Preparations part 2

I have begun preparing for the trip, mostly with photographic supplies. I was debating on buying a digital camera for the trip but have ultimately chosen to document our travels on film. I just picked up the camera I will be taking along, it's a medium format 6x7 rangefinder. Here is a picture:


I have also picked up about 80-90 rolls of film so I should have plenty to capture everything. We will also be taking along a few smaller digital cameras as well. I am going to try to upload some digital photos as we go along, be it from the camera phone or from our digital cameras if possible. This should hold anyone over until I can get the film processed and up on the web which will take a bit longer due to processing and scanning. That's all the report so far on the photo end!

Invitation received and schedule of events.

It reads: Dear Rudy Zamula,

We are pleased to send you this invitation to the joint Commemoration Ceremony on June 6 at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France...

I have RSVP'ed for grandpa and his friend and Normandy Veteran Robert Keck

Here is the schedule of events..

June 3 Arrive Charles de Gaulle Airport and travel to Grandcamp Maisy (nr. Omaha Beach)


Thursday, 4 June we will spend at the Sainteny Church with the school children. The first group at 1:00 PM (13:00 hours). Rudy has a short speech (en Francais) to give to the children, and a longer speech for the ceremony at Sainteny on 7 June. Two groups and we finish about 4:30 PM. Here we will also meet Robert and Rudy's friend Jean Paul Pitou.


Friday 5 June ceremony at Carentan 15:30 until 19:30 hours. We have also been invited most generously to a reception at CHÂTEAU DE COLOMBIÈRES at 14:30, please visit their spectacular website.

Saturday 6 June ceremony at Omaha Beach/Colleville sur Mer, with Obama & Sarkozy, 15:00 departing from the Caen Exposition Centre.
Also on this day FIREWORKs all along the coast of Normandy!

Sunday 7 June ceremony at Sainteny stele at 10:30 AM, 11:15.Rudy will open the Flag Room & give short speech (en Francais). Reception and private lunch for my group.


That is all for now...

Limited Seating...

For American Citizens
The ceremony on June 6, 2009 at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial for the 65th Anniversary of the Landing at Normandy is an invitation-only event with extremely limited seating capacity. Only requests for invitations received by May 28 can be considered.
To request an invitation, please email this address Normandy65@state.gov with the following information for each person.
1.
Name:
2.
DOB:
3.
Address in France:
4.
Email Address:
5.
Twenty five words on your connection to the Normandy Landing

from
http://france.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/ddayjun09.pdf

Official Program for June 4, 2009 to June 7.

Rudy Zamula, 83rd Infantry Division Association President (2007) and Robert Keck, President 2008.

From Jean Paul:
"
Thursday June 4th appointment at 1 pm in the church to welcome the children of the SAINTENY school.
You will open with them the display.
The first group had 15 children
The second group have 17 children. Again we will open the display.
The presentation will finish at 4h30 pm.
Then we will stay to speak and will take pictures.

The Sunday june 7th Ceremony at the SAINTENY stèle at 10h30 am.
Then at 11h15 am you will open the Flags Room.
After the reception will be and the private lunch where you will be invited with your family. "

Michel LEPOURRY, Mayor of SAINTENY has been informed of our visit, unsure if he will attend.

(We will take digital pictures and post them whenever an internet connection is available.)

Tristan will be present to serve as translator. David will drive.

Return in the Urn & The Quest for Tickets

Grandma called yesterday to say that if Grandpa "didn't make it" I am to have him cremated and the return trip would be made via "urn".

I'm thinking that applies to all of us. If something happens to me, take what you want and send the ashes home.

Currently trying to find entry passes to the ceremony at
Colleville sur Mer (14) 10.00 am - 10:30 am: Ceremony at 1st Infantry Division monument. If anyone has infomation on this please contact me.

Angry Grandma....

Less than a month now until we take off. On that subject, Grandma is not happy about the tab for air travel. I made all the bookings except for Tristan, who made his own. Tristan is travelling to Paris from New York via London, and was able to get a reasonable airfare ($790). His stop-over is a safe two hours, but his arrival coincides with Gramps and me so he has made good arrangements.

Gramps and I are travelling direct to Paris from Washington Dulles, and the tickets together are $2386. For a direct flight, not bad, but Grandma is not pleased. Anyway, I am picking up the car rental and the accomodation and Grandpa is paying for the wine, women and song, so it should work out alright in the end.

Another development is that one of Grandpa's old 83rd Infantry Division buddies has nowhere to stay so he might be staying at our very modest Gite near Utah beach. This should work out fine, there is room in the car and he can pitch in for petrol at the local Fina station. The fogey to non-fogey ratio is still favorable so not worried yet.