Omaha and Omaha Beach

Postmarked Bayeux, dated 11 September 1978

53 - Pointe du Hoc - Omaha Beach
Criqueville en Bessin
pres Grandcamp (Calvados - 14)
Le Monument (arch. M Carpentier)

The inscription reads: To the heroic Ranger Commandos D2RN E2RN F2RN of the 116th Infantry who under the command of Colonel James E Rudder of the First American Division attacked and took possession of the Pointe du Hoc.

From the American Battle Monuments Commission: The monument consists of a simple granite pylon positioned atop a German concrete bunker with tablets at its base inscribed in French and English. The monument was formally transferred to the American Battle Monuments Commission for perpetual care and maintenance on January 11, 1979. This battle-scarred area on the left flank of Omaha Beach remains much as the Rangers left it.

I sent the card to my parents myself. Our second son was 11 months old when we were on this holiday, and we spent a lot of time at the various landing beaches. In those days there were memorials around, but very little else. The beaches were probably much the same as they had been during the invasions. Nowadays they are much more commercialised, and with massive car-parks for all the visitors.

My second card is from Omaha itself, postmarked Omaha NE, dated 24 November 2004.

Omaha
A view from Omaha's Old Market.

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, on the banks of the Missouri River.