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Event: Date: Location: |
Normandy> June, 2016 Normandy, France |
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Where: Normandy, France
Matthew W celebrated his birthday in June 2016 by visiting the D-Day beaches with Dr. Tomas M. Hatfield, retired UT professor and internationally known scholar in the field of military history.
They stayed at Chateau de Canisy near St. Lo, and on day one: (1) visited Sainte Mere Eglise, the center of the American paratrooper landings (2) saw the statue of the mythical American paratrooper “Iron Mike” at the historic La Fiere Bridge where the Germans put up a bitter, unsuccessful defense to stop the American offensive across the Cherbourg peninsula
(3) visited Utah Beach
(4) stopped in the village of Graignes which was burned and its inhabitants killed by the Germans for helping beleaguered American paratroopers
On day two:
(1) toured the German cemetery at La Cambe which has more than 21,000 graves each marked with a dark volcanic stone, a solemn contrast to the British and American cemeteries
(2) stopped at Pointe du Hoc, site of the famed assault on D-Day up 100-foot cliffs by U.S. Army Rangers in order to knock out German guns which imperiled the American landings on Omaha and Utah Beaches (3) walked along Omaha Beach
(4) visited the Normandy American Cemetery to contemplate the 9,387 perfectly aligned white marble crosses and Stars of David that lend an air of optimism, brightness and triumph.
On day three:
(1) toured the Caen Memorial and Museum
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