Of the WWII death count, United States suffered 500,000 total military losses.
Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center and Memorial
In the afternoon, we travelled to Omaha Beach to visit the Visitor Centre, the cemetery and of course the beach itself. We later stopped at Point du Hoc.
Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center
"Sixty-three years after Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to turn the tide of World War II in Europe, a new visitor center at the Normandy American Cemetery in France opened in May 2007 to tell the story of the 9,387 Americans buried there and put the D-Day landings and follow-on battle in
Europe in perspective as one of the greatest military achievements of all time.
The $30 million visitor center was dedicated by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) on June 6, 2007 during the commemoration of the 63rd Anniversary of D-Day. The center is sited in a wooded area of the cemetery approximately 100 meters east of the Garden of the Missing. Normandy is ABMC's most visited cemetery, receiving approximately one million visitors each year."
Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center
"Sixty-three years after Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to turn the tide of World War II in Europe, a new visitor center at the Normandy American Cemetery in France opened in May 2007 to tell the story of the 9,387 Americans buried there and put the D-Day landings and follow-on battle in
Europe in perspective as one of the greatest military achievements of all time.
The $30 million visitor center was dedicated by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) on June 6, 2007 during the commemoration of the 63rd Anniversary of D-Day. The center is sited in a wooded area of the cemetery approximately 100 meters east of the Garden of the Missing. Normandy is ABMC's most visited cemetery, receiving approximately one million visitors each year."
Normandy American Cemetery
Omaha Beach
"A picturesque beach where romantic tales and childhood fables could be told - a beautiful place painted with high plateaus, rocky cliffs, and sandy bluffs. It is on this beach that one of most historical accounts of perseverance, tragedy, and torture played out. It was at Omaha Beach, on June 6, 1944, that one of the deadliest battles during D-Day occurred. As American soldiers moved to and from the shore as effortless as the tide, a flawless plan of victory was no match for their tragic course of destiny."
"A picturesque beach where romantic tales and childhood fables could be told - a beautiful place painted with high plateaus, rocky cliffs, and sandy bluffs. It is on this beach that one of most historical accounts of perseverance, tragedy, and torture played out. It was at Omaha Beach, on June 6, 1944, that one of the deadliest battles during D-Day occurred. As American soldiers moved to and from the shore as effortless as the tide, a flawless plan of victory was no match for their tragic course of destiny."
Surviving D-Day
"Five years into World War II, the future of Europe hangs in the balance, as 34,000 US soldiers embark on a mission to launch the biggest attack ever from sea. This fascinating documentary, interviews the soldiers who fought at Omaha, recalling their experiences as they approached the shore line under intense cross fire. Using CGI graphics to recreate and illustrate what happened on D Day, the programme also explores the weaponry used in the first wave of the invasion. Of the 1450 soldiers to arrive in the first wave that day, it is estimated that over one third of these men were casualties within the first hour. 'Surviving D Day' graphically details one of the biggest turning points in modern history, and tells the gripping story of the brave soldiers that gave their lives to liberate Western Europe."
Saving Private Ryan
"Steven Spielberg directed this powerful, realistic re-creation of WWII's D-day invasion and the immediate aftermath. The story opens with a prologue in which a veteran brings his family to the American cemetery at Normandy, and a flashback then joins Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks) and GIs in a landing craft making the June 6, 1944, approach to Omaha Beach to face devastating German artillery fire. This mass slaughter of American soldiers is depicted in a compelling, unforgettable 24-minute sequence." (YouTube)
Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument
"The World War II Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument is located on a cliff eight miles west of Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, which overlooks Omaha Beach, France. It was erected by the French to honor elements of the American Second Ranger Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder. During the American assault of Omaha and Utah beaches on June 6, 1944, these U.S. Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliff and seized the German artillery pieces that could have fired on the American landing troops at Omaha and Utah beaches. At a high cost of life, they successfully defended against determined German counterattacks.
The monument consists of a simple granite pylon positioned atop a German concrete bunker with tablets at its base inscribed in French and English. The monument was formally transferred to ABMC for perpetual care and maintenance on January 11, 1979. This battle-scarred area on the left flank of Omaha Beach remains much as the Rangers left it."
An entire Interactive Combat Narrative of the Battle of Pointe du Hoc, 6-8 June 1944, can be watched and heard here.
The monument consists of a simple granite pylon positioned atop a German concrete bunker with tablets at its base inscribed in French and English. The monument was formally transferred to ABMC for perpetual care and maintenance on January 11, 1979. This battle-scarred area on the left flank of Omaha Beach remains much as the Rangers left it."
An entire Interactive Combat Narrative of the Battle of Pointe du Hoc, 6-8 June 1944, can be watched and heard here.
World War 2 in HD - Hard Way Back and Darkness Falls
"WWII in HD (known as World War II: Lost Films in the UK) is a 10-part American documentary television miniseries that originally aired from November 15 to November 19, 2009 on the History Channel. The program focuses on the firsthand experiences of twelve American service members during World War II, including an Army nurse, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a second generation Japanese American and prisoner of war, and an Austrian Jew immigrant. The twelve members recorded their time in both theaters and some had later interviews; found footage from the battlefield was paired with the stories of the twelve service
members. The episodes premiered on five consecutive days, with two episodes per day. The series is narrated by Gary Sinise and was produced by Lou Reda Productions in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States."
members. The episodes premiered on five consecutive days, with two episodes per day. The series is narrated by Gary Sinise and was produced by Lou Reda Productions in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States."