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Restoration work has kicked off at Pointe du Hoc, the iconic D-Day site where U.S. Army Rangers scaled 100-foot cliffs amid fierce German fire on June 6, 1944, to neutralize artillery threats to Allied beaches. The 18-month, $10 million project by the American Battle Monuments Commission aims to preserve the monument's historic integrity while addressing mounting hazards like erosion...
Photo: The Château de Vouilly is now a hotel, but hosted a World War II press camp (Photo: Kevin Dennehy).
Travelers seeking a deeper connection to World War II history can now stay in accommodations steeped in the events of D-Day, from former military headquarters to bunkers overlooking the invasion beaches. These sites, scattered across Calvados and Manche departments, offer...
Free-Flow Tolls Map (Photo: Sanef).
Travelers heading from Paris to Normandy in 2026 can expect a smoother journey on the A13 and A14 motorways, thanks to the full implementation of free-flow tolling systems that eliminate traditional booths. However, while some may find this a smoother journey, others, used to the old toll booths where you simply inserted a credit card...
Photo: Mark Russell on Kojak (courtesy Mark Russell).
Mark Russell, who later built a solid career in Hollywood as an actor, says his path to the screen was shaped as much by war as by the movie studios he grew up next to. Raised between New York, Atlanta and Detroit before his family settled in Los Angeles, Russell lived “right...
Cover Photo: General James Doolittle statue detail – Photo Courtesy of 8th Air Force Public Affairs, via afgsc.af.mil.
LA FIÈRE BRIDGE, Normandy, France — A four‑figure bronze sculpture commemorating the World War II legacy of the U.S. 8th Air Force was unveiled June 5 at the newly dedicated memorial site just south of La Fière Bridge—steps from the D‑Day landing...
Cover Photo: Stuart Tank recovered in the English Channel (Kevin Dennehy).
COMMES, France—One of the more interesting museums in Normandy, and often overlooked, is the Musée des Épaves Sous‑Marines du Débarquement (Museum of Landing Shipwrecks), which allows visitors to gain insight into underwater wrecks that played a crucial role in World War II coastal operations.
The museum, founded in 1970 and...
Photo: Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, lay a wreath at the Normandy American Cemetery. Photo: Regina DeCoster.
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France — Nearly 2,000 people honored the 150,000 Allied troops who landed on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at the Normandy American...
(Cover Photo: First Army Staff and Rangers Gather for Staff Ride. Photo: Regina DeCoster).
POINTE DU HOC, France--The United States First Army recently led a staff ride that retraced the footsteps of U.S. Army Rangers during the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion here. As part of a combined effort to silence three batteries of giant German guns that threated both...
While many Hollywood and sports stars served in World War II, the number who were specifically involved in D-Day and/or the Normandy Campaign is more focused. Here are a few notable individuals:
Hollywood Stars:
David Niven: The Oscar-winning British actor served as a lieutenant colonel in the British Commandos. He was reportedly among the first officers to land in Normandy.
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Photo: Filthy Thirteen Monument (U.S. Army).
During World War II, a group of American paratroopers known as the Filthy Thirteen gained notoriety for their rebellious spirit and fierce combat effectiveness. Officially designated as the 1st Demolition Section of the Regimental Headquarters Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, these soldiers were tasked with critical demolition missions behind enemy lines...
