Blog Posts tagged with "D-Day"

As a mother and military spouse, with three very active children, our household is much like any other family: the hustle and bustle of everyday life often distracts us from realizing how lucky we really are. In the few quiet moments I have, I often give thanks for being an American in the 21st century. Although these quiet moments are too few and far between, I realize that my right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” wasn’t just handed to me, but fought for by the many who served and died.

Knowing the importance of imparting the value of freedom on our children, our family recently visited the historical battlegrounds on the coastline of Normandy where 160,000 allied troops valiantly served to free France and fight the oppressive Nazi regime. My husband and I wanted to show our children the stories of that 50-mile stretch of coast.

We started at Pointe du Hoc, its terrain still riddled with craters from heavy shelling, was a tangible history the kids explored with enthusiasm, hiding themselves in the abandoned bunkers, running through the craters, at first not realizing the extent of the fight of 225 Rangers who heroically scaled the steep cliff to secure the critical enemy post that overlooked the coast.

President Ronald Reagan once described the battle:

“The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.”

Later at the American Normandy Cemetery and Memorial overlooking Omaha Beach, I was struck by the monumental challenge of storming the beach below. Our 13-minute walk to the bottom paled in comparison to the three-hour uphill battle it took the soldiers who were lucky enough to survive that far. The serenity of my children playing and the sound of their laughter, the blowing wind and crashing waves made it difficult to imagine the gunfire and bloodshed of 67 years ago.

Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated in France, was a flurry of activities -- actors depicting soldiers and medical staff, a military caravan, music of the 1940’s -- offering a glimpse of an era where every man with a pulse voluntarily signed up to fight. At one point, I noticed a veteran in a wheelchair nearby. My mind went to thoughts of what history has witnessed: multiple U.S. military conflicts, man landing on the moon, the fall of the Berlin wall, and the terrorists acts of September 11, 2001. I teared up thinking of his long life and how very soon, we will only know his generation through the pages of our history books.

During the quiet moments of our journey home, I thought of my grandfather, a World War II veteran, who received orders for the “duration of war.” He used to say, “I never thought I’d live to see my 21st birthday.” I thank God he did. He never said much about his time while serving overseas, but I am sure he had many stories to tell. I wonder how the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will be depicted in 67 years, and the history we will learn of brave service members who fought to keep America safe.

I am hopeful that the coast of Normandy and its rich history made an impact on my children, giving them a better understanding of the real price of freedom. The trip gave me a renewed sense of gratitude for those who currently serve and those who have served before us. Moreover, as a military spouse, I felt empowered to deal with my challenges: long separations; worried thoughts; missed birthdays, holidays and anniversaries; and striving to emulate the strength and courage of “the Greatest Generation.”

Jennifer Sheppard
Military Spouse

I'll admit I've never been big on history, but there's something surreal about visiting the tiny villages our American Soldiers helped liberate 67 years ago. After meeting several D-Day veterans, walking on the beaches where thousands fought and died, and seeing the steep cliffs where they encountered enemy fire made history real for me. It's no longer just a documentary or war movie on television.

Seeing the French people here in Sainte-Mere-Eglise dressed up in WWII-era American military uniforms tells me these people want to continue to remember the sacrifices our troops made during World War II. At least during this week each year, they do not take their freedom for granted. It truly touched my heart to see American flags on cars, people and businesses everywhere. Outside of military installations, I haven't seen that since moving to Europe four years ago.

The majority of the people joining in the D-Day commemoration events weren't even born in 1944, but they remember. The streets were lined with American flags all week, and thousands of people clapped and cheered as our American troops marched through the small town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise after the June 5 ceremony for peace. The rainy weather didn't seem to deter anyone, as there was barely space to move. Little kids wore military uniforms bearing the patches of the 101st and 82nd airborne divisions and waited in line to have their pictures taken with veterans and current Soldiers. The reverence their grandparents and great-grandparents felt for the troops that liberated their French villages obviously has been passed down through the generations.

When I met Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day, I had to fight back tears. It has been 67 years, but he still comes back to France because so many of his comrades died here, and he wants to honor them even now. That level of dedication shows how he believes in what he did. I can only hope the memories of the thousands of troops who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan in the modern-day conflicts have the same dedicated battle buddies who will continue to share their stories for generations to come.

Kelli Bland
Outreach Chief
USEUCOM Public Affairs

Here we are in the middle of what I believe is the most important week of the year for U.S. European Command.  On one end, a long weekend recently completed in honor of Memorial Day.  On the other end of this important stretch of days - D-Day.

