France Day 10 - Reims to Paris

 France Day 10 - July 23

Reims to Paris

We left Luxembourg this morning and headed to Reims for two stops.

This building in Reims houses the room where the surrender documents ending the World War II in Europe were signed. The maps on the walls are the same, as are the nameplates on the table and chairs.

This painting, on display at the museum in Reims, shows where everyone was sitting during the official surrender signing.

Gen. Oberst Jodl of Germany sat in the center chair on this side of the table to sign the official surrender in 1945.

One was a museum that houses the room where it happened, as Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote, where officials from Germany, led by Gen. Oberst Jodl, signed the surrender to end World War II in Europe on May 7, 1945. Because Russia was not represented at the table, Josef Stalin insisted on signing everything again the next day, which is the official V-E Day.

The table holds nameplates with the names of the people who sat in each chair. The chairs for Jodl and his associates have their backs to visitors. To see that table, with original maps still adorning the walls and notes for what to look at next, was pretty awesome. There are even two ashtrays for those who smoked. It seemed fitting to see that on the last day of our tour, as well, to put the finishing touches on the Nebraska National Guard’s service in Europe.

The museum also includes uniforms, weapons, pictures and other memorabilia from wartime.

This Roman gate, Le Porte de Mars, was across the street from the restaurant in Reims where we had lunch. It dates back to the third century.

The arches of Le Porte de Mars in Reims are decorated with artwork, too.

As we headed across town for lunch, the ruins of a Roman gate, Le Porte de Mars, appeared. They were right across the street from the restaurant, so of course we all went to look at them. The gate dates from the third century but many of the carvings are still intact. Some have been damaged and repaired, but overall it was pretty impressive.

The Grande Rose window on the west end of the Reims Cathedral is one of the most famous rose windows in the world.

The Cathedral at Reims is a spectacular structure and is known as the cathedral of angels because of the number of angels included in the decorations.

I couldn't get back far enough to get the whole cathedral in one photo.

The Reims Cathedral was our stop after lunch, and wow, was it worth it. We've seen a lot of cathedrals on our trip. Most were damaged in some way during either World War I or World War II, and Reims is no exception. However, it was amazing. That's such an overused word any more, but this building was so solidly built, I'm surprised anything could hurt it. Walking through, looking at the windows and the artwork, again I was blown away by the craftsmanship and the thought of the amount of time it took to put the church and all its related pieces together. From the statues inside and out to the carvings over the door and the stained glass, each cathedral has been a true work of art.

This cathedral is known for two things – the number of angels included in its statuary and artwork and its Grande Rose window. One of the angels was actually injured in World War II. Someone shot it through the wings. While the original angel is now in a museum, I think I figured out which one it was. I think.

After lunch, we set off on our final leg of the tour, headed to Paris. We got to the hotel (a Holiday Inn, of all things) in time to dress for dinner, which was a cruise on the River Seine. The dinner was good, but the views were better.

Jerry gets ice! After asking for ice cubes with every bottle of Coke on the trip, Jerry Meyer finally got that and more on our end-of-tour cruise.

The Eiffel Tower lit up for several minutes with twinkle lights as we cruised along the Seine River July 23.

No, this is not a fake photo. A scale model of our Statue of LIberty stands on Swan Island in the Seine. Remember, the same guy did both Lady Liberty and the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower

Tom and Jeanne Gee enjoy the live music on our dinner cruise July 23.

We went past the Eiffel Tower, which was lit up for the night. It even has a twinkle light (for lack of a better term) show at 10 p.m., which we saw from the upper deck of the boat. When we made the turn on the river, lo and behold, who should appear but the Statue of Liberty? No joke! A scale model of Lady Liberty stands on Swan Island and you can see the Eiffel Tower behind her. It makes for an awesome picture, that’s for sure.

And just like that, the tour is over. Those who headed back on Sunday had a really early morning, so we didn’t stay up. It was after 11 when we returned to the hotel anyway. About half went back. The rest of us stayed for an extra couple days in Paris.

I’ll have to do one more post to finish things off. I’m still processing everything we saw and did over the last 10 days. It went fast, but it was definitely worth it.

