American Memories in Normandy
After exploring Utah Beach and inland villages in the westernmost sector of D-Day landings yesterday, we shifted east along the Normandy coast to visit Pointe du Hoc and the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
Pointe du Hoc is a promontory with 100-foot cliffs strategically situated between the Utah and Omaha beaches. German fortifications and heavy guns here threatened both landing areas and Allied naval forces.
Eliminating those guns was a primary objective of US Army Rangers who headed out in landing craft in the early morning of June 6, 1944. Despite navigational errors, intense fire from German defenders and fearsome losses, Rangers scaled the cliffs, overtook the defenders and held Pointe du Hoc against repeated counterattacks. Unbelievable.
Walking along the still-visible bomb craters and peering over the edge of the cliffs, you sensed how intense the fighting was that day and what a heroic effort it required to capture and hold Pointe du Hoc. How anyone survived was beyond me.
You could also imagine the sense of dread of the German defenders as they looked out over the channel that June morning and witnessed the awe-inspiring Allied naval armada bearing down on them.
After departing Pointe du Hoc, we drove through the Normandy countryside past gray stone villages and stately manors. Apple orchards dotted the area. We stopped to sample cider and buy a few bottles from a local farm.
Not far from the apple orchards, we turned off the main road.
For Americans, the cemetery above Omaha Beach is sacred ground. As we walked in from the parking area, I was impressed with the beautiful and calm grounds. They were immaculately maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (supported by some of the best tax money we spend).
Your path descended in a slow curve, then straightened to run parallel to the sands of Omaha Beach far below. Trees obscured the view ahead. If people spoke at all, it was in hushed tones.
Then, in dramatic fashion, you stepped out into the open as trim green fields and endless rows of white crosses flowed as far as the eye could see. It took your breath away.
These hallowed grounds preserved the remains of 9,387 Americans, most of whom gave their lives during the landing operations and in the establishment of the beachhead. Another 1,557 names were carved on the walls in the Garden of the Missing.
They came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The remains of approximately 14,000 other American soldiers originally buried in this region were returned home at the request of their next of kin.
As I quietly walked among the headstones, I kneeled down to take a photo of the first I came across from Oklahoma: Private Jesse E. Devore of the 38th Infantry Regiment, US 2nd Infantry Division.
Later, I did an online search and learned Devore was from Osage County (what are the odds?). The search also returned a photo of him holding a young French boy dated June 10, 1944, shortly after the landings.
Devore would be killed in action just two weeks later.
I noticed another headstone among the sea of white crosses. Topped with a gold star, it marked the grave of Jimmie Monteith, one of three Medal of Honor recipients buried at the Normandy American Cemetery.
I was struck by the realization that markers for Generals, privates and Medal of Honor winners all stood democratically together with none placed in an area of prominence. It seemed very American to me.
They were all heroes.
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