Normandy - France
4-Day visit to the D-Day, June 6th, Normandy Battlefields
On Day 1, BSL personnel will meet the group as they exit customs and then will be escorted to the waiting busses (in the bus holding area). The buses will depart, make one 30-minute stop approximately 1.5 hours from Paris, at the approximate halfway point to the Pegasus Bridge site. Following the stop, the buses will continue to Pegasus Bridge. During this movement, the BSL facilitator will conduct an overview of the situation in France, Allied and German preparations. Once at Pegasus Bridge, the group will tour the museum, listen to the film/overview of actions, tour the Glider and original bridge, then move to the landing site of glider #1. After the discussion, the group will then move via bus to Hillman Battery (approximately 10 min drive) to view a prepared German defensive position and how it overlooks the English Channel and discuss the difficulty in the attacks on the strongpoint. Following that, the group will move to lodging, check in, secure luggage in the rooms and then return for a group dinner.
On Day 2, participants will be provided with a continental breakfast and then depart for Ste-Mere-Eglise. Upon arrival, the group will receive an overview of the actions around the village, visit the chapel, and then have about 30min to walk around the town before meeting in front of the Airborne Museum. The Airborne Museum opens at 1000 and takes approximately 1 hour to visit. Following the visit to the Museum, the group will visit La Fiere Bridge, move along the beaches planned landing site to the actual landing site of Utah Beach. Following discussions of the 4th Infantry Division landings the group will move along the Causeway to the E/506th PIR memorial located at Brecourt Manor. Following that discussion, the group will move to Ste-Marie-du-Mont, and Angoville-au-Plain, to conduct a discussion on the actions of the medics of the 501st. The group will return to Bayeux with a short stop at the Commonwealth Cemetery located in the town.
On Day 3, following breakfast the group will review the complexities of the fight for Carentan, the first Division-level attack conducted by the 101st and the site of the first Medal of Honor won by the Division. Following that, the group will visit the German Cemetery in La Cambre before moving to Pointe du Hoc. After that, the group will visits to two different sites on Omaha Beach before returning to Bayeux via the Mulberry Harbor at Arromanche.
On Day 4, the group will check out of lodging after breakfast and then visit the Normandy American Cemetery. At the conclusion of the visit, the group will then move to lodging in the vicinity of Paris, allowing the participants to have dinner in the city before departing the next morning back to the US.