D-Day Then and Now: Normandy After 70 Years

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In May, I spent four days in Normandy exploring all the D-Day memorials, cemeteries, and ruins from 70 years ago.  In honor of the 70th anniversary of the invasion, I put together my best Then and Now shots from those times.  Enjoy!  -Dan

1. Omaha Beach Landings on Morning of June 6th

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2. Landing Under Fire on Omaha Beach’s Dog Green Sector

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3. Wounded and Killed in Action on Omaha Beach’s Dog Green Sector

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4. Omaha Beach at Low Tide – Normandy, France

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5. Artificial Harbor – Utah Beach

The remains of a former pontoon, used by vehicles to traveling from the artificial harbor to the beach.

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6. Former German Communications Bunker – Utah Beach

The windows were painted by the Germans who wanted the building to look more like a shop than a bunker.

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7. Aftermath of Fighting – Trevieres, Normandy

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8. Military Police Jeep Inspecting Ruins – Isigny-sur-Mer, Normandy

The markings on this jeep indicate that it belonged to the same battalion that my Grandfather served in in WWII.  Although he is not in this photo, the men in this photo would have served with him during their time in Normandy and Europe.

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9. Street in Carentan After Liberation – Carentan, Normandy

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10. Soldiers Pose by a WWI Monument – Carentan, Normandy

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11. Ruins of a Church in Vierville-sur-mer, Normandy

The cemetery at this church today still has some British troops buried there.

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12.  Former army barracks in Alsfeld, Germany

I’m working on a series of articles for our website about researching and visiting the places my late Grandfather served in and fought in during WWII. I never met my Grandfather, so this whole experience has been unlike anything I’ve ever done and I am really excited about sharing all of it with my family in the coming weeks.

A few weeks ago, I was able to locate the building in a small German town that served as his barracks for a few weeks back in 1945. The building has been renovated twice since then and is now a school, but I was still able to find the window that my Grandpa took this photo in 69 years ago.

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