Omaha Beach

Cornelius Ryan wrote the book The Longest Day, which was made into a movie in the '60s with a plethora of Hollywood's biggest stars. It tells the story of the invasion from the American, English and German points of view. I watch this movie nearly every year. Not as graphic as movies would later become, it still gives you a little of idea of the challenges the allies faced on the morning of June 6.

The Americans had a tough go of it at Omaha Beach, and very little went as planned. By the end of the day, the forces had obtained a small foothold and it took them several days to achieve their initial objective. We didn't get long at Omaha, but to be there at all was enough for me.

Next we headed to Pont du Hoc, the 100 foot cliff that the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled to disable the German guns that threatened the beach invasions. Of the more than 200 Rangers, only 90 survived. Along the way, we passed many other reminders of the war, including German bunkers and other memorials.