Second from left, Lt. Gen. Gardner during ceremony in Cambridge, England

If you follow EUCOM on Twitter or Facebook or our EUCOM website, then you've probably seen the recent Memorial Day coverage that had over half of our public affairs office spread out over the weekend to cover some of the 22 ceremonies that took place throughout Europe.  We created a page for all of the collected efforts so you could get live updates as they happened.

As the live pictures, videos and messages came in from different locations, it gave me an even greater appreciation for the sacrifice made by more than 104,000 U.S. service men and women buried at 20 American cemeteries throughout Europe with an additional 20 thousand missing servicemembers listed on the memorial walls.  No longer were they just locations I knew of.  No longer just a holiday.

They were where our EUCOM Deputy Commander, Lt. Gen. John Gardner had traveled to at the American Cemetery in Cambridge, England to pay his respects and give remarks during their ceremony.

Brig Gen Scraba gives remarks in Florence

Or Brig. Gen. Mark Scraba, Deputy Director for EUCOM J5 Plans and Policies-International Military Partnering, whom I traveled with to the American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Italy to pay respects to the over four thousand of our military dead.

The general said something during his remarks that really stuck with me.  He said, "The heroes buried here in Florence were ordinary men and women who rose to meet seemingly impossible odds and did extraordinary things.  These brave men and women left the safety of their sovereign soil to defeat tyrants, ensure justice and fulfill the promise of safety and security for our US citizens and all the citizens of Europe.  Their lives were dedicated not to conflict or death, but to compassion, to freedom and to life."

The American Battle Monuments Commission does an extraordinary job maintaining these cemeteries located in Europe.  With so many things in life where the pictures are way more impressive than the real deal, the opposite is true with these memorials.  As my local commuter bus dropped me off seven kilometers outside of Florence and at the front of the site on an early Memorial Day morning, pictures fail to serve the beautiful and immaculately kept grounds.  As the morning led to the mid-day ceremony, the grounds filled with U.S. and Italian active duty and veterans, local townspeople and visiting Americans standing side by side as they did across all the ceremonies in six different European countries.

The images and words still resonate with me back at the office.  But this week isn't over.

Tomorrow begins four days of D-Day events that are taking place in the Normandy region of France.  US, UK, French and German military members will take part in a number of ceremonies with the local French people in small towns and on the beaches of the region that commemorate over 100,000 Allied troops that took part that day and those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.  I was the public affairs officer last year for the 66th anniversary of D-Day events and it remains the most memorable time of my duty in Europe.

US Army Airborne pin their wings on their French counterparts during D-Day ceremony last year.

Some of that coverage (blogs, photos and videos) is currently on the D-Day section of our website and additional coverage on my site.  Kelli Bland, our outreach officer, will be covering D-Day events for this 67th anniversary, so check back to our D-Day page and social media accounts for updates.  Our social media team plays an important part of that coverage.

Memorial Day events and annual D-Day commemorations that occur during a year that doesn't end in a zero or five hardly gain any media attention, but that doesn't make it any less important to EUCOM.  It doesn't mean the events are supported any less than any other year because these historical dates and their significance are ever present to help act as a foundation for who we are as a command and our strong partnerships with our partner nations in Europe.  Social media coverage from our office helps to show that commitment.

Aristotle said, "If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development."  EUCOM continues to remember and honor the beginning of our military service members' sacrifice in Europe that has developed into the current strong partnerships we share in the region.  In my opinion, that makes this an important week for our approximately 90,000 US military members serving in Europe to always remember.  Join us!

Lt. Cmdr. Taylor Clark, U.S. Navy
Social Media Chief, U.S. European Command

U.S. and German Soldiers stand in formation during a D-Day remembrance ceremony at St. James

This military verbal command, which is used to line up troops, is probably still ringing in the heads of the U.S., French, and German military members that lined up side by side in several ceremonies yesterday in the Normandy region of France.

Near the steps of the center chapel at the St. James American Cemetery

Our first stop was at the St. James American Cemetery located in the southwest region of Normandy. The bright white crosses that spread in formation across the green grass were a solemn backdrop to the ceremony that took place on the steps of the center chapel, which is adorned with flags and three words that summed up their sacrifice - "Duty Honor Country".

Multinational representatives at the German cemetery

After the first ceremony, the group traveled a short distance to a German Military Cemetery, Mont d' Huisnes, and "dress right dressed" into a semi-circle for another ceremony that placed the military in a ring around the beautiful memorial that overlooks the English Channel and the rocky islet topped by a famous Gothic abbey, Mont St Michel, that stood in the distance.

