Ranger, Lead the Way

The Dean Emeritus has brought us around to the famed American landings.

The images of the Normandy American Cemetery are iconic.  It is also important to see the sobering German cemeteries.  They are not the cemeteries of the victors.

Rows of 5 black, volcanic Greek crosses with flat stones for each plot.  Most plots have 2 soldiers, some have 4.
The ages are young and old, with few in the middle.

We have seen poppy crosses and wreaths all over Normandy.  I did not expect to see them here.
This one says "You did not want to be here.  Rest in peace."

From here, we headed to Pointe du Hoc, site of the famed 2nd Ranger Battalion scaling of the high cliffs. The Germans thought it so impenetrable, no barbed wire was laid across the top.  Gen. Eisenhower said it was an impossible mission, the most difficult of the day.

The cliffs at Pointe du Hoc.  The memorial is to the left - a dagger for the symbol of the Rangers.

Pointe du Hoc was heavily bombed during the landing, perhaps the most of any section in Normandy.  The scope and power of the bombings is still in evidence by the many deep craters.  Even after 70 years of wind and rain, these are very, very deep.

This area is of special emotion to my father. He wrote the definitive biography of James Earl Rudder, the commander of the 2nd Rangers.

Inside the bunker where Rudder was injured, twice in 30 minutes.
From this point on, other visitors began stopping to listen to him talk.

The entire Hatfield Family at the Ranger monument. A stunningly beautiful day.

And us.

The Norman people of the area also honored Col. Rudder.  The small town of Criqueville en Bessin has placed a memorial to him in their church.

To my dad's knowledge, the flags are always on display.

There is large plaque on the wall of the church with a carving of Rudder.

On the far western end of Omaha Beach is the Vierville Draw.  This was the only hard surface road leading off the beach and vital to be secured.  This was the section of the beach designated Dog Green and was a slaughterhouse on the first wave.

Looking towards the sea from the area of one of the German gun bunkers.
On D-Day, the tide was probably out about 50% more than this photo.

Fro the edge of the water, looking up the Vierville Draw.
I wanted to capture the width of what had to be crossed.
For movie buffs, Dog Green is the location of the opening 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan.

Each grave has been adopted by a Norman family.  They are responsible for laying flowers, flags, and other memorials.
The responsibility is handed down through the generations.  The effort is underway to implement the same program at
the British and German cemeteries in Normandy.

9,387 Roman crosses and Stars of David, facing west towards home.
40% of those who died in the Battle of Normandy are buried here.  The other 60% were returned at the family's request.

Overlooking Omaha Beach, Easy Red sector.

When a family member visits the cemetery, one of the staff will escort them to the gravesite.  Here they place a French and American flag and rub sand from Omaha Beach into the name carved on the stone. The sand reflects gold when hit by the sun.

We had the honor of seeing one such ceremony.
This was taken with a telephoto as to not disturb the family.

Normandy American Cemetery memorial - An American youth rising out of the waves.