Saturday June 3rd

Carentan

Start of Carentan Liberty March.
It’s a historic walk for American paratroopers re-enactors of WW2
and paying tribute to all these men during the walk.
Military and civilian diorama will be set along the way.
8:30 a.m.: Start – 4:30 p.m.: arrival place de la République.
Organization : Carentan Liberty Group –

Email : carentanlibertymarch@outlook.com

It’s low season and there are great prices for tours, so don’t miss out !

If you can deal with cold, wet, damp weather
just for 8 or 9 hours then you’ll have a great tour
plus it’ll be like having all the important D-Day sights
with your family to yourself !

Pointe du Hoc

Click on the link for more information (itinerary and prices) :
https://american-dday-tours.com/prices/winter-sales

D-Day veteran Jack Port coming back to Normandy
for the 73rd anniversary of D-Day in 2017

If all goes well Jack should be coming back to Normandy
in June of 2017, he’ll be 95 years old.
Jack landed on Utah beach on June 6th 1944
with the 4th Infantry Division, later on June 10th
(in Montebourg) he was shot in the leg by a sniper
as he was running for cover.
Evacuated to the rear and taken care by medics
he was back in action on June 26th
for the liberation of Cherbourg !

I was in San Diego this past November to visit family
and got to see him again.
I first met Jack back in 2012 on Utah Beach
with a couple who were on a D-Day tour with me.
I saw in again in 2014 for the 70th anniversary of D-Day
which was a BIG celebration !
and again in 2016 for the 72nd anniversary of D-Day.
Jack is a welcomed return visitor,
who comes back when he can
to Normandy around  June 6th.
Never having more than 2 minutes with him because I’m on tour,
I told him I’d be in San Diego in November and it’d be great to meet up with him.

Thanks to the internet and John Wilkens contact reporter
for the San Diego Union-Tribune
I was able to get his contact information
my Dad is now retired
(but had worked at the newspaper for a certain time)
and Mr. Wilkens knew him,
we called each other and set up a meeting.

From the moment he got out of the landing craft on June 6th 1944,
to the day he learned the war was finally over
he told me that he was scared of dying,
every hour & every minute of his time in Normandy,
through Paris into Belguim, then Germany.

If all goes well Jack will be back in June 2017
and I’ll gladly take him around and his family
on June 6th 2017 free of charge because I owe it to him
and all the other WW2 veterans
(some who gave their lives)  for my freedom.
I am eternally grateful.

Thank you so much Jack.

Sincerely,

T. Standefer

June 6th 2017:  Normandy celebrates its Liberation with the 73rd D-Day Anniversary in Carentan, Utah Beach, Sainte Mère Eglise, Picauville, Amfreville, Brévands, Sainteny…

Each year, ceremonies, US camp reconstructions, historic march, military fairs,
historic parachute drops, parade and exhibition of military vehicles…

In 2017, June 6th is a Tuesday, Pentecost week-end
(with Sunday and Monday)
Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th and Monday 5th.
Let’s enjoy a long week-end to commemorate D-Day
and celebrate June 1944 and it’s liberation.

This is the official poster
that will be coming out next year
for the 73rd D-Day anniversary.

Tuesday 30th May

Sainte Mère Eglise

6 p.m. : Soldiers have dinner in local families. meeting at the townhall.
Organization : AVA (Amis des Vétérans Américains)

– contact@ava-normandie.org

Last year we had 2 (active duty) soldiers from the 75th Rangers Rgt 2nd BN
in our home for a welcome dinner in Normandy
We’ve been doing this since 2011 !
(except for 2014 when I was super busy that year was the 70th)

Saturday June 3rd 2017

Carentan

Start of Carentan Liberty March.
It is a historic walk for re-enactors of American paratroopers in WW2
to give tribute to all these men during the walk.
Military and civilian slideshow will be set up all along the way.
Starts at 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: arrival place de la République.
Organization :
Carentan Liberty Group
email: carentanlibertymarch@outlook.com

Friday June 2nd 2017 in Carentan

5 p.m.: Official ceremony at Carré de Choux
(in front of “But” furniture store).
Parade of American and French soldiers
and personalities to the Townhall.
Ceremony at Signal Monument.
Organization:
Townhall ph:00 33 (0) 233 42 74 00

Did you know this about the men fighting in WW2, France, Normandy?

• 38.8% (6,332,000) of U.S. servicemen and all servicewomen were volunteers

• 61.2% (11,535,000) were draftees

• Average duration of service: 33 months

• Overseas service: 73% served overseas, with an average of 16 months abroad

• Combat survivability (out of 1,000): 8.6 were killed in action, 3 died from other causes, and 17.7 received non-fatal combat wounds

• Average base pay: enlisted—$71.33 per month; officer—$203.50 per month

  As for the men who were in the Normandy Campaign
  (which lasted about 2 and a half months or roughly 80 days)
  approximately 76500 men were killed in
  2 & 1/2 months combat….

• On D-Day: approximately 11500 casualities on the 5 different Allied beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword
  

  
  

  

Friday June 2nd to Monday June 5th 2017

Between Carentan and Sainte Marie du Mont

Around 2.30 p.m.-3 p.m.: Re-enactment of parachute drops from C-47 planes
above the marshlands with men with original uniforms on “Purple Hearts Lane”
road between Saint-Côme-du-Mont and Carentan.
French and English commentaries. 
Food take-away on site.
Organization:
RCPT
email: staff@rcpt.eu
or
www.rcpt.eu and Townhall phone:  00 33 (0) 233 42 74 00

Did you know?

That the very first large scale landing attempt took place in Normandy?  Not in 1944 ….I mean that the very first landing took place on August 19th 1942 ….code named Operation Jubilee.
The port seleceted was Dieppe and unfortunaletely it was a disaster of the 6000 men (5000 Canadians 1000 Brits) that went in 60% didn’t make it back to England. The lessons learned from Dieppe would be used in North Africa  and later campaigns but also Normandy.

Dieppe highlighted the fact that if you want a succeful landing there are a few of the things needed to be put into place :

• the need for preliminary artillery support, including aerial bombardment

• the need for a sustained element of surprise

• the need for proper intelligence concerning enemy fortifications

• the avoidance of a direct frontal attack on a defended port city

• the need for proper re-embarkation craft