After a traditional French lunch, the allied troop group made their way to the coast for a big ceremony at the base of the dramatically impressive Mont St. Michel. Unlike the other ceremonies that take place at more private cemeteries, having the event in front of one of the most visited tourist sites in France brought an enthusiastic audience that lined the ceremony and the viewing locations all the way up the islet.

American troops at Mont St. Michel

The thankful crowd represented well the same nations as the military members that were in formation.

Equal to the words said to commemorate the past by civilian and military leaders during these ceremonies were the present strong visuals of these military members standing shoulder to shoulder as partners in the European region that work together toward common goals for a peaceful Europe and also in support of current operations in Afghanistan.

Words express meaning for how we feel for the actions of our veterans, but more than words, I think those that died throughout the Normandy region, Europe and the world during the second great war would be even more proud of the visual representation of the bond these military members share today as they stand "dress right dress"...side by side.

LCDR Taylor Clark
EUCOM Chief of Media

Last year when I attended the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion, I left Normandy, France feeling the proudest I’ve ever been wearing the U.S. Army uniform. So this year when I boarded the MC-130 Shadow aircraft to Normandy, I was excited to return to a place where the American Soldier is so adored and appreciated.

Just like last year, American Soldiers attending the event were invited into the home off a French family for dinner in one of the many local towns throughout the region. After I ensured the many Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen were shuttled to their destination; I was left with two young French women to go to their residence for dinner.

I was quite surprised that both Nathalie, age 23, and Angelique, age 24, could speak English pretty well, as normally the language barrier makes the encounter a little difficult initially for both Soldier and the family members. Welcoming me to her home, Nathalie, was continuing a tradition that she’d experienced throughout her entire life growing up in this part of France.

The people in this region have been inviting American Soldiers into their homes as an expression of gratitude for delivering them from tyranny from the Germans during World War II. Nathalie told us stories of how her parents always had Army veterans who served in either the 82nd Airborne Division or 101st Airborne Division as guests in their house.

Some would stay as long as a week at a time for the commemoration of D-Day activities in the Normandy area. She talked about waiting for her opportunity as an adult to one day have Soldiers come to her own place so she could continue the tradition of expressing the gratitude of Soldiers on behalf of her family lineage. On this night, Nathalie was very proud.

I tried not to wear my journalist hat very long as I asked both women questions on various topics. I asked how do the elder French people who lived here during the time of war feel about Germans. Both were candid and honest in their answers. They both mentioned how painful it is for many of the elders and their lack of love and forgiveness to the Germans.

But these two young women also expressed that things today are different. They acknowledged that was history, but now they both think of the Germans as their friends – with Angelique admitting how she loved learning how to speak German.

We talked about U.S. and France relations, how it soured after the Iraq War. I admitted that coming here to Normandy both last and this year, has been the most rewarding experience I’ve had as a Soldier. And I was thankful from the bottom of my heart to be amongst people who has kept our legacy alive from generation to generation.

So as we dined and drank, a friendship was forged between people who were once strangers. In this age of modern technology, we were able to exchange e-mail addresses and of course Facebook page information. Anything I can do to preserve the legacy of that Great Generation of Soldiers who liberated the people of Normandy is something that I will proudly do. After all, there are a generation of French people who are doing the same.

Master Sgt. Donald Sparks
SOCEUR Public Affairs Chief

I finally arrived in Northern France to St. Mere Eglise (SME). My hotel is located just to the outskirts of town and was an easy walk into the town square. It is a surreal feeling to walk through such a historic location without the aid of an Xbox game controller while playing the latest Call of Duty video game or through a production that either starred or was directed by Tom Hanks. Here it was in real life and it really feels like history is alive here.

This small town was founded in the 11th century but will forever be known as one of the first towns to be liberated from Nazi Germany by the Allied Forces during the Normandy landings to include the 82nd Airborne and U.S. 101st Airborne Divisions on June 6th, 1944.

The most famous of those first troops was John Steele, whose parachute was stuck on the town chapel in SME during the early morning hours of June 6th. SME was targeted for attack and a stray incendiary bomb had set fire to a house east of the town square. The church bell was rung to alert the town of the emergency and townspeople turned out in large numbers to form a bucket brigade supervised by members of the German garrison.

The mannequin paratrooper hangs below the parachute.