Additional resources:

https://francetravelplanner.com/go/champagne/reims/see/musee_reddition.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porte_de_Mars

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Reims-Cathedral

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-39740-y

https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/the-monument

https://www.paris-forever.com/en/statues-of-liberty-in-paris/

France Day 9 - on into Luxembourg

 France Day 9 - July 22

The 35th Infantry, Bastogne and Luxembourg American Cemetery

We’ve been following the 134th Infantry 35th Infantry Division in its march across Europe. Today we stopped at a memorial near the border of Luxembourg and met Pat Shannon, who has learned a lot about the 35th and shared some of his knowledge with us.

This damaged structure is part of a memorial to the 35th Infantry on the border of France and Luxembourg.

Pat Shannon, left, tells about the action at this site as, from left, Courtney Meyer, Tom Gee, Alan Baldwin, Jerry Meyer, Darin Krueger, Nick Tuma and Dick Breuer listen.

A new U.S. flag is raised at the memorial July 22. Pat Shannon and Dave Nore salute as Taps plays.

This memorial to the 35th Infantry commemorates their actions in 1944.

The memorial itself is a battered structure with rebar showing and chips in the cement. Just seeing that makes you think about the force it took to break it apart. On one side are two plaques with lists of those killed. It’s off by itself in a little copse, but it’s well taken care of and quite picturesque. We brought a replacement United States flag for the site and raised it July 22. As at other memorial sites, trying to imagine what it would have been like in the winter of 1944 when it was subzero, snow covered the ground and the soldiers shivered in their summer gear while the Germans attacked was tough.

This ledger book took a hit during World War II. It's on display at the Bastogne War Museum.

We left there for the town of Bastogne and the Bastogne War Museum. As you walk through the museum, four narrators (an American soldier, a German soldier, a member of the Belgian resistance and a young boy) share their stories. I liked how they tied everything together and presented a different perspective on things. Among the items on display was a ledger book that had been hit by shrapnel. Something like that really personalizes the events. We read about them in books, but they’re so far away from us. This book was something that was used, probably every day. And here it sits, a casualty of war.

The Mardasson Memorial at the Bastogne War Museum is undergoing some work, but you can tell it's an imposing structure. The names of all the states are engraved around the top both inside and outside.

The inscription reads "May this eagle always symbolize the acrifices and heroism of the 101st Airborne Division and all its attached units. December 1944-January 1945."

After touring the museum, we could roam the grounds, which was also fun. Jerry and I walked around, looking at The Mardasson Memorial, which is a star-shaped memorial that features the names of all our states. It’s currently being refurbished, so it looked a little rough, but I’m sure it’s awesome.

The crypt, located on the east side of the Memorial, contains three mosaics representing Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism. It was dedicated in 1950.

We also found the crypt on the north side of the memorial. I know it sounds a little creepy, but it was actually extremely cool. It features three tile mosaics representing three religions – Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism. The plaque in the middle reads “On July sixteenth nineteen hundred and fifty divine services were held in this crypt in honor of the gallant officers and men of the armed forces of the United States of America who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. 76890 were killed wounded or reported missing.” I tell you what, It gave me chills, and that’s not a bad thing.

I saw the first one at Utah Beach. Here's the final one at Bastogne on the corner of the Bastogne War Museum property.

The museum grounds also include the final mileage marker for the Voie de la Liberte 1944. The first, as you may remember, was at Utah Beach.

After we finished at the museum, it was off to Luxembourg. Every time I hear the name, I think of the line in Richie Rich that John Larroquette’s character says: “I think I’ll buy a country. Maybe Luxembourg. Or perhaps Ecuador.” I know it’s silly. Anyway, our first stop was the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial. Our wreath bearers were Nick Tuma and Courtney and Connie Meyer.

Arriving at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial July 22.

From left, Courtney Meyer, Nick Tuma and Connie Meyer prepare to lay the wreath at Luxembourg American Cemetery July 22 as Alan Baldwin watches.

The grave of Gen. George Patton is probably the most famous at Luxembourg American Cemetery.

Rows of crosses mark the graves at Luxembourg American Cemetery.

We visited the graves of the three 134th Infantry soldiers buried here. Also in this cemetery is Gen. George Patton, one of the more recognizable names from World War II. Patton was not killed during the war, however. He died in a car accident in December 1945.

