Omaha Beach Revisited

submitted by Bill Bradfield

June, 2007

Bill Bradfield

Here is a picture of two of our grandsons, sitting on the bluff above Omaha Beach in November 2006. It struck me as a kind of commentary on the way life has moved on from those dreadful days of 1944.

Jack and Ryan

In the distance you can see the remains of the causeway that connected the beach with the deep water ships so that their cargos could be driven "ship to beach". The boys' perch is the remains of a German gun emplacement. Imagine the chaos that went on below that spot!

We ten Bradfields saw Pointe du Hoc, where the Army Rangers climbed up into the face of withering fire to take out a gun emplacement; several ruined German gun batteries; some of the scenes of brutal combat; a number of Museums and Memorials; and, finally, the American Cemetary overlooking the area. It is beautifully maintained and deeply moving---we prayed for those resting there and for a just peace.

No one can look at all this without a surge of pride at the courage of these American heroes, and a deep sense of sorrow for the necessity of the sacrifices they made.

Let's pray that America can keep its resolve and not waste the gains they made for us.

We spent a week in France, visiting Paris and staying at a farmhouse in Normandy. Wow!. Then two weeks in Portugal where our son Ted is stationed at our Embassy. Some of the EURYALE crew met Ted when he and his wife visited with us at the San Diego reunion. They have four children who are rapidly becoming bilingual! We plan a return visit in the next 12 months.

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