MY TRIP TO FRANCE. Part Eight: DDay

Sunday, June 3, 2012  

Day Eight

Setting up the wind sock.

This morning another wake up call--this time we are without any hot water for our showers.  Not allowing anything to dampen our day, we wash our hair in very cold water and put on deodorant more abundantly.  The days lately have been quite cool anyway so we are not necessarily in “need” of a shower.

            My normal Sundays are usually Church and day of rest.  This was not promising to be that kind of Sunday.  In fact, rest was not to be found.  Just a great deal of amazement, bonding with Rachel in ways we could not have imagined and witness history in the making with my daughter leading the way! 

There were 3,000 people lining the road to watch the parachutes come down.

So after a great conversation of political leanings, Rachel and I being polar in some ways and proximal in others, we strike out for our Chocolat/Espresso place, enjoying our sweet waitress again.  Then on to Shopi for bananas, crackers and yogurt for our lunch.  On the way back we wandered through the…basically a major yard sale…where I purchased a medium sized shoulder bag for today and another folding stool (now I have two, one from the SuperU yesterday—very rickety but cheap for use at the Drop Zone).  Rachel spent 50 Euros on old copper kitchen items which, I now see, is a big weakness for her.  She kept wondering out loud on the way back, “Now I have to figure out how to fit them in my stuff!  I’ll figure out something.”  It was a set of cup/ladles/measuring cup with long handles, a regular ladle and a wide pail with a handle.

Cody taking the first wind readings so he could radio them to the flight crew.

The shop where we buy croissants was closed so I sent Rachel to the room to get ready while I went back to the other shop.  I was unsure as to where it was and asked a man carrying a baguette where he got it.  He tried to point the way and did a good job for someone with no English skills at all!  I stood in line for a while until I could ask for a baguette and croissant.  They were out of croissants, so I held my hand full of money up and the girl at the counter quickly plucked the proper amount out.  I carried the baguette back to the room feeling quite independent! 

Here comes the C130s filled with static line jumpers.

The remainder of the day was devoted to the jump.  After Rachel left, I packed my new little bag with food, an umbrella and other things, and collected the two small folding seats, my purse and Rachel’s hip pack.  Cody Geiger SFC, (he is a helicopter crewman that gets lowered down by a rope!) who was sent to support our team in addition to his other duties, picked Amy and me up well before 1:00, knowing the traffic may be an issue—and it sure was. 

It does something to you to watch this.

The weather was a worry so I had prayed fervently for