D Day continued - Michelle's Version

First, let me add to what John said yesterday about the cemetery. I was a bit concerned that, having heard about how moving it was and given my general pacifist outlook, I might be let down. No need to have worried. Looking out over all those markers, seeing the beach and water beyond them, contrasting the death and destruction with the tranquility of the pastures and farmland that now line the beaches - I was in awe. Then, I noticed Ben, who was moving slowly along the line of markers, looking down (at what I later discovered were the names of the fallen) and taking his hat off in respect. Then, the clock struck 6 and was followed by the Star Spangled Banner and Ben moved away from the markers and, totally unprompted, gave a little salute. I just started sobbing.

On a day where we learned all about the horrors of war, there was still a clear message of the desire for peace.

For those who do not know, I am a member of a traditional peace church and am a pacifist. I absolutely think that there must be a better way to resolve disputes. John was a member of the 82nd Airborne and I think that I am accurately representing his views by saying that he thinks that war should be the last resort but is regrettably necessary. I think our day yesterday represented a good balance of these two views which are more close than one would think.

Today we went on a private guided tour which was absolutely amazing. Our guide, upon hearing that I was a member of a peace church and a pacifist, remarked that he typically talks about the conscientious objectors and their bravery at our first stop (which he did - in a story about a medic that was amazing) and in fact we talked throughout the day about the various aspects of being a CO and the horrors of war. I couldn't have asked for a more balanced and fair perspective on the issue - being able to converse and to take things at our own pace was worth every bit we spent on the Battlebus private tour (which was about the cost of two nights' lodging, by the way - 450 Euros for those looking to plan their own vacation).

John has been trying to get me to watch this movie, The Longest Day, for ... well, as long as I've known him probably (after convincing me to watch The Lion In Winter, which I still hate to this day, he's not had much success on a three hour war movie). Well, I think Dale (our guide) has shamed me into it. We saw lots of things today that were depicted in that movie and Dale put a personal story on all of them. I think this approach really helps to personalize what goes on and to give you a feel for the real stories (and he told us the good and the bad - it wasn't all a white washed, we won so we're great thing) not some glorified and glamorous adventure.

As we were planning our visit, we arranged to meet the father of a close friend who was a member of the 82nd Airborne and landed on D Day (Bill Bladen, Pam's father for those who know Pam). When we talked with him we found out that he was in one of the groups that was badly scattered, far from his unit (to the point of being off the map he was given and needing several days to get to where he should have been). He is now in his eighties and couldn't remember the name of the bridge he was supposed to have taken, and John made it his mission to "find Bill's bridge." The bridge in the picture above is at the spot where both John and Dale, our guide, believe Bill's bridge was (the Air Force took out the bridge before Bill and his unit got there, so they had to have built a new one by now, I'm assuming). We will be happy when we can talk to him again in person to show him his bridge, as well as the new monuments at Chef du Pont, where he met up with his group (these were erected in the past year and he was last here in 1994 for the 50th Anniversary).

I'm sure John will want to give you all the details of all the places we saw today. Frankly, I can't remember them all. My favorites were the first stop, the chapel where two young medics kept almost 80 people alive for several days (in that 80 were German soldiers and townspeople) until the fighting subsided and they could get real medical help - only two people died; and our stop at Utah Beach, where Dale taught us how the German's had set up their defense (very smart, these nests of fortifications), how the US had made a lucky accident and landed at a less fortified spot, and a story of a young German soldier that put a human face on that side.