Against all odds, I made it this far (onto the airplane). The sight of Mom and Art waving at me through the window as I sat in Seat #2A awaiting take-off on my long-awaited trip to Normandy was almost too much to bear. I will miss them!

Dad & Mary are no doubt riding in style right now - in the limo that Tracy arranged to transport them from their rural farm to San Francisco International Airport. What a day this is for the Parker family, past and present!

I keep thinking about what Ben told me. He wants me to visit Caen to see the wall commemorating the French underground who were shot on D-Day, an hour before he flew over them in his B-17. Another man, Harry Strahlendorf, wants me to visit Strahlendorf Square, which was named after his father, a pilot who gave his life near Cherbourg. So many people are counting on me to remember for them. My friend Barbie asked me to put a rose on Marion’s grave. Mom wants to see the pictures of the monument in Bricquebec. I’m thinking, too, of all the e-mail I got from the veterans who said they would be with me in spirit as I walk the soil of Normandy.

I guess I have been preparing for this all my life. I have always been fascinated by WWII and feel a kindred spirit to it, like maybe I was there. It’s odd. I’m over-tired and stressed out, but now work and everything else is behind me, and I’m on my way.

I waited 8 long hours at the Charles De Gaulle Airport, but Dad, Mary and Tracy arrived at 2:30 just fine. While waiting, I purchased a sketchbook and pencils. Oh! To sketch in Paris!

We got our (little) car and started for our hotel at about 3:00 P.M. It was exhausting trying to follow the maps that don’t have all the streets on them! At about 8:30 P.M., we finally managed to find our hotel! At 10:00 P.M., Tracy and I FINALLY found a very well hidden parking garage and parked the car! We ate dinner and went to the room, where it was roughly 1000 degrees Kelvin, so we sweated all night. But…we’re in PARIS!!!

One cute thing – I sketched Dad’s face on the paper tablecloth overlay at dinner. When we got up to leave, Dad ripped the drawing off the overlay and saved it in his pocket!

PARIS
27 May 2001

Well, Dad & Mary rousted us outta bed at o’dark-thirty (10:00 A.M.!) and we took a cab to Notre Dame Cathedral. It was awesome. The big pipe organ is incredible and makes a big, imposing sound. The Cathedral is 800-1000 years old, huge and ornate. The statues and relief figures fascinated Tracy, and she is determined to learn all about them! We sat for a while and listened to the priest deliver Mass in French.

We took a tour bus all around Paris. It was great. We sat on the upper deck – outside – in perfect weather. Dad was exhausted because he didn’t sleep too well last night, but he enjoyed the ride. We got off the bus at the Eiffel Tower.

The Tower is amazing! We went ALL the way to the top, and from there we could see the French Statue of Liberte’! We also saw the Arch de’ Triumphe today from the Tower, and from the tour bus. I couldn’t believe we were actually rolling down the Champs de Elise’. Pretty cool!

PARIS
28 May 2001
(Actually written 29 May 2001)

Yesterday was a bear, both wonderful and not so wonderful. It was HOT! Period! Went to the Louvre and saw many wondrous things. Statues by Michelangelo, the real Mona Lisa – I was stopped in my tracks at the beauty of it all. When I came around this one corner, and saw the long, ornate hallway with walls full of incredibly beautiful oil paintings, I was hit hard by the emotion of it all – what a grand sight, and a great experience.

We ended the day with a boat ride down the Seine River. If you’re thinking, “Oh good, that will cool them off,” get real. It was still HOT! We were all soaked and burned by now.

Back at the hotel, we tried to sleep. No luck. It was about 125 degrees in our room. I have kind of a cold, and was coughing (my sister LOVES this when she’s trying to sleep) but the best part was when I stepped out of the room to cough so I wouldn’t disturb Tracy…inadvertently locking the door behind me, without a key. Well, I got progressively more sick to my stomach and had to pound on the door to get Tracy to open it and let me back in – I ran to the bathroom but didn’t quite make it. What a night. The rest of the night was horrible, let’s leave it at that.

PARIS TO BAYEAUX
29 May 2001

Dragged out of bed, tired and sick. Didn’t eat much breakfast. Took off for Bayeaux on the Normandy coast. We wanted to stop in Caen and see a monument Ben had mentioned, but we got lost instead. Then we came here to Bayeaux, and got LOST again! (Well, not exactly lost, just couldn’t find our hotel.) All these times getting out and asking directions, and constantly translating, I’m getting better at French!

Finally got to the hotel. The rooms are really nice and best of all, we’re closer to the beach, so it’s COOL HERE!!!

ST. MERE EGLISE – THE MONUMENT – CHERBOURG
30 May 2001

Today was really incredible. We started on our way from Bayeaux at about 11:00 A.M. and had a bite to eat at a little place about ½ hour from here. It’s always fun to order in French – and then see what you get! Then we went to St. Mere Eglise to meet up with Mick Simon, a French historian who was kind enough to help plan our visit to Normandy. He was there in no time at all, and it was great to finally meet him in person.

It was a shock to see St. Mere Eglise, the famous church where the paratroopers landed on D-Day morning. There’s a (dummy of) a soldier hanging off of one of the four church corners, to commemorate the paratrooper who got hung up there on that day. What a sight. I still don’t think it has sunk in. The little church is quaint and looks almost unreal. There is a stained glass window inside in honor of the paratroopers who liberated the town. Tracy and Mary emerged from the church in tears, and Dad & I didn’t do too much better.

The Church in St. Mere Eglise (postcard photo)

Then we all went to see the crew monument in Bricquebec for the first time. I’ll tell you – coming around the turn in the road and catching sight of that B-17 sculpture was an unbelievable feeling. I’ve seen it so often in photos, and now we were actually THERE. We stayed a while, just soaking it in. Those moments are engraved in my memory. Years of history, months of research, the kindness of strangers – and here we stood in front of this awesome memorial to Marion Parker, his crew, and to the crew of another B-17 which crashed in the area. It’s something you can barely realize, no matter how much you pinch yourself. “Here I am.”

Monument in Bricquebec, Normandie, France

Target Site, Sottevast, Normandie
Photo courtesy of Bob & Betty Reynolds, family of crew member James Reynolds

We saw the English Square at the cemetery where WWII English vets are buried. (Michel does the upkeep on it) and the area where the American War dead were originally buried. It really got to Dad to see the area where Marion & crew were originally buried. He just stared out at it, almost in disbelief. I was standing there, looking out over the gravesites, when I noticed Albert standing next to me, hands behind his back, in reverence. I looked at him, and he said to me, “Jeune.” (“Young.”) I replied “Tres jeune.” (“Very young.”) So sad to lose so many young men.

We left the Cemetery and then stopped by to see Strahlendorf Square and took pictures for Harry Strahlendorf. This Square was named after his father who was shot down near there. Then we reluctantly said good-bye to Albert and Michel. They lent us 3 big binders full of information on the 2 crews commemorated on the Bricquebec monument (Marions’ crew, crashed 4/27/44 and the Overcash crew, crashed 5//8/44). Amazing. We each received keepsake booklets from Albert full of information about Marion, and an invitation from the Mayors of Rocheville and Bricquebec to attend a ceremony at the monument next Saturday in our honor.

At Strahlendorf Square, near Cherbourg

Tomorrow is St. Laurent (American Cemetery). I both dread & anticipate it. Should be quite the experience.

Dad was so overwhelmed by the kindness of Mick, Albert and Michel. We all were. They truly are going above and beyond the call to help us, make us feel welcome, and honor us as the family of a U.S. veteran.

Awesome day.