This morning, I watched coverage of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at the American Cemetery in Normandy.
I remembered that beautiful coast of the English Channel as
one of the highlights of our 2007 visit to France. For Bob and me and some
other members of our tour, it was really a pilgrimage to the beaches where the
allied invasion of Europe began on June 6, 1944. The D-Day Museum is in the
small town of Arromanches, forever linked in history to the fateful days of
that summer. Here the allies built an artificial harbor to land troops and
supplies after the initial landings in June. From this place, the troops began
the long trek to Paris: 271 km (about 170 miles), a very long way from the
coast. Today, it is peaceful and beautiful, but ever mindful of the events of
WWII, the Normans do not forget. In the bay, the artifacts of the long-ago
installation are a reminder of the engineering brilliance tresponsible for the design and execution of this installation in a region controlled by the Nazis.
The day was overcast and rainy as
we walked toward the memorial in the American Cemetery. The beaches were quiet,
shrouded in mist. The graves of those who died here are well tended, in even
rows that extend farther than the eye can see. A wall memorializing the fallen
is graven with the names of young men from every state, it seems, and several
foreign countries. Our traveling companion, John Abbott, noted that the beach
did not look like this when he was in this bay on that day in 1944! He was an
18-year-old sailor in the British Navy, working communications above a
magazine. He claimed that those who landed were the heroes, but we knew
differently, standing in awe of his humility and courage. Like so many others,
he did not expect to survive that day. It was an honor to witness his return at
the age of 81.
Today the presidents of France and the United States both spoke reverently as they honored the very old veterans in the audience, all nearing or over 100 years old. Eleven US veterans received the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor. For me, there were no words. Just tears.
