D-Day in Normandy

Our approach down to the Normandy beaches after driving from Paris, first to Arromanches. A good starting place for a visit to the D-Day area. From here, drive west to Omaha and Utah beaches ...

2009-02-22T16:21:53Z

Bob Johnson
Our approach down to the Normandy beaches after driving from Paris, first to Arromanches. A good starting place for a visit to the D-Day area. From here, drive west to Omaha and Utah beaches ...

At the American cemetery, an outline of the initial landings. Facing in from the sea, British and Canadians are to the left and the Americans to the right at the Omaha and Utah beaches, wher ...

2009-02-22T16:14:46Z

Bob Johnson
At the American cemetery, an outline of the initial landings. Facing in from the sea, British and Canadians are to the left and the Americans to the right at the Omaha and Utah beaches, wher ...

Arromanches is a tourist town, with a fine museum that details the invasion, the equipment, the soldiers of many nations that made contributions, however small for some, to the invasion. Dan ...

2009-02-22T16:16:40Z

Bob Johnson
Arromanches is a tourist town, with a fine museum that details the invasion, the equipment, the soldiers of many nations that made contributions, however small for some, to the invasion. Dan ...

In the Arromanches harbor are remnants of the British Mulberry devices that provided a port to receive shipping after the first invasion before the Allies captured a "real" port facility. Wi ...

2009-02-22T16:16:06Z

Bob Johnson
In the Arromanches harbor are remnants of the British Mulberry devices that provided a port to receive shipping after the first invasion before the Allies captured a "real" port facility. Wi ...

At Utah beach, a monument at a place where American troops came up from the beach. Fighting here was less intense than at Omaha. At this time in the afternoon, the day was cloudy, windy, chi ...

2009-02-22T16:21:20Z

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a monument at a place where American troops came up from the beach. Fighting here was less intense than at Omaha. At this time in the afternoon, the day was cloudy, windy, chi ...

At Utah beach, a Sherman tank.

2009-02-22T16:20:20Z

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a Sherman tank.

At Utah beach, a unit memorial to an Engineer brigade.

2009-02-22T16:22:14Z

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a unit memorial to an Engineer brigade.

Monument to the Allied invasion at Utah beach.

2009-02-22T16:18:45Z

Bob Johnson
Monument to the Allied invasion at Utah beach.

Scene of the Normandy countryside, traveling between Omaha and Utah beaches.

2009-06-01T19:09:36Z

Bob Johnson
Scene of the Normandy countryside, traveling between Omaha and Utah beaches.

Resting in the British cemetery are soldiers killed from the start to the end of the war. But most were from battles during the June-July-August Normandy campaign.

2009-03-02T06:34:36Z

Bob Johnson
Resting in the British cemetery are soldiers killed from the start to the end of the war. But most were from battles during the June-July-August Normandy campaign.

The British cemetery was inland from the Normandy beaches and a very peaceful and immaculate place.

2009-02-22T16:20:41Z

Bob Johnson
The British cemetery was inland from the Normandy beaches and a very peaceful and immaculate place.

Another view of the highly groomed British cemetery.

2009-03-02T07:08:29Z

Bob Johnson
Another view of the highly groomed British cemetery.

Buried with the British, unknown German soldiers.

2009-02-22T16:20:38Z

Bob Johnson
Buried with the British, unknown German soldiers.

A Lance Corporal of The Green Howards.

2009-02-22T16:17:25Z

Bob Johnson
A Lance Corporal of The Green Howards.

A roadside notice of a momument to a British armored unit. The kids were off for fishing in a nearby stream.

2009-02-22T16:22:28Z

Bob Johnson
A roadside notice of a momument to a British armored unit. The kids were off for fishing in a nearby stream.

The monument, a simple place by a roadside in France.

2009-06-02T00:46:36Z

Bob Johnson
The monument, a simple place by a roadside in France.

Front view of the church at Ste.- Mere-Eglise, a location for American paras on the night of D-Day.

2009-02-22T16:18:02Z

Bob Johnson
Front view of the church at Ste.- Mere-Eglise, a location for American paras on the night of D-Day.

The replica of the American para who landed atop the Church.

2009-06-02T00:46:05Z

Bob Johnson
The replica of the American para who landed atop the Church.

Another view of the replica.

2009-06-02T00:55:42Z

Bob Johnson
Another view of the replica.

Inside the church, stained glass to memorialize the Americans who came from the sky.

2009-06-02T01:05:15Z

Bob Johnson
Inside the church, stained glass to memorialize the Americans who came from the sky.

View from a German observation bunker at the top of Pont du Hoc, scaled by American rangers on the first day of the invasion.

2009-02-22T16:22:41Z

Bob Johnson
View from a German observation bunker at the top of Pont du Hoc, scaled by American rangers on the first day of the invasion.

Another view from Pointe-du-Hoc.

2009-06-02T00:58:31Z

Bob Johnson
Another view from Pointe-du-Hoc.

Easy to see how difficult it was to climb these cliffs.

2009-06-02T01:03:33Z

Bob Johnson
Easy to see how difficult it was to climb these cliffs.

Here and following are two views of the bunkers and landscape atop Pointe-du-Hoc, where fighting lasted more than a day and Americans were using captured German weapons before being relieved ...

2009-02-22T16:16:25Z

Bob Johnson
Here and following are two views of the bunkers and landscape atop Pointe-du-Hoc, where fighting lasted more than a day and Americans were using captured German weapons before being relieved ...

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-02T00:46:35Z

Bob Johnson

A roadside place for lunch on a chilly Normandy day in May.

