81st Anniversary of Normandy
DAY 1
Once again with our partners at Delta Air Lines, we began our 4th year of the Battlefield Return to Normandy in Atlanta. 25 WWII veterans celebrated with the BDF team and Delta employees and partners as we welcomed them to the hotel and at the Delta Flight Museum.
DAY 2
As we prepared to travel across the Atlantic, the veterans and team got to know each other better. We were escorted to the airport by a police escort and had the best celebration of our heroes during our send off at the Hartsfield Atlanta Airport.
DAY 3
A little bit of rain couldn’t stop this momentous arrival into Normandy! The veterans were greeted with a large crowd of officials and local Normans to celebrate their return to the land they helped to liberate. We were greeted with the same enthusiasm at our hotel and settled in for a much deserved rest.
DAY 4
We began the day with a focus on remembrance and honor at the Normandy American Cemetery. After a short ceremony, the veterans were able to visit the gravesites of the many who gave the ultimate sacrifice during WWII. As always, the crowds gathered to greet the veterans and say thank you. Our NextGen students prepared presentations about soldiers they researched before heading down to Omaha Beach to witness the actual site of the landings. We closed off the evening with our official Welcome Dinner with the Normandy Region.
DAY 5
As is part of every program, the school visit is one of the veteran’s favorite days. This year, the veterans visited classrooms and connected with students telling their stories and continuing the legacy they created 81 years ago. The group then attended the Freedom Prize Ceremony with the region where the veterans were celebrated by thousands of high school students.
DAY 6
We ventured out of the region to Brittany and visited the Brittany American Cemetery. This is often overlooked, so after a short ceremony, the veterans and team spent time walking amongst the headstones and listening to more NEXTGEN presentations. After a delicious lunch, the veterans were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime event with a parachute jump over Mont-Ste-Michel!
DAY 7
We spent time with our British Allies at Pegasus Bridge for a beautiful and poignant ceremony. The veterans chatted with their British friends and visited the museum learning about the historic capture of the bridge. We then headed over to the British Normandy Memorial for a vivid reminder of the sacrifices made on the beaches of Normandy. It became even more real as we stopped at Longues Sur Mer, a fully intact German gun battery and witnessed a flyover to wow us all.
DAY 8
On June 6, we commemorated the day at the official ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery. Greeted by government officials, military officers and thousands of people, the veterans honored those who died on June 6, 1944 as the crowd promised to continue to share the stories and legacies of those who fought for freedom. The afternoon was filled with more interactions with the public where the veterans signed cards, memorabilia and took photos with the throngs of visitors to the Overlord Museum.
DAY 9
Our plans for Utah Beach were changed due to inclement weather, but the Utah Beach Museum opened their doors for our ceremony and the veterans were able to learn from their incredible exhibits. The clouds parted and the Carentan parade went on as scheduled with thousands of people celebrating the liberation of the town.
Day 10 and 11
Our final days, we prepared to travel home and attended our Farewell Lunch at the Abbey aux Hommes. The group was treated to an amazing performance by opera singer, Emma Brown, and toasted to the unforgettable week we had. Delta provided our charter home and everyone got home safe and sound with happy memories.
