Thank you to those who "cruised" on June 6, 1944

[Toddcan]

You are Welcome.

 

Can you share any details?

[4CruisingBadgers]

I agree completely. Thank you to all who serve - then and now. May God Bless You All.

[NorbertsNiece]

Last year I took a river cruise in France. We visited the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan. Their sacrifice on 'their' D Day in August must never be forgotten either.

 

Lattie Tipton is buried here.

 

[katrina915]

Wasn't a fun cruise, I know that much, but I will never be able to really appreciate what you did for the world.

 

Looking forward to my 2 week Normandy vacation next month to pay tribute to these brave individuals.

 

Thank you so much!

And thanks to the guys that came behind them. My Dad was in 9th Infantry landing on Utah Beach D day plus 4. Most of his buddies died in the various battles and he was wounded in St. Lo and then pushed on to the Battle of the Bulge.

 

Bronze star, 2 purple hearts, French Legion of Honor, sharp shooter and good conduct, etc.

 

This is my first D day anniversary without him, but was glad that we went to Normandy in 2012 and retraced some of his steps around the Cherbourg area. There is a monument for his company outside a small town that he liberated that welcomed him like a returning hero in 2012.

[Toddcan]

This is a nice thread - lots of experience, and relatives to remember!

 

Can I interject a personal request here.. My DW, DS and I are heading to Normandy and then Belgium (Ypres) area in a few weeks. I have visited before, but want to make sure I am not missing anything. Sounds like many of you have also visited.

 

Here is my must see list. Please let me know if I am missing some very obvious "must see" site(s):

 

Utah Beach

Utah Beach Museum

Walk the Beach

Ste Mere Eglise - Airborne Museum and town square

Carentan

Azeville Battery

Normany Tank Museum (just opened in 2013 - just outside Carentan)

 

Omaha Beach

Point Du Hoc

German Cemetery

American Cemetery

Walk the Beach

Omaha Beach Museum

 

Gold Beach

Arromanches 360 Cinema

German Battery at Longues sur Mere

Walk the Beach

Landing Museum at Arromanches

 

Juno Beach

Walk the beach

Canadian Juno Center

 

Sword

Pegasus Bridge

Walk the Beach

 

Edit... I should probably add that we are staying at a lovely country cottage just outside St. Lo. We will also be taking a day trip to Mont St. Michel to the south (fortress on an island)

 

Thanks for the help.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Toddcan

[1992cruiser]

You are Welcome.

 

I really hope that you are too young to understand what you are saying here. While you are trying to be funny with some of your other posts, this one is on the wrong thread. If you are an adult, then I feel sorry for the people around you that have to deal with this type of behavior.

 

God Bless the Men and Women who fight for the greater good.

[antsnanny]

Now this is the best post I have ever seen on Cruise Critic. Thank you for posting and much thanks to the hero's who are why were free today!

God Bless them!

[Mac303]

A big Thank You, to all the brave Men & Woman who have served.

[Toddcan]

I really hope that you are too young to understand what you are saying here. While you are trying to be funny with some of your other posts, this one is on the wrong thread. If you are an adult, then I feel sorry for the people around you that have to deal with this type of behavior.

 

God Bless the Men and Women who fight for the greater good.

 

Oh wow, I just made the connection on who actually posted that. For a real second or two, I thought he might have been a legit veteran. But, I highly doubt it based on his other posts.

 

If he's pretending to be a veteran, but is not - I cannot express how low that is - to try and take credit for such a sacrifice when none was offered. I suppose he has his reward...

Edited June 6, 2014 by Toddcan

[Spoely]

Heartfelt thanks to our veterans.

[Langley Cruisers]

As an American living in Canada now, I also thank you for your service, and may those who died rest in peace.

.

[cruiselife4me]

Amazing, courageous men. It really was the greatest generation.

[villager70]

Thanks to all veterans for your service and sacrifices. We will never forget.

 

Bob USMC Semper Fi

[hairymelon]

Thank you so much for posting this and I hope we never forget the debt of gratitude we have to all those men and women that gave their lives so we could live ours. Very humbling.

[Aboat1]

Thank you for starting this thread Toddcan. My Dad received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I was an adult before I understood just what that meant. I love you Dad and I Thank you.

 

Thank you to all who have served. Know how proud your nation is of all you. Not just today but every day. Without you, I am sure there would be no such thing as Cruise Critic.

[santos949]

We visited Normandy last year and it was truly a life-changing experience for me. Words cannot express the emotions I felt when I saw those grave sites...all facing the USA. Unbelievable!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We all owe a debt.

 

We are visiting the Normandy beaches on our TA. In talking with a relative about our cruise we discovered my DH great uncle is buried in the American cemetery. [Grandfather's brother] We look forward to paying our respects in person.

[MandyMooToo]

Amen

[geocruiser]

Thank you to all who have served, who are now serving and who will serve our country and us to keep us free.

[A Pisces]

I agree, thank you to all those who have served, especially during war time, and on this day in 1944.

[mjldvlks]

This is a nice thread - lots of experience, and relatives to remember!

 

Can I interject a personal request here.. My DW, DS and I are heading to Normandy and then Belgium (Ypres) area in a few weeks. I have visited before, but want to make sure I am not missing anything. Sounds like many of you have also visited.

