France prepares for D-Day anniversary: veterans returning to Normandy for the 60th anniversary will encounter a host of celebrations in various cities

VFW Magazine, Feb, 2004 by Janie Blankenship

It's been 60 years since U.S. troops stormed the beaches at Omaha and Utah in Normandy and fought in places like Saint-Mere Eglise and St. Marie du Mont to liberate northern France.

To commemorate D-Day, some WWII vets and their families will journey across the Atlantic to visit battle sites and the U.S. military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer to honor those who are buried there. A lot has changed, but one thing is clear:

The French welcome Americans on their soil now just as they did June 6, 1944.

Many towns are hosting special activities to commemorate this historic event. The chart on page 40 outlines locations of interest to Americans. If available, contact information is included under each city, as well. Though many towns are celebrating all summer, the events listed focus on June 5-7.

Other sites of interest to veterans and their families include Pointe du Hoc--the cliffs above Omaha Beach that U.S. Rangers scaled on D-Day; Utah Beach--the landing site for the 4th Infantry Division; and Omaha Beach--where the 1st and 29th U.S. Infantry divisions came ashore.

SITE                DATE       EVENT

Ne'hou              June 5   * Ceremony commemorating Gen. Patton's
                               stay (July 6-Aug. 2, 1944). His
                               granddaughter plans to attend.

St. Marie du Mont   June 5   * Open-air concert on Utah Beach at 8:30
                               p.m. with fireworks at 11 p.m.

Saint-Mere Eglise   June 5   * Mass parachute jump by re-enactors at
                               2:30 p.m. in church square.
                             * Commemorative ceremony at Fiere Memorial
                               at 3:30 p.m.

Caen                June 6   * Commemoration ceremony for captives
                               killed at the Caen prison on D-Day.
                             * Wreath laying at commemorative plaques
                               in front of I'Abbaye aux Hommes.
                             * Military parade.
                             * Requiem concert at St. Etienne's Church.

Montsurvent         June 6   * Parade of American vehicles organized by
                               Montsurvent's Souvenir 44 Association.

Caumont-L'Evente    June 7   * Parade of military vehicles.
                             * Commemoration of town's liberation
                               includes U.S. Army's 1st Infantry
                               Division, in period uniform.

Lisieux             June 7   * Silent walk from British cemetery of St.
                               Desir to Military Square at Lisieux
                               Cemetery.

Saint-Lo            June 7   * Regional ceremony honoring all civilians
                               who died during Battle of Normandy.

SITE                CONTACT

Ne'hou

St. Marie du Mont

Saint-Mere Eglise   Office of Tourism, 1, Place General de
                    Gaulle, 50480 Sainte-Mere Eglise

Caen                Office of Tourism, Place Saint-Pierre,
                    14000 Caen
                    tourisminfo@ville-caen.fr
                    www.ville-caen.fr/tourisme

Montsurvent

Caumont-L'Evente

Lisieux             Office of Tourism, 11, rue d'Alencon,
                    B.P. 7197, 14107 Lisieux Cedex

Saint-Lo            Office of Tourism, Place General de
                    Gaulle, 5000 Saint-Lo

For updated city-by-city calendar information, contact the official sponsor of Normandy's D-Day celebrations at: Normandie Memoire 60th Anniversary, Abbaye aux Dames, Place Reine Mathilde, BP 70067, 14007 CAEN CEDEX 1, FRANCE; Tel.: 011 33 2 31 94 80 26; Web site: www.normandiememoire.com; or E-mail: info@normandiememoire.com.

For general information on travel to France, write: French Government Tourist Office, 444 Madison Ave., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022; call (212) 838-7800; or e-mail info.us@franceguide.com.

Also, several specialized travel guides should be checked out:

The 25 Best World War II Sites, Europe. (San Francisco: Greenline Travel Publications, 2004) by Chuck Thompson. Synopsis: This book contains five chapters on France alone, two of those on D-Day. Travel information for all war sites is included. Thompson also mentions tourist traps to watch for. Available in April. Check with your area booksellers, call (415) 386-8646 or e-mail info@greenlinepub.com.

Major & Mrs. Holt's Battlefield Guide to the Normandy Landing Beaches. (England: Leo Cooper, 1999) by Toni and Valmai Holt. Synopsis: 272 pages of excellent site summaries, directions and photos with pull-out map.

The March to Victory. (Niwot, Colo.: University Press of Colorado, 1994.) by John T. Bookman and Stephen T. Powers. Synopsis: A complete guide to World War II battles and battle-fields from London to the Rhine. Includes maps and driving directions for those wishing to tour American battle sites in France. Available for purchase on www.amazon.com.