France 2015 - Day 2 - Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery

Omaha was the second beach from the west among the five landing areas of the Normandy Invasion of World War II. It was assaulted on June 6, 1944 (D-Day of the invasion), by units of the U.S. 29th and 1st Infantry Divisions, many of whose soldiers were drowned during the approach from ships offshore or were killed by defending fire from German troops placed on heights surrounding the beach.

Omaha Beach looking east towards the British/Canadian beaches. You can see the heights on the right which the US troops had to climb.



Omaha beach looking west.



The Omaha Beach memorial. I think these are on all the beaches. There was one at Utah but I didn't get a picture of it.





Les Braves is a war memorial that is located on the shores of Omaha Beach in the village of St. Laurent-sur-Mer in Normandy, France and commemorates the fallen American soldiers, of World War ll who have lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy, June 6th 1944.

Again you can see the heights on which the Germans were positioned in the background.



The memorial represents three elements: The Wings of Hope, Rise Freedom, and the Wings Of Fraternity. French sculptor Anilore Banon, created the monument in 2004, commissioned by the French government to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion Of Normandy. In the center, there are seven stainless steel columns and a group of five columns that curve upwards, two columns stand upright, with the tallest reaching 30 feet. Stainless steel wings gracefully stand on both sides.



Intended only as a temporary art piece, the sculpture still stands on the shores of Omaha Beach widely due to public interest and petition. The sculpture has been described as a blend of art and nature and has been able to withstand the forces of nature surprisingly well. (Arty shot below)
  

Just up the hill and down the round is the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. This memorial honours American troops who died in Europe during World War II.

It is located on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 and the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II.

The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 of US Service personnel, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations.



“The memorial consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing large maps and narratives of the military operations; at the centre is the bronze statue, “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.”





The reflecting pool, and at the far end, is a circular chapel and, with granite statues representing the United States and France.



We got there late in the afternoon just when they were bring down the US Flag.





Some of the rows of graves



 Gratuitous HDR shot.