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the fallen here in Normandy sixty-seven years on


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YankeeSpirit76

Thanks so much Ken for the work you are doing for our boys.

The kindness of your actions and the respect that you show these men brings a tear to my eyes.

Glad to hear you're feeling better and will be back in action soon!

 

Steve.

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General Apathy

Thanks so much Ken for the work you are doing for our boys.

The kindness of your actions and the respect that you show these men brings a tear to my eyes.

Glad to hear you're feeling better and will be back in action soon!

 

Steve.

 

Thanks Steve, I will be spending a few days over the next few weeks walking the cemetery at Omaha looking at over 9.000 names and having to choose just thirty to add to the forum here for June. A solemn task when reading the names, the ages, the units, the states, and thinking of the families that lost loved ones.

 

ken

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What an amazing thread !

 

Sir, thank you for posting these very solemn photographs of the fallen soldiers' headstones.

 

Clay

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Does anybody know if the ABMC staff at the Normandy American Cemetery plan to decorate each grave with a French and American flag for the 70th Anniversary observation on June 6, 2014? That's always an impressive sight.

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These photos are perhaps from Memorial Day observances. I image the same has been done on certain D-Day observances, but I'm not certain. Maybe someone reading this knows more.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
General Apathy

What an amazing thread !

 

Sir, thank you for posting these very solemn photographs of the fallen soldiers' headstones.

 

Clay

 

Hi Clay, thanks, I am offering just a little time from a life, these servicemen gave their lives, let's all remember them.

 

ken

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These photos are perhaps from Memorial Day observances. I image the same has been done on certain D-Day observances, but I'm not certain. Maybe someone reading this knows more.

 

 

 

Hi Indexred, I feel pretty certain that the flags will be evident again this year, I can't confirm the dates they are in place,

 

there is also an annual flower laying ceremony by a French organisation ' flowers of memory '

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90824280

 

ken

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Good job Ken. This is a great way to remember these men.

God Bless You!

Ronnie

 

Ronnie, thanks for the support, as I am here on the spot I'm in a position to record a few of the names of the fallen.

 

ken

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  • 1 month later...

These pictures just bring a tear to my eye to think of all the young men who gave the greatest sacrifice to keep there country free.

 

-Dave

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This is an amazing thread. I cannot accurately express the emotions these photographs bring forth.

 

Ken, you are a very special guy to help all to understand the solemn nature of that place where so many men lost their lives.

 

Many thanks Ken,

 

Clay

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Salvage Sailor

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

 

- Author Unknown -

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  • 2 weeks later...
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These pictures just bring a tear to my eye to think of all the young men who gave the greatest sacrifice to keep there country free.

 

-Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for your thoughts on the men who gave their lives for their country and the freedoms they gave us for seventy years.

 

Ken

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This is an amazing thread. I cannot accurately express the emotions these photographs bring forth.

 

Ken, you are a very special guy to help all to understand the solemn nature of that place where so many men lost their lives.

 

Many thanks Ken,

 

Clay

Hello Clay, thanks for your very kind thoughts, I am really sorry for the message I will be adding below in a few minutes.

 

Ken

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General Apathy

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

 

Know the line has held, your job is done.

 

Rest easy, sleep well.

 

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

 

Peace, peace, and farewell...

 

- Author Unknown -

Hi Salvage Sailor, a worthy poem thank you.

 

Ken

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I finally made the trip this morning to the Omaha beach cemetery to gather the names and photographs to produce the pages for ' The fallen here in Normandy 70 years on '.

 

The day started early but went downhill from there, by the time I got to the cemetery it was a tropical rain storm falling, but I considered what's a little rain and carried on, then the second obstacle hit me in the form of a rope barrier and sign stating the area was closed to the public for maintenance.

 

I made enquiries in the office and was firmly told that the headstones were off-limits while the rope barrier was in place, IF I could prove that I was a family member then I could be allowed access with a museum employee to a family stone.

 

I stated that I really wanted to take more than one photograph and was further informed that that was against regulations and only general overall shots could be taken

 

So I'm sorry my projected plan of showing a fallen serviceman throughout June cannot go ahead, I will be adding some general shots I took in the next few evenings, please look in and see some of the flower tributes I photographed

 

Ken

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post-344-0-55134400-1401364384.jpg

 

Omaha Beach Cemetery 2014 . . . . . . . . .

 

Floral tribute from the ' Indian Head rump'n '

 

Ken

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General Apathy

post-344-0-89046100-1401406140.jpg

 

Omaha Beach Cemetery 2014 . . . . . .

 

American WWII Orphans Network floral display.

 

Ken

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post-344-0-73217400-1401406291.jpg

 

Omaha Beach Cemetery 2014 . . . . . .

 

Close up of the card attached to the American WWII Orphans Network floral display

 

Ken

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ken

Not having the opportunity to visit these places of honor,your posts add a depth to the forum and an opportunity to see these places that some of us have not traveled to as well as preserving and honoring those who have forever and eternally rest there.

 

Thankyou for your endless efforts to keep this genration and its memories alive.

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I wholeheartedly agree with Doyler.

 

Ken, your activities add a level of dignity to this fine forum.

 

Thank you Sir, and please continue this important work.

 

Best regards,

 

Clay

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Ken

Not having the opportunity to visit these places of honor,your posts add a depth to the forum and an opportunity to see these places that some of us have not traveled to as well as preserving and honoring those who have forever and eternally rest there.

 

Thankyou for your endless efforts to keep this genration and its memories alive.

Hi Ron, thanks for adding comment, it's been a busy couple of months here but now all my visitors and family are gone I will have to look at my camera card and see if I have anything more to add.

 

Ken

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Ken...one thing which struck me re the restrictions you had with accessibility to the cemetery because of the D-Day 70th commemorations etc., was when watching the various ceremonies on catch-up, the the way that "visitors" to St Laurent literally ran across the grass between the headstones just to get a better "photo-opportunity" when the Presidential helicopter was coming and going and the 21-gun salute was being fired. Utterly disrespectful and smacking of double standards!

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To follow up on Ken’s comments, only Plots A, B, D, and F are closed for grounds maintenance and were closed well before the 70th Anniversary events. I was able to visit and photograph one grave in that area but had to obtain permission at the Visitor Center and received an ABMC escort to the grave. The grass in those plots needed a long break from foot traffic. The other plots remain fully accessible. I’ve included a couple photos taken on June 6 by a friend. Traffic was insane that day, and I personally opted to stay well away. As on past occasions, the French authorities shutdown the N13 between Bayeux and Carentan during daylight hours on June 6. This was well publicized in advance, so I knew to avoid the entire area. The closure forced all vehicular traffic onto secondary roads which resulted in gridlock. I ventured to the cemetery several days later and found the vehicle traffic and crowds normal for June. The reflecting pool in front of the Memorial looked rather sickly. There was on oily film on its surface, and the water lilies looked dead. The entire pool had been covered for the June 6 ceremony and rows of chairs placed atop the red covering. You can see this in one of the photos below. An ABMC employee told me that they had to close the cemetery twice on June 6 because it was so choked with traffic. The cemetery grounds and road network outside couldn’t handle all the tourists.

 

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