[Euro-American Scum]

NRA2BFree, check your Freepmail.

[billorites]

I'd be there, but I've not been well.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

A Lion in Winter =

Sgt/Major BASIL L. PLUMLEY


-Jumped into Nazi-occupied France the night before the NORMANDY Invasion

-Fought in the last Major Battle of the Korean War on PORK CHOP HILL

-Fought in the 1st Major Battle of the Vietnam War in the IA DRANG Valley


See:

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
(IA DRANG Photos/Photo Set #3 = PLUMLEY at Pleiku, Vietnam during the Fight at Landing Zone Albany)

.

[LiberationIT]

Bon voyage. I've been there three times, starting in Deauville/Trouville sur Mer twice. The coast is awe inspiring; the American Cemetery will move you to tears (assuming you react as I did.)

The mixed feeling of pride and sadness is extraordinary.

At the West end there is a German cemetery, moving in its own way.

The Canadian hallowed ground by Dieppe defies description.

Were I to return to France, I'd go again and again.

Please let us know about your experiences.

[BluSky]

My wife's father (age 79) served in WW II and landed on Utah Beach. To me, he is a great American.

We are taking him to France in 3 weeks - we're going early as to avoid the large crowds.

He was with the 80th Infantry, 319th Regiment. We are flying into Paris then with rental car, driving out to Caen. This way, we figure, we have wheels and can go where we need to.

We plan to re-trace his route across France (St. Lo, Falaise, Argentan, Orleans, Troyes, Chalons de-Champagne, to Luxenbourg and Luxenbourg City to Bastogne [Battle of the Bulge] and Ardennes area, Bitburg, Germany and back to Paris).

We are very much looking forward to this experience. Oh my, the stories he tells.

We expect to be overwhelmed with emotion the entire trip.

We are in the process of arranging a tour of the Normandy beaches, bunkers and area but, have not had success at finding anything. There are many tours but, we don't want the 'commercial' tour. We're looking for a private tour that is flexible with their schedule.

Enjoy your experience.

[ken5050]

I'm sure you'll have a memorable trip. I've been three times, years ago,late 60's, when I was stationed in Spain....what was most remarkable to me was great love that the locals, who at the time, most lived through the occupation and the invasion, had for les americains

[Petronski]

Best way to get there from Deauville? Tour bus and/or rental car. I don't think you'll get a car anywhere near the important sites on an anniversary, especially one with a round number. Thus, you'll drive as close as you can and then walk or take a shuttle bus. I've never 'been' on an anniversary, but I gotta believe they'll have some means of moving people up and down the coast.

A 'long' distance tour bus, direct from Deauville or Caen or Le Havre will have an itinerary and take you from site to site on a schedule. If that suits your temperment, fine. I'm allergic to crowds and I personally hate being led about on schedule. I'd hate it.

On the other hand, I would never go on an occasion like this. My visit was in the first week of October, 1999. Very small crowds (some hotels closed outright).

As for the E46 (running from Bayeux up the cotentin peninsula to St. Mere Eglise--must see), it is four lane limited access, like an interstate, but not as fast as the A-14 or A-15.

On that road, you'll pass "Isigny-sur-Mer," ancestral home of Walt Disney (Disney is actually D'Isigny [say 'deez-NYEE'). I have no way to know where his homestead is, but his family was from that town, where a major dairy processes milk for the region.

I'm working from memory, so your mileage may vary.

More specific questions? Ask away.

[Ready4Freddy]

My brother & sisters & I will be accompanying my uncle and some of his wife's family, we'll be there June 1 - June 9. At 22, my uncle was the 'old man' in his unit. This will indeed be the last hoorah for many of these vets.

[nutmeg]

bump

[Ready4Freddy]

BTW, my uncle was 3rd Armored Div (Spearhead). They landed 6/24/44, and fought through the hedgerows that June & July. His unit was caught in a night firefight with Panzers outside of Orleans Aug 14 night - Aug 15 AM. He was the only survivor, lost his right arm.

[.38sw]

Wish I could. My mother has been there. Her brother died on D-Day. He was in the Air Force, and his plane went down over the English channel.

[Ready4Freddy]

A few links I've found re: events in Normandy for the 60th Anniversary:

Official Site

VFW Article w/ info

BluSky, the Official Site lists many events prior to June 4-7, may be of interest to you.

My Uncle, his wife, and a few friends are staying in Caen. My sisters, niece & I are staying at a B&B in Villerville, ~40 miles away. Gonna be crowded, prolly horrible traffic up & down the Normandy coast, but as Euro-American Scum said, I would not miss this (probable) last chance to attend an Anniversary w/ my uncle for the world.

He went back for the first time 2 years ago, went to London first to look up old friends he made while stationed there for 2 years before the invasion. I asked him if he was going to take the train via the Chunnel, he replied "No, I want to take a boat, like the last time".

[chimera]

Thanks for your participation in keeping their memory alive. Visit Utah beach if you can and send a note about your impressions of the place. My father went ashore there the morning of D-Day, second wave of infantry. He would never talk to me about it except to say that what he remembered seeing was "debris and bodies". I understand from reading that the beaches there weren't as "hot" as at Omaha, but it wasn't a walk in the park, either. I should make the trip myself but don't know if I'll ever be able to. But I'll do what I can to honor my father's memory, as well as that of those who served there and paid the price for freedom and victory.