Guest speaker Dwayne Lee, pictured here with LNR club president-elect Dennis Song, shared his encyclopedic knowledge of D-Day events. History buff Dwayne Lee, past president of the Arlington Morning Rotary club, gave an in-depth presentation on D-Day’s “Bloody Omaha” battle at last week's meeting, taking club members on a virtual tour of Normandy then and now. Lee first became interested in D-Day because his father flew Douglas-C47 transport aircraft in World War II and trained many of the glider pilots that landed on Normandy on June 6, 1944. Lee visited Omaha Beach in 2016 and was struck that very few people--particularly those in their 50s, 60s and 70s--come to see the site of the famed battle. Lee showed a map of the original invasion plan for the initial assault of 7000 ships, which involved troops landing on the beach and trying to mount the bluffs to attack German Nazi forces from behind. Soldiers landed at low tide along a swath of shore only 900 feet wide, and many became easy targets in the ensuing battle, because there was no shelter from enemy fire. (Much of the artillery came from gunners stationed on Pointe Du Hoc, atop 100-foot tall cliffs overlooking the beach, Lee explained.) Today, the beaches feature a towering monument and a sculpture commissioned by the French government to remember the bloody battle that occurred there. Lee has written several articles about the events that took place in Normandy (including this feature in Arlington Today Magazine), and he will be hosting a series of tours in Normandy in summer 2023, for those who want to walk in the footsteps of the Greatest Generation. Tours include luxury accommodations, ground transportation in Normandy, and jam-packed days exploring the historical beaches, museums, monuments, the 144-acre Maisy Gun Battery, and more. Click here for full details. (Select the + sign next to each section to open the text.) |