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.