By 0100hrs, the town square was well-lit and filled with German soldiers and villagers when paratroopers from the 1st and 2nd battalions were dropped in error directly over the village. After John Steele's chute caught on the chapel, he played dead for two hours and watched his fellow soldiers fight it out before the Germans cut him down and took him prisoner. The town was finally taken from the Germans by 0500 that morning.

Steele's ordeal lives on today by the mannequin in uniform that hangs from the same spot on the chapel in the center of town. This mannequin now has the best seat in the house as U.S., French, British and German troops descend upon SME and Northern France to commemorate the 66th anniversary of D-Day events throughout this week. Along with the current service members from these countries are the veterans of those allied forces that will always remember and families of the local French communities that will never forget.

Stay tuned for more!
LCDR Taylor Clark

I’m new to EUCOM, new to Europe altogether, and I cannot imagine a better time of year: we just celebrated Memorial Day and the 66th Anniversary of D-Day is here. And I’m in Europe for all of it.

But with D-Day, so many things come to mind: honor, sacrifice, bravery, confusion...

Dwight Eisenhower giving orders to American paratroopers in England. (Image courtesy Library of Congress)

I admit, I’m partial to the airborne history of D-Day – I worked at Fort Campbell for the 101st Airborne Division for seven years. Those paratroopers flew across a blackened sea in the dark of night, coming under fire and being expected to jump out into the chaos. Some never made it out of their planes, some didn’t survive landing.

There were men in the air bombing the enemy artillery sites, men on the sea providing transport and naval bombardments, and men on the ground running up the beaches with rifles and bayonets ready. I have to believe that everyone who fought that day gave their all, not just those who died.

The D-Day Foundation has verified the names about 2,500 American servicemen killed on that one day alone. 2,500 Americans on one day. Our Allies fought alongside us, too, and estimates are that nearly 2,000 of them were killed that day, too.

But the anniversary of D-Day isn’t just about the men who died 66 years ago. It is also about what we’ve learned and accomplished since then.

The paratroopers of the 101st and 82nd didn’t hit all the drop zones they were supposed to, they were scattered around the countryside, some teaming up with units not their own, but all to accomplish the mission. The American service member is resourceful and we proved it on D-Day, we prove it every day.

And as I sit here at EUCOM, I can’t help but think D-Day could be the day that solidified the American commitment to the European continent. Sure we had been here before and we fought here before; but when I look back, I see D-Day as the day where the relationship was made real. We promised, we planned, we executed, we stayed for the rest of the war, we stayed for the rebuilding, and we’re here now maintaining and growing relationships with our allies and even former enemies.

So on Sunday, think about those who lost their lives, but also remember those who fought, those who lived the lessons we must learn about resourcefulness and working together. We must be Stronger Together.

Cathy Gramling
Social Media Deputy

I was deep in the heart of France yesterday during Memorial Day as I'm on my way to provide support for the events scheduled in commemoration of the 66th anniversary of D-Day. I left out from our U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and stopped at the halfway point on the way to the beaches of Normandy.

After nearly 19 years in the Navy, I've spent my share of Memorial Days honoring the sacrifices of those who gave their lives to the greater good. I've placed flags at cemeteries and saluted color guards that passed before and after ceremonies on this important day. I spent the majority of this Memorial Day packing up the car and getting on the road to join up with the other military members supporting the D-Day events this year.

Reims (pronounced like "rance"), France was my halfway point on this wet and congested Memorial Day. This city, located about 80 miles to the northeast of Paris, was meticulously reconstructed after both WWI and WWII. After reading the short write up about the town in my travel guide, the thing that popped out to me the most was a date 65 years ago.

On May 7th, 1945 at 2:41a.m., Nazi Germany signed an unconditional surrender bringing an end to six years of war in Europe. The surrender was signed in U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower's war room of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) in Reims. Media that covered the event in the days that followed called the headquarters "the little red schoolhouse" for its simple red-brick look and resemblance to a schoolhouse (the majority of the building is a technical university today).

I arrived in Reims with no idea where to go. I headed close to the center of town down winding French streets blindly turning down any road that had a sign that pointed toward a hotel. Luckily I'm equipped with GPS or I would struggle with getting out of town. When I arrived at one that had potential, I stopped, checked in and dropped off my bags.

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force or "little red schoolhouse."

Heading back out of the hotel for dinner while conferring with the front desk free map, I looked across the street about a half a block and there was a building of red-brick schoolhouse motif with the flags of France, UK, USA, Russia and Germany in front. A city of a couple hundred thousand spread out over 18 square miles and I land at the hotel across the street from the site of the end of World War II in Europe. What luck!

LCDR Taylor Clark
Chief of Media