July 25th, 2012--NORMANDY!
Next to my father, I have no bigger hero in the world than my grandfather! He served in the 82nd Airborne Division and stormed the beaches of Normandy, helping liberate a nation and ultimately playing a role in saving the world from Nazi domination.
My grandfather passed away when I was in fifth grade, before I even knew what D-Day was and without haing the chance to ever say thank you to him for what he stood for or speak to him about his experiences. I vowed to myself that, one day, I would get to Normandy to say thank you, going to the American cemetery and Omaha Beach and just honoring him and the hundreds of thousands of others who sacrificed so much!
Today, I did that, and then some! It was the most important place for me to visit as I trek across Europe, and, it did not disappoint.
First off, I did rent a Mercedes in Caen after taking the train from Cherbourg, where I had been CouchSurfing! From there, it was off to the Beach!
As soon as I got to the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, I started crying! It was this unexplainable feeling knowing that I was on hallowed ground! Seeing row after row after row after row after row of white crosses and Stars of David just brought a sense of humility to me!
As I looked at the graves, I silently said
"Thank You" and moved on. I did exactly what I tell my students every American SHOULD do! If it wasn't for these fine individuals, none of us would be here today!
After visiting the cemetery, I walked down to Omaha Beach! There, hundreds of people were swimming, sunbathing, sailing, and enjoying life. The weather was PERFECT... Sunny, warm, and not a cloud out! What came to my mind was, people were playing thanks to the ultimate sacrifice paid by the individuals permanently resting in peace on the cliff just above! The whole area is still pockmarked with defense fortifications, a STRONG reminder of what actually did take place on June 5th through the end of August 1944!
No comments:
Post a Comment