the history books, there are locals who swear that they saw their first American running around about 23.00 (11pm) on 5 June identifying locations.  We do know that the pathfinders were sent in gliders in advance of the paratroopers.  The official times for all activities related to the events of D-Day is 00.00 6 June and forward.  It would make sense if a pathfinder was there, as I mentioned, they were sent in to mark targets (lights on sticks).  The area had also been heavily bombed in the previous weeks, making sure that the German's would be unaware of the upcoming invasion.
On the night of 5 June, during the bombing raids, it is believed that a house caught fire as a result of the

Pathfinder's flare sticks.  The German occupiers along with the  local inhabitants came out of their houses and proceeded to form a human bucket brigade that originated from the hand pump next to the church in order to put out the fire.  A little later, about 1:40am a planeload of troopers from the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division floated down.   The German's were able to shoot them as they floated down (Clark asked the question about just shooting on their way down and we were told that their guns were in pieces and needed to be assembled upon landing).  Some landed in trees and were shot before they could free themselves. At least one landed directly in the fire.  Two men had their chutes catch on the corners of the church steeple as a Sergeant Ray landed in the square below. A German soldier shot Ray in the stomach before he could remove his chute and then turned to fire at the men caught above him. However, Ray drew his 45 pistol and shot the German soldier in the head. Ray did not survive, but did save the lives of two fellow soldiers.  One of the men hanging from the church was able to free himself. The other, John Steele, played dead for hours. (The paratrooper manikin you see in the photo).  There is a great telling of the story by a tour guide available:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-_EirbzYoc

As we left the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise we passed memorials and churches to those who didn't make it.   Like the memorial to a downed C-47 with no survivors.  
Our next stop was Utah beach.  This was the most successful of the 2 American beaches and it was the farthest west.  It was about 3 miles wide and the least well fortified by the Germans, because the land behind the beach was flooded.  So, the Germans weren't as concerned with an attack because they assumed they could stop invaders with the flooded fields.  Another advantage for the Americans is that due to bad weather they actually landed south of their original point by almost 2km.  In the photos you will see a house on the right side, the original landing intended for the house to be to the left (the house is where the commander of the German forces was actually sleeping when they landed).  It was here that the only 1 star general landed in the first wave: Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt of the 4th Inf Div., he realized that they had landed in the wrong place and is quoted as saying "We’ll start the war from here!" then began the task of organizing the advance.  He would win the Medal of Honor for his leadership and exposure to enemy fire.  The losses at Utah beach were only 300 men.  

An animated map showing the beach locations.

This shows all of the materials we used to build, it also
shows Omaha Beach after the great storm
Ships, boats, and pontoons in a jumbled mass

Bert, our guide showed us many interesting little tidbits on our way to Point du Hoc.  He was definitely most proud of the fact that the French had recycled almost everything we had brought with us.  After years of going without, the French were very overwhelmed by everything that the Americans had including food, chocolate and kits to make roads and airstrips.  We actually carried with us metal fence work to lay down on the sand so that our trucks could come off the boats and drive up into the lanes and roads.  After we abandon those roads the French went in and took every last piece; turned it into fences, braces, and every possible building piece that you can imagine; especially with the damage done to their homes from the bombing.  

Our next stop was Point du Hoc, this is the very famous story of the Rangers who climbed the cliffs with grappling hooks, ladders and knives only to find that the German's had disguised the place to look like there were huge guns there by laying telephone poles across the area under camouflage.  The reason that is given for the moving of the guns is that the area endured heavy air attacks as the allies prepared for the invasion.  Just like Utah beach the Rangers of Point du Hoc were also plagued  by the bad weather blowing the ships off course.  They lost one ship and all but one on board. They lost another ship full of supplies and they were delayed by almost 40 minutes along with losing all elements of surprise.  So the fact that they were able to get to the top of the cliff is just amazing.  The ships

provided cover for them, but still many German soldiers sent grenades and shot at them as they climbed up.  After climbing to the top, securing the area, and realizing that the guns were missing a small group went off in search and found 5 of the 6 artillery battery that they had been expecting to see on the top of the hill.  This links to a great audio / visual of the battle at Point du Hoc.


In the meantime on Omaha beach the losses were heavy, and the morning was grim.  Utah was a success and ultimately the Rangers destroyed their targets, but the men at Omaha beach were being slaughtered.  It was also the end of the day for us, we were so cold (it had only climbed up to 40 degrees, fortunately it was not super windy) and hungry - our attention was starting to slip a little.  What I do remember most clearly was that when we looked up into the hills we couldn't see where the German's had their guns, as the bunkers were very well hidden and at strange angles so that they could not be viewed from the ocean.  The sea wall was very well constructed and still stands today, unlike the one at Utah beach.  We were also there at high tide, so it was harder to imagine the hundreds of obstacles that lined the beaches stopping the Allies from landing.  Very little went as planned, as difficulties with navigation caused most of the landing craft to miss their targets. The defenses were unexpectedly strong, and inflicted heavy casualties. Under heavy fire, engineers struggled to clear the beach obstacles, and later landings got caught in the few channels that were cleared. The surviving troops could not clear the heavily defended exits off the beach. Causing more problems and delays for later landings. Small penetrations were eventually achieved by groups of survivors making improvised assaults, scaling the bluffs between the most heavily defended points. By the end of the day, two small isolated footholds had been won, which were subsequently exploited against weaker defenses further inland.   

We headed back to the hotel after that very long and informative day.  All of us thinking about the history we had just learned.  It also was the perfect prelude to our plans for Saturday which was visiting the American Cemetery in Normandy.  While the German cemetery was full of sadness and defeat, the American cemetery was designed to remind us of the strength and hope we have.  That these young men sacrificed for something bigger than themselves and provided a new way for our countries to move forward.  

The 156 photos are here ... please let me know if you can't see them because google wants you to join.  I'll find another place to put them.

  
We do have the numbers for the Allies:
From D-Day to 21 August, the Allies landed 2,052,299 men in northern France
209,672 Allied casualties
153,475 wounded
36,976 killed
19,221 missing