Dive into the WWII Legacy of Pointe Du Hoc
On our recent trip to France, we visited Pointe Du Hoc and Omaha Beach. Our tour guide, Ana from the Caen Memorial Museum, did an excellent job explaining what we were seeing. We thought this little history lesson would be beneficial before you go. It helps put the whole thing into context. Not going to Normandy? No worries! Enjoy this history lesson with pictures from our trip.
Pointe Du Hoc
The spot we visited was a German coastal defense battery three miles west of Omaha Beach. The US Army Rangers were sent to help take it out with 225 soldiers. They had to scale the cliffs to take out the coastal defense guns, after a climb of over 90 feet. The rangers had trouble using the ropes and guns on their landing craft to help them climb the cliff. However, the backup ranger force that was supposed to arrive was sent to Omaha Beach where they were needed, as part of the backup plan; however the result of leaving the rangers there, who tried to send the communication, which was unintelligible by themselves, until the land assault reached them. The rangers who landed at Omaha Beach helped establish a beachhead, while some were sent to connect with the rangers here. The rangers tried to eliminate their objectives; however, the Germans had already moved their guns away, and when trying to achieve their secondary objective found where the guns were. After holding the coastal highway that was their secondary objective, fewer than 75 of the 225 rangers who came ashore were still fit for duty after a relief force reached them.
When we visited, it was hard to believe the war was over 80 years ago. Bunkers were falling, but there were so many craters in the ground as we walked around. We were all shocked that the land still looked eerily similar to what it would have looked during WW2.
Many of the areas are roped off for our protection. However, we were able to enter several German bunkers and imagine what they saw that fateful day in June 1944.
My dad, brother and me in a German Bunker
We could also look down from the cliff and see where the brave soldiers had to climb up the Pointe to start the liberation of Europe.
Our whole family enjoyed our trip. Our tour was with the Caen Memorial Museum. We booked it through Viator. I am including an affiliate link here. If you use my link, I may earn a small commission that helps support the costs of running our blog.
Interested in learning more about this sacred area? You can read my source material here.
Our family is already talking about returning soon with my Grandad. His father came up on Utah Beach a few days after D-Day, and we want to share this experience with him.
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