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Posted: |
Jun 7, 2014 - 9:38 AM
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By: |
edwzoomom
(Member)
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I was in Paris on business on 9/11, with my father (who is a WW2 vet) in tow that time. To have an event of that magnitude take place in your home country while abroad is a disorienting experience to say the least. The Parisians couldn't have been more wonderful to us Americans at that time. It was deeply moving. "Pompiers" were all around the city soliciting donations for the fallen New York firefighters.
All flights back to the USA were canceled for quite a while, so we had to extend our stay in France until we could go home. We decided to head north and explore Normandy and Brittany. Neither of us had been there. Before visiting the beaches we went to the D-Day museum in Caen, which presents an excellent audio-visual overview of the invasion as well as the monumental construction of temporary docks that could accommodate ships to supply more troops and supplies to the war effort.
When we arrived at the beaches there were American flags everywhere in the towns along the coast. We ate lunch at a small restaurant and an older couple, upon hearing us speaking English, asked us if we Americans. When we said yes there were tears in their eyes as they expressed their sorrow about what had just happened. When they learned my Dad was a WW2 vet they thanked him for everything (even though he served in the Pacific!).
We finally arrived at the cemetery and, as we were walking along the perfectly aligned tombstones, the emotions finally hit us and we dissolved in tears. I'm sure our feelings were magnified by our uncertainty about the future in light of the Twin Towers tragedy.
For those who haven't been there, I strongly advise you to visit the Caen museum first. It prepares you for the visit and allows you to see things at the beaches you wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Also be prepared and not afraid to be emotional. Everyone else at the cemetery was just like us that day.
erik, what a beautiful and touching story. I would also like to thank your father for his service. I am sure the memory you have of sharing this visit with your father will be cherished by you forever.Thank you.
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Posted: |
Jun 7, 2014 - 2:35 PM
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By: |
Timmer
(Member)
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That must have been very emotional TG. 21 years old? It beggers belief, we've barely started life at that age. What a sacrifice.
My Dad came from a family of five brothers and one sister ( all Catholic don't you know  ), , they all fought in WW II and they all returned alive and intact, amazing really. My Dad saw a lot of action, first in North Africa and later as a Chindit in Burma fighting the Japanese, his back was covered in shrapnel wounds and he almost died of malaria, a comrade who was next to him had his head blown off amongst many horrors he witnessed. All the stories I got came from my Mum. Dad rarely talked about the war unless it was the light-hearted incidents, meeting General Montgomery, how great the Ghurkha's were, dealing with leaches, that kind of thing.
I'm lucky to be here.
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Posted: |
Jun 7, 2014 - 3:22 PM
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By: |
Tall Guy
(Member)
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That must have been very emotional TG. 21 years old? It beggers belief, we've barely started life at that age. What a sacrifice.
My Dad came from a family of five brothers and one sister ( all Catholic don't you know ), , they all fought in WW II and they all returned alive and intact, amazing really. My Dad saw a lot of action, first in North Africa and later as a Chindit in Burma fighting the Japanese, his back was covered in shrapnel wounds and he almost died of malaria, a comrade who was next to him had his head blown off amongst many horrors he witnessed. All the stories I got came from my Mum. Dad rarely talked about the war unless it was the light-hearted incidents, meeting General Montgomery, how great the Ghurkha's were, dealing with leaches, that kind of thing.
I'm lucky to be here.
Respect to him. One of the worse arenas to have fought in.
Shortly after her brother was killed, my mum (11 years old at the time) and my grandmother went to watch the Pathe news at the Shaftesbury Picture House, Leeds, and actually saw Stanley marching in column in a newsreel. The manager cut one of the frames out of the reel and gave it to them. My mum has it still.
And we get annoyed when a website takes 15 seconds to load.
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