75th Anniverary of D-Day in Normandy

Just returned from a somber ceremony at the American Cemetery overlooking  Omaha beach at Colleville-sur-Mer on June 6, 2019.  We had applied with the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) for admission to the event which was limited to 5000 individuals.  We received our passes just four days before the event.  The  French authorities provided free bus rides from three different locations.  Our bus left from St. Lo which had been destroyed in WWII.  After arriving at the cemetery, we proceeded through metal detectors to find seats.  The Presidents of France and the U.S. delivered comments on the sacrifices made by both nations in World War II.  French resistance forces were essential in slowing the German reaction to the invasion.

I am attaching personal photos of the events.  You may be surprised about the number of restored U.S. Army vehicles along with French citizens dressed in G.I. uniforms.  The vehicles are worth more than the original cost of manufacture (even after adjusting for inflation).

Before too many years go by, it would be worth wile to go and visit Normandy.

Visit to the Royal South Australia Regiment museum in Adelaide, SA

For individuals visiting Adelaide, SA, should set time aside to visit the museum located within Keswick Barracks near downtown Adelaide.  The exhibits are excellent and the volunteers provide interesting commentary and answers to your questions.  Units comprising the Regiment have received  recognition, among others for Tobruk and Kokoda Trail defense.  It is worth your time to visit.  The following are some pictures I took:

Australia is an important ally of the United States.  Let us not forget the sacrifices made to assist us.

Visit to the "Wolf's Lair" and "Stalag Luft III" in Poland during end of April, 2016

 To date, I had not traveled any further East than Seelow Heights in Germany.  This last spring, a decision was made to visit two World War II historical sites in Poland.  We flew into Warsaw where tour personnel picked us up.  A guide and car took us to the "Wolf's  Lair" near Ketrzyn (aka Rastenburg).  Another guide showed us the large number of concrete bunkers and other structures used by Hitler and his other cronies to direct the war against Russia.  It was here that Colonel Von Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944, placed a bomb under the conference table in an attempt to kill Hitler and other high ranking officers.  He had planned for the meeting to be in Hitler's concrete bunker where the concussion would kill all the attendees.  Unfortunately, the meeting was moved to a wooded building where the large wooded table shielded Hitler against the blast.  As everyone knows, Von Stauffenberg was arrested and shot in the courtyard of the German army headquarters in Berlin.

Pictures of the Site

 

Plaque on the attempted assassination of Hitler in front of the building foundation where the bomb was placed.

Stalag Luft III

We took an express train from Warsaw to Wrolclaw(formerly known as Breslau).  The next day our driver and car drove from Wrolclaw to Zagan.  This was the site of an allied POW camp on which the movie the "Great Escape" was based.  The museum director gave as a very informative tour of what's left of the camp.

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End of the tunnel named "Harry" where 76 airman escaped.  Sorry to shatter the movie script, but there was no motorcycle ride or escape by captured Nazi airplane.

 

  

Visit to Iwo Jima: A pure battlefield

In 2001, I joined a tour to the Marianas and Iwo Jima.  More than half of the tour members were Marine veterans who joined the battle in 1945.  Other tour members were Dr. Stephen Ambrose, noted military historian, and Mr. James Bradley (author of the book "Flags of our Fathers."  The tour departed from Los Angeles via Honolulu and on to Guam.  During the first part of the tour, we visited both Saipan and Tinian.

The visit to Iwo Jima started very early in the morning.  We arrived and were met by a contingent of U.S. Marines and their vehicles.  The day was spent touring the island from end to end including Mount Suribachi. A final ceremony was a joint remembrance with Japanese and U.S. dignitaries. At the end of the day, tour members re boarded both aircraft for the flight back to Guam.

Iwo Jima is a closed island and currently serves as an airfield for the Japanese Defense Force.  It is very difficult to arrange a visit to the island.  Below are personal photographs and accompanying narative:

Mount Suribachi in view as we approach early morning for the landing.

Preparing to turn for the landing on Iwo Jima.

Marine vehicles preparing to transport tour participants.

 Primary landing beaches from the top of Mount Suribachi.

Memorial to the flag raising on the top of Mount Suribachi.

Erected tent for the concluding ceremony on Iwo Jima.  

Entrance to Japanese fortification on Iwo Jima.

Sulphur colored steam from tunnel on Iwo Jima.

Rusting Amtrac landing vehicle on Saipan.

Blogger in front of Japanese artillery piece on Saipan.