We were allowed to lower the flags for the close of the day at Luxembourg American Cemetery. From left, Dave Nore, Jerry Meyer and Alan Baldwin fold one.

One of the cool things we got to do, and when I say we I mean the military guys in our group, was lower the flags at the cemetery for the end of the day. What a great honor for our group! I know Jerry and Dave and Alan were humbled to be able to do that. Thank you, Luxembourg Cemetery.

We ended the day in Luxembourg City at Le Royal, a five-star (I know!) hotel. We had dinner there, a three-course meal that included a great chicken entre and two, county them, two, desserts. One was a little macaroon, the other was a little chocolate lava cake. Highly scrumptious! But then, you can’t really go wrong with chocolate. :)

We spent two and a half hours over dinner, which is not unusual in Europe, we’re told. Once we were done, we all went to bed and crashed. I thought about getting up in the morning to walk around a see a little of Luxembourg, but I was really tired and hit snooze instead.

More to come as the adventure continues - but not for much longer. :(

France Day 8 - Lorraine to Sugar Loaf Hill

France Day 8 - July 21

Today didn’t have as much on the agenda. This morning started at the Lorraine American Cemetery. Among the graves we visited was that of Charley Havlat of Dorchester, the last American killed in the War in Europe. He died May 7, 1945. I got to be part of the wreath laying today, with Alan and Janet Baldwin and Darin Krueger, although I didn’t do much - just walked forward and back.

Lorraine has the largest number of American dead from World War II - 10,481. The chapel front features “St. Nabor, the martyred Roman soldier overlooking the silent host,” according to abmc.gov. As with the other military cemeteries we’ve seen, the number of grave markers is staggering. This cemetery holds more than the population of Seward. When I think about the potential that sleeps here, and at all of them, it’s heartbreaking. What might these young men have been? What might they have done? Who might they have become?

As we drove to our next stop, we paused in Armacourt, France, to see a plaque dedicated to the orphans of the 134th Regiment. Located on the east side of the village church, it was hard to see, but Nick Tuma spotted it right away.

We had lunch at La Villa des Roses with the mayor of Agincourt. The setting was charming - we ate outdoors again and enjoyed the breeze.

After lunch, we went to the monument honoring Sugar Loaf Hill. This is where Alan Baldwin’s father was injured during the war. After a short ceremony and flowers, the majority of us headed up the hill. We couldn’t go all the way to the top because our way was bar-bedwir-ed. I made it to the fence, though. The view was spectacular. You could see the whole valley and the cows on the other side of the pasture we’d just invaded. In such an idyllic setting, it’s hard to imagine the sounds, smells and sights of war.

Back to Nancy for our final night in the Grand Hotel there. I managed to stay up for the light show, even though I knew we had an early morning. There were a lot more people there than the night before. I did notice security, however, walking around armed and in camouflauge. It was a little eerie.

More to come as the adventure continues.

Additional resources:

https://www.abmc.gov/Lorraine

http://lavilladesroses.fr

http://www.coulthart.com/134/agincourt-memorial.htm

http://www.coulthart.com/134/evans.htm

France Day 7 - Flavigny Bridge to the light show

 France Day 7 - July 20

Dave Nore stands next to the monument at Flavigny Bridge.

Tom Gee looks at the plaque on the west side of the bridge.

The plaque on the east side of the bridge.

We started the day at Flavigny Bridge, a site where the Americans took the bridge and then were annihilated by the Germans. Two plaques adorn the bridge, one on each side. The west side honors Cpl. Thomas Downing and says “In memory of Corporal Thomas J. Downing and his comrades of the 60th Combat Engineer Battalion who fell here giving their lives for our freedom. September 10-11, 1944” The one on the east side says “In memory of Lt. Ralph T. Brennan and his comrades of the 35th American Infantry Division who gave their lives for our freedom. September 10-11, 1944”

We headed up a hill to Fort Pelissier, which has been transformed into an amusement park. We weren’t there for amusement, of course. The fort was built in 1878 and was used for artillery in World War I. From the top (and we couldn’t get all the way to the very top where the zip lines start), you can see the entire valley and then some. It’s a perfect observation point and a great place for big guns. In World War II, the Germans occupied it first, then left. When the Allies realized it was open, they took it. The Germans decided they’d made a big mistake and tried to take it back. Bad idea. Jerry said the Allied commander sent his troops into the catacombs (which you can go down into - very cool) and ordered a bomb run on his position. The Germans were unprotected on the top of the hill and didn’t last long. As Jerry said, a ballsy move. It was really awesome to get to walk into the tunnels and stuff. The park wasn’t open for the day yet when we stopped, but they let us walk around and take pictures.