 

Here is my must see list. Please let me know if I am missing some very obvious "must see" site(s) . . .

 

It looks like you have a pretty complete plan. As with almost any trip, it is impossible to do everything so fill your time with as many of the things you want to see as you can and don't look back.

 

We did a self guided trip and patterned it roughly after the chronology from the movie The Longest Day.

 

We stayed in a B&B in Carentan and saw some of the airborne battlefields [including St Mere Eglise [where they still have a paratrooper mannequin hanging from the church steeple] on our way in. Being Airborne qualified myself, that was of particular interest to me

 

Our actual sight seeing began at the Orne Rive [Pegasus] Bridge ["Hold until relieved, hold until relieved"]. Keep in mind the current bridge over the river is a replacement. The actual bridge from the battle is still there but away from the river a little north and east of the current bridge. There are trees screening the old bridge so you have to look carefully to see it from the river. It is only a short walk so don't miss it. We then followed the river to the north and took a left at Ouistreham to follow the beaches to the west.

 

For me, the highlights were the Pegasus Bridge, the American Cemetery, the beaches in general and what I think was the big highlight for our entire group -- Pointe Du Hoc. I also enjoyed seeing the remnants of the Mulberry harbor [i think off Gold Beach at Arromanches] and thought the museum in Caen was well worth the stop. There are thousands [well at least dozens] of museums. Check for reviews because not all are worth the trouble and time.

 

We rented a car and had no difficulty getting around, although our wives got a little lost while we were waiting to be picked up at the museum in Caen.

 

Remember there are things in Normandy not associated with D-Day. I see you are going to Mont St Michel. I think the Bayeux Tapestry is also worth a stop. Because (a) then Norman conquest was a pivotal event in the history of my ancestors [i have namesakes who were with William -- we assume that is how we got to England], and (b) I have been to Hastings in England, this was a must on the other side of the Channel.

 

Here are a couple of pictures from our trip:

 

Pointe Du Hoc [with shell craters still clearly visible]:

 

 

Memorial "Les Braves" on Omaha Beach:

 

 

And to honor those who didn't return:

 

 

Enjoy your trip -- it was one thing I have now crossed off my bucket list.

[mjwcruising]

Thank you to my dad and all like him! He was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. Went in the night before. You know, if it wasn't for all those guys we'd be speaking german right now! He will always be my hero!

Elvis

 

I agree, thank you to all those who have served, especially during war time, and on this day in 1944.

 

My father-in-law was also in the 101st Airborne Division. When he hit the beaches of Normandy he was shot in the Ankle and taken as a POW. He was later released but lived the rest of his life with a bad ankle because of the little medical care he was given.

He NEVER spoke about that time in his life.

When my son was in 6th grade my father-in-law went to my son's school and spoke to his class about D day and all that went with it. It was a very moving talk. One I will certainly never forget. One thing he mentioned is after D day he could never again hear taps without tears in his eyes.

He is no longer with us but I thank him and all the that served.

[Missus Makkem]

We have had the most wonderful programs here in the UK today on TV and radio, a lot of them from the towns and villages in Normandy where a lot of the Veterans have gathered, sadly probably for the last time.

For me the most poinant was the Chris Evans show on BBC radio 2, here was a young man more of a DJ but who has the ability to do things for the better good than most, over there and talking to people about the Normandy landings.

Everyone of them brought a lump in my throat and a tear to my eye and he played music from that era too, everything from Glen miller to Dame Vera Lynn.

He even had Winston Churchills grandaughter reading out facts and figures for June 6th through this century, all of it amazing and a credit to his team.

[dleafy]

We owe a debt we can never hope to repay. RIP

[mjldvlks]

. . . We are visiting the Normandy beaches on our TA. . .

 

Are you visiting on a shore excursion during the cruise or a pre/post cruise augmentation? On our TA aboard Independence in 2009, we were originally scheduled to stop in Cherbourg. We [maybe more appropriately I and my DW with a bit of arm twisting] selected this cruise because of this port with the idea of visiting the beaches. Literally the day after we booked [about 14 months out] Cherbourg was deleted as a port of call. After fussing and fuming for a few days and considering cancelling the trip [and writing to Adam Goldstein] I realized that we were much better off taking the ferry to Normandy after the cruise and spending three days in Normandy instead of an 8 hour or so shore excursion. Turns out to be one of the best things that could have happened. Even my DW [not a particular history buff] considers it a trip of a lifetime. As far as cruise augmentation trips it was also not that expensive. The ferry from England was very reasonable and we stayed in a B&B that was not too expensive and got to meet the host family -- all around a great time. So if you can, I would encourage you to spend more than the shore excursion in Normandy.

 

But if the shore excursion is all the time you have, it is still worth it. As with any shore excursion, pick two or three things you want to see and don't sweat what you are missing. I would suggest Pointe Du Hoc and the American Military Cemetery [combined with Omaha Beach] may be all you have time for -- and I think our group was unanimous that Pointe Du Hoc was the highlight of our trip. But the Cemetery alone is worth the effort. Honestly, the exhibits at the Cemetery may be one of the best museums we saw.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise and whatever time you can spend in Normandy -- you know what they say about those who forget history.

Edited June 6, 2014 by mjldvlks