Atom bomb loading pit on the Island of Tinian.  The bomb was too large to load on the bomber in a conventional manner.  The bomber would pull over the pit to be loaded.

Remains of the Japanese Naval Headquarters on Tinian.

North Field on the Island of Tinian.  This was one departure point for bomber raids on Japan.

I have now concluded all of the battlefields visited in my travels.  Because of the vast distances in the Pacific, it is difficult to visit those battlefields.  I hope to visit some additional sites in Europe.

Halbe: Defending Berlin from the south

Halbe is a small crossroads village south of Berlin.  Between April 24 and May 1, 1945, a German force of approximately 210,000 under the command of General Busse opposed a well equipped army of 280,000 led by Russian General Ivan Konev.  The German force was made up of regular army units and conscripted men of the Volkssturm (people's militia).

The carnage was substantial on both sides.  Many of those killed are buried in Halbe and a nearby Soviet cemetery.  To this day, remains are still being recovered in the sandy soil and forests surrounding Halbe.  As the Russians advanced, the German forces  attempted several breakouts in order to surrender to the advancing American forces coming from the West.

For those wanting to see the village and German cemetery, it is a quick day trip from Berlin on regional rail.  Inquire at the Berlin Hauptbanholf ticket office for fares and directions to Halbe.  Once in Halbe, turn right and stay right until you see the military cemetery sign on the left side of the road.

The following are pictures taken at the German cemetery:

Off the train, go straight to corner, turn right and veer to the right.

Entry to Cemetery

Another memorial in the WW II section of the cemetery.

Both identified and unidentified remains

Group burial site


This completes the European sites that I have visited.  My final site switches to the Pacific Islands of Iwo Jima, Guam, Saipan, and Tinian visited in 2001.

Seelow Heights: Start of the assault on Berlin: April 16-19, 1945

The Soviet Army was like a coiled spring on the East side of the Oder River.  Early on the morning of April 16th, 1945, the Soviet artillery opened a massive  barrage on the German defensive line located on the Seelow Heights that overlooked the West side of the Oder River.  The German commanders pulled their forces back from the front line knowing that the Soviets usually opened their assaults with massed artillery.  After the barrage, the German forces moved back to the line to meet the Russian infantry and tanks crossing the Oder River.  The Russians suffered significant losses in both men and tanks.  The soft river bottom land along the Oder stopped their progress on the first day.  Eventually, the much superior Russian forces broke thru the German defenses and had an open road to Berlin.  For those individuals desiring  a great deal more information, I highly recommend the book by Antony Beevor titled The Fall of Berlin 1945  published in 2002.

For those visiting Berlin,  it is easy to make a day trip to the village of Seelow.  Train RB26 leaves from the Lichtenberg Bhf on a regular basis.  The train stops at a station just outside of Seelow.  A regional bus meets all train arrivals and departures  and takes passengers to and from the Center of Seelow.  From there, it is a short walk to a Museum built by the Soviets to commemorate their victory.  This is a day trip worth taking.   Check current travel guides for accommodations  if a longer stay is desired.  The following are personal pictures taken during my visit:

Katyusha Rocket Launcher

 T-34 Russian Tank

  Looking East from Seelow Heights to the Oder River

There is more to see at the museum including a cemetery holding the remains of Soviet Soldiers.  The personnel at the museum, upon request, can show a film in English.

2014: A Year of Anniverseries

The 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris is coming this August along with the D-Day Invasion.  2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI.  You can be assured that tourism will increase in Northern France and Normandy.  This posting deals with the August 26,1994, celebration of the liberation of Paris (Paris libre) in 1944.

I held a prized invitation to sit in the grandstand erected in front of the Hotel de Ville (Paris City Hall) for the festivities.  For those wanting to know more, I refer you to a classic movie "Is Paris Burning" based on a book with the same name by Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre.  The music score by Maurice Jarre is stirring and fantastic.

I am sharing three personal pictures of the event.

 
These veterans of General Philippe LeClerc's 2nd Armored Division surround and greet General LeClerc's widow.  Note the large projection screen to improve viewing by the  audience.

A small group of U.S. soldiers entering the venue.  U.S. Ambassador Pamela Harriman arrived soon after this picture was taken.

Entrance to Hotel Meurice on the Rue de Rivoli.  This hotel was used as the headquarters for the German commander of Paris, General Dietrich von Choltitz.  As most know, General Choltitz did not follow through on an order from Hitler to destroy the city.  The book mentioned in start of the blog will give you many more details.