Hi Jim: I was not an aviator…bad eyesight and while I would never have a problem taking off, I would be most concerned with the landing. Oh yes, I know I’d eventually land, but how I’d accomplish that was the main concern!
I’m glad that you and your fellow aviation historians have made the trips you’ve made. Over the years I’ve remained in contact with the first assistant superintendent at Normandy. The day I met him was his second day on the job after a 25-year Army career. It was fitting for him since his mom had Norman roots and lived in the region. He was born in southern Mississippi and called everyone who lived north of I-10 a “Damn Yankee”! Note: there’s not a whole lotta ‘feet dry’ between the Gulf of Mexico and I-10!!!
He was able to take me to those other incredible sites that tour buses did not visit at the time; the bridge at La Fiere, the church at Angoville-au-Plain where German AND American medics took care of the wounded on both sides during a battle and also at Graignes where the civilians and our wounded prisoners were murdered by the SS.
If any of you are golfers, the next time you go you should consider visiting the Omaha Beach Golf Course which is in Port-en-Bessin. It used to be a huge cattle ranch, but in the early 2000s, the then Normandy superintendent, Gene Dellinger convinced the owner to convert it to a golf course and he did. It’s a beautiful layout of two courses with some fantastic views. Every hole is named after an allied leader and hole #1 is named after Eisenhower.
Like you, I’ve gone on trips with fellow Viet Nam veterans and we’d return our van full of crumbs of bread as we’d eat our way across the country from one battleground and cemetery to another on ‘guy’ trips!
I hope you are able to continue these journeys.
Ken Delfino
“BottomFeeder”
United States Navy (Ret)