Pointe du Hoc

Pointe du Hoc, France

In Normandy in northern France, between Utah beach and Omaha beach, there is a cliff top known as Pointe du Hoc. The Germans built bunkers and gun pits at this spot to defend their military position from the Allies. Standing in one of the bunkers, I thought of the WWII movie “The Longest Day” when the German soldiers looked out at sunrise on June 6, 1944 to see hundreds of Allied ships’ guns pointing at their bunkers. I looked out of the bunker and stood where the German soldiers had as they were attacked on that morning so many years ago. I felt emotional remembering the history of that day. The attack on Point de Hoc was unexpected for the Germans as they were awaiting the attack by the Allied forces at Pas de Calais - east of Point du Hoc. The Army Rangers that attacked this German vantage point were able to scale the cliff and attack successfully so the American troops could safely land and rout the Germans. The bunkers are pock marked from Allied fire and the gun pits remain. The area is grass covered today and looks much the same as it did when the Germans were stationed there in 1944. You will see the craters from shell fire from the Allied ships, the battleground, and the point that the Rangers scaled. At the point, there is a monument to visit. While there, I saw several American soldiers with their families explaining their experience at Pointe de Hoc that D-Day. They ( and I ) were all moved to tears. Visit Point de Hoc in Normandy.

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A German Bunker

In Normandy in northern France, between Utah beach and Omaha beach, there is a cliff top known as Pointe du Hoc. The Germans built bunkers and gun pits at this spot to defend their military position from the Allies. Standing in one of the bunkers, I thought of the WWII movie “The Longest Day” when the German soldiers looked out at sunrise on June 6, 1944 to see hundreds of Allied ships’ guns pointing at their bunkers. I looked out of the bunker and stood where the German soldiers had as they were attacked on that morning so many years ago. I felt emotional remembering the history of that day. The attack on Point de Hoc was unexpected for the Germans as they were awaiting the attack by the Allied forces at Pas de Calais - east of Point du Hoc. The Army Rangers that attacked this German vantage point were able to scale the cliff and attack successfully so the American troops could safely land and rout the Germans. The bunkers are pock marked from Allied fire and the gun pits remain. The area is grass covered today and looks much the same as it did when the Germans were stationed there in 1944. You will see the craters from shell fire from the Allied ships, the battleground, and the point that the Rangers scaled. At the point, there is a monument to visit. While there, I saw several American soldiers with their families explaining their experience at Pointe de Hoc that D-Day. They ( and I ) were all moved to tears. Visit Point de Hoc in Normandy.

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