This little museum had items from both the Allies and the Germans.

This volunteer was happy to share his knowledge with, from left, Connie Meyer, Jeff Hines, Alan Baldwin and Trudy Hines.

Jerry and Jerome shake hands at the end of our visit.

We stopped then at a very cool little museum called “Espace de Memoire Lorraine 1939-1945.” Jerome used his barn to display his extensive collection of World War II memorabilia. From playing cards to parts of planes, Jerome has everything. Jerome had invited everyone to come, I think. We were minor celebrities. The local newspaper was there taking pictures and interviewing people (shades of home). The local people wanted to tell us everything they know and even brought some youngsters to translate. They were a little nervous, but they did fine. I don’t know how accurately they were translating because I don’t speak French to begin with. :)

Jerome told me the first thing he found was an American helmet when he was in Luxembourg. He’s been collecting and displaying what he’s found ever since.

Dick Breuer waits patiently as Birgitta Montella (our guide), Jerry Meyer and Darin Krueger chat outside the mayor's office.

Matthieu Klein, the mayor of Nancy, addresses our group.

Celebrity status hit again when we got back to Nancy. We met with Matthieu Klein, the mayor, who thanked us as representatives of America for the freedom the French have today. He was a younger man (you’re not the only young mayor, Josh Eickmeier). He spoke very good English so Birgitta didn’t have to translate. We then recreated a photo from 1944 taken on the balcony of the Hotel de Ville. We even made the mayor’s social media feeds and were dismissed to our own devices for the rest of the day. 

From the outside, you can see through the Place Stanislas, including the statue and the Hotel de Ville, where the city's government is housed.

This would make it much easier to find a house than just numbers on a mailbox!

The Memorial Desires honors the French dead from the American War of Independence.

A group from the mayor’s office offered to take as many as were interested to see a memorial in Nancy dedicated to American independence. They showed us around the old city and were delighted with us. Birgitta told us this morning that they were very complimentary of our group and said we were very nice. They were quite knowledgable and made it worth the time to walk through the town. Peter told us about the different squares in town and why they are situated as they are. We got to see one of the city’s first gates that had helped protect the early town from invaders.

The American monument looks like the Arc de Triumphe in Paris. Plaques on the inside of the arc list the names of the French dead from the American War of Independence and other wars.

With the afternoon off, I had lunch with Jerry, Darin, Doug and Nick (I’m feeling a bit outnumbered). We had fun just hanging out and chatting (which is military slang, we learned, for the time the soldiers spent talking to each other and picking off lice). I walked around the square a little bit and then went back to my room to work on yesterday’s post.

Dinner was with Jerry and Gail. Tom and Jeannie and Jerry and Sue sat at nearby tables, so it was kind of a larger group. We ate outside at the hotel while it rained. I had the fettucini and it was very good. After the rain stopped, Jerry and Darin and I walked over to the ice cream shop and got dessert - chocolate ice cream for me. Back to the room to wait for the light show, which I didn’t see last night but decided to go to today.

I immediately thought "Go Big Red!" when the show did this.

It started at 10:45 p.m. and covered the buildings on three sides of the square. I was trying to figure out if it tells a story - I couldn’t follow if it did. It’s an impressive show, though. I’m sure it’s all computer generated, but it was neat. It lasted about 20-25 minutes.

More to come as the adventure continues.

Additional resources:

http://www.coulthart.com/134/bridge.htm

http://fortiffsere.fr/troueedecharmes/index_fichiers/Page4584.htm (I know it’s in French - I couldn’t find where to translate it)

https://espacedememoire.fr (see above note)

https://frenchmoments.eu/nancy-old-town/ (we didn’t see all of these places, but we saw some)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porte_Désilles