Day 4 - Our Normandy landing

June 4 - Channel crossing day

 

One factor that helped me choose this particular tour over any others was the fact that we would sail from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. An approach of Normandy by water just seemed so appropriate. We had rainy weather, but no one was shooting at us, so our crossing was commemorative but not imitative. Many veterans were on board and we learned everywhere we went that ceremonies were being held daily in their honor as they arrived, on both the English and French shores.

On board the ferry I noticed a few groups of young British men in WWII-era GI uniforms. In my innocence, I asked one chap why he was wearing that, and I pointed to his GI jacket. He replied, "Because it's cold." Helpful, eh? By way of further explanation, he added, "We'll be driving around in jeeps." As Mary did when told wonders of her Son that she did not understand, I stored this in my heart without probing further. But I was to comprehend the full import of the conversation within a matter of hours.

Normandy is a cynosure for World War II reenactors. Thousands upon thousands of civilians of all ages and many nationalities, but especially French, dress up in U.S. Army fatigues and ride around in jeeps, troop trucks, and other period vehicles. Some recreate entire Army camps and I understand there are lots of dances and other entertainments they enjoy, all in the costumes and customs of the times.

I was puzzled at the first few reenactors I met, thinking they were docents or something. But I soon figured it out. Frankly I was entranced by their ubiquitous presence and the verisimilitude they lent to the landscape. I will admit that the profusion of Army vehicles on the roads contributed to traffic jams which were not welcome to people stuck on coaches trying to get to significant landmarks on a tight schedule. Still - I enjoyed them, and even toyed with the idea of doing this myself some time in the future. :-)  I do love a charade.

We were installed at the Marine Hotel in Cherbourg. It was adequate and the staff overworked but friendly. The hotel was situated right on the marina so from the public rooms and many bedrooms (not mine) there was a stunning view.

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Day 6 - D-Day Ceremonies

June 6 - the 70th Anniversary of D-Day - "The Longest Day"

We had a 5:00 a.m. start to get to the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach for the bi-national Franco-American ceremony. Paul's narration during our ride was gripping ... he told us minute by minute and practically yard by yard what had been happening at each spot we passed, exactly 70 years ago. Very moving, too, was the fact that one of our D-Day veteran pilots sat up suddenly in his seat and exclaimed that we were just passing the place where he had been shot down. Nothing could make the day more electric than this.

We received our formal invitation cards to the official ceremony on the coach. All vehicles needed to stop at a security checkpoint at Carentan where sniffer dogs checked our luggage hold and two members of the French Armed Forces joined us for the final drive to the Cemetery. We arrived and were seated by 9:30 a.m., exactly per instructions. While waiting we were entertained by the arrival of many important helicopters bearing President Hollande, President Obama in Marine One, and other dignitaries.

The ceremony began over an hour late, about 11:10 a.m. The speeches have been recorded by TV news for posterity, so I will not go into detail. I will say that I liked President Hollande's speech better than Obama's. Hollande spoke poetically and with gravity (I will never forget his chilling allusion to a "sea of blood"). Obama's speech seemed disjointed, and with all the practice he could have had, he couldn't pronounce "les États-Unis" in French to save his life. Paul told me afterwards that the historicity in his speech was "flabby." I don't know about that, but my mind did wander to President Reagan's famous 1984 "The Boys of Pointe du Hoc" speech, admirably written by Peggy Noonan, and not by a committee. (This is not political comment. It's my opinion as a professional speechwriter.) 

At the end of the ceremony there was an American F-15 fly-by that was supposed to be in the Missing Man formation. Unfortunately, the pilots mistimed their manoeuver, and by the time they flew overhead the assembled company, the missing man gap had already been filled by #4. Nonetheless, it was exciting. And I very much loved the booming of the 21-gun salute.

The aftermath of the ceremony was chaotic. The French had organized a rota of buses to pick up the 14,000 visitors, but without disseminating any public information. It turned out that tour coaches were at the bottom of the pecking order. This meant that we had to wait in the sun, without seating, food, or information, until after 4:00 p.m. to be picked up. Miscommunication with our driver lead us to believe that his vehicle might have broken down, and we were all worried for a while, mostly for the safety and comfort of the more elderly in our group. Thanks to the offices of the French police, who were unsnarling traffic 56 KM away, the buses finally started arriving. And we owe a debt of gratitude to the US Consul and two of his attachés, who made some calls for us and began to broadcast useful information to all the waiting visitors. 

Bearing in mind that no one was shooting at us, one cannot really complain. It was sad, though, that due to the elongation of our time at the Cemetery, we were unable to visit Utah Beach and Museum per our schedule. Our other stop, at Grandcamp Maisy German Battery, we rescheduled for the following day.

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