Happy Veterans Day!

We were lucky enough to get to visit Normandy while we were in France and we visited the Normandy American Cemetery.  On this Veterans Day we thought it would be appropriate to give some details of our visit to the site of D-Day.

We first drove along the coast and saw the site of the first American cemetery in France as well as a still standing German bunker where the Second Infantry Division Memorial stands.  It was hard to imagine the invading soldiers having to make it off the beaches and up the steep cliffs while being fired on.  

View from the German bunker

We then headed to the Normandy American Cemetery which was an incredibly moving tribute to the brave men who invaded France and changed the course of the war.  These pictures of the cemetery are of only one of nine fields of grave plots.  The loss of life suffered by the American soldiers has never been so tangible to us.  It was a really beautiful tribute and definitely left an impression.

Our last stop was Omaha Beach and the memorial that stands there.  What we found interesting was the amount of American flags flying alongside the French flag outside of the homes in Normandy.  The French have not forgotten the role we played in the war and in helping liberate Europe.

Today Omaha Beach is just that: a beach.  People are sunbathing, kids are playing in the sand, and life continues in the beach town.  It is hard to imagine those terrifying days for both the French citizens and the American soldiers.

We are grateful that there are men and women in this country who join the armed forces and sacrifice their lives for our freedom.  Today we'd like to express our gratitude to each and every one of them, past and present.

Happy Veterans Day,

~C & Nini