2009-06-02T01:02:47Z

Bob Johnson
A roadside place for lunch on a chilly Normandy day in May.

The American military cemetery near Omaha beach.

2009-06-02T00:56:47Z

Bob Johnson
The American military cemetery near Omaha beach.

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-01T19:19:14Z

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-01T19:19:17Z

Bob Johnson

Along the rear wall of this garden are the names of people who died during the invasion but whose bodies were never recovered.

2009-06-01T18:39:40Z

Bob Johnson
Along the rear wall of this garden are the names of people who died during the invasion but whose bodies were never recovered.

The headstones are as perfectly aligned as you may have read. The cemetery is atop part of Omaha beach. When we were there, access to the beach was blocked from here.

2009-06-02T01:05:51Z

Bob Johnson
The headstones are as perfectly aligned as you may have read. The cemetery is atop part of Omaha beach. When we were there, access to the beach was blocked from here.

You cannot walk among the graves and not cry.

2009-02-22T16:07:32Z

Bob Johnson
You cannot walk among the graves and not cry.

A paratrooper from New York, killed on the first day of the invasion.

2009-02-22T16:10:23Z

Bob Johnson
A paratrooper from New York, killed on the first day of the invasion.

A stone in quiet memory of a Jewish soldier from Ohio.

2009-02-22T16:22:04Z

Bob Johnson
A stone in quiet memory of a Jewish soldier from Ohio.

From Virginia to Normandy to win a Medal of Honor

2009-02-22T16:19:07Z

Bob Johnson
From Virginia to Normandy to win a Medal of Honor

A grave for an unknown American soldier. One of many.

2009-02-22T16:19:22Z

Bob Johnson
A grave for an unknown American soldier. One of many.

A soldier from Minnesota, killed in August, near the end of the Normandy campaign. We never saw anyone leaving flowers but many graves were so honored.

2009-02-22T16:16:23Z

Bob Johnson
A soldier from Minnesota, killed in August, near the end of the Normandy campaign. We never saw anyone leaving flowers but many graves were so honored.

The large soaring momument is a place to rest and reflect.

2009-06-01T19:21:54Z

Bob Johnson
The large soaring momument is a place to rest and reflect.

Looking back to the top of Omaha beach, from only a short way down. This is one of the paths taken by an American unit to the top.

2009-06-01T19:37:15Z

Bob Johnson
Looking back to the top of Omaha beach, from only a short way down. This is one of the paths taken by an American unit to the top.

Who left this mark?

2009-06-01T19:08:19Z

Bob Johnson
Who left this mark?

From above Omaha beach, it was stil a far way to the top.

2009-06-01T19:03:45Z

Bob Johnson
From above Omaha beach, it was stil a far way to the top.

Above the Omaha beaches, French visitors speaking of "Les Boches" as they walked.

2009-02-22T16:19:06Z

Bob Johnson
Above the Omaha beaches, French visitors speaking of "Les Boches" as they walked.

What some soldiers must have seen the afternoon of June 6.

2009-06-01T18:58:28Z

Bob Johnson
What some soldiers must have seen the afternoon of June 6.

From the top of one Omaha beach location, the landing area is so very exposed.

2009-06-01T20:10:08Z

Bob Johnson
From the top of one Omaha beach location, the landing area is so very exposed.

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-01T19:38:59Z

Bob Johnson

A monument to an Engineer unit at Omaha, seen from three sides in these pictures.

2009-06-01T18:57:27Z

Bob Johnson
A monument to an Engineer unit at Omaha, seen from three sides in these pictures.

Awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional service.

2009-02-22T16:19:24Z

Bob Johnson
Awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional service.

If I counted correctly, 96 members of this unit died at Omaho Beach.

2009-07-09T08:03:11Z

Bob Johnson
If I counted correctly, 96 members of this unit died at Omaho Beach.

Imagine yourself approaching these German gun emplacements just visible on the horizon on the far side of a very open field after you have reached the top of Omaha beach.

2009-02-22T16:14:28Z

Bob Johnson
Imagine yourself approaching these German gun emplacements just visible on the horizon on the far side of a very open field after you have reached the top of Omaha beach.

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-07-09T08:04:12Z

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-07-09T06:44:36Z

Bob Johnson

A series of German gun emplacements are preserved behind the Normandy beaches at Omaha. These did not have a direct line of sight to fire on the beaches.

2009-02-22T16:13:11Z

Bob Johnson
A series of German gun emplacements are preserved behind the Normandy beaches at Omaha. These did not have a direct line of sight to fire on the beaches.

You can see why very little damage was done by high level bombing or long-distance naval guns during the bombardment before D-Day.

2009-06-01T20:14:58Z

Bob Johnson
You can see why very little damage was done by high level bombing or long-distance naval guns during the bombardment before D-Day.

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-07-09T06:21:58Z

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-07-09T06:06:29Z

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-01T18:45:53Z

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

2009-06-01T18:41:57Z

Bob Johnson

A German emplacement for infantry or perhaps an observation position, viewed from the rear.

2009-07-20T05:22:40Z

Bob Johnson
A German emplacement for infantry or perhaps an observation position, viewed from the rear.

Souvenir Francais, one many seen througout the battlefields and cemeteries.

2009-07-20T05:22:40Z

Bob Johnson
Souvenir Francais, one many seen througout the battlefields and cemeteries.

In Normandy, people do not forget those who fell for the liberation of France.

2009-07-20T05:22:40Z

Bob Johnson
In Normandy, people do not forget those who fell for the liberation of France.