Omaha Beach & Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-Sur-Mer

D-Day Normandy

4 Oct

*The flag flies at half mast above the graves at the Normandy American Cemetery,* Colleville-sur-Mer

A 15 minute drive east of Point du Hoc is Omaha Beach. This section of coastline was a landing point for US soldiers with the other being Utah Beach to the west of Point du Hoc. Omaha Beach was the bloodiest landing by the allies on D-Day and about 2,400 Americans would die there. In comparison, less than 200 Americans died on Utah Beach.

Today, the beach is like any other beach. But the sea wall, roadway and houses built since the end of the war, take away the overall feel (if that is possible) of the US soldiers making their way ashore on that day, under heavy enemy fire. A memorial (somewhat abstract) sits on the beach.

*Omaha Beach as it is today. The sea wall and roadway have been built since D-Day.*

Just inland is the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer which overlooks the eastern end of Omaha Beach. In the final minutes of “Saving Private Ryan”, an elderly Private Ryan stands over the grave of Captain Miller who gave his life while ‘saving Private Ryan’. This is the cemetery. Over 9,000 US soldiers are buried here and a further 1,500 with no known grave, are recorded at the Garden of the Missing.

Although Omaha Beach was relatively free of visitors (more likely due to the wind and rain), the cemetery was a different matter. In August, the French have their holidays. It may have been the recent passing of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, but there were many people there including family groups.

The Visitors Centre is a ‘must see’. The lower level contains a museum with exhibits relating to the D-Day landings and the liberation of France there after. Then it is a short walk to the cemetery. Like all war cemeteries you walk around in peaceful respect and note the ages. Some very young!!

“Lest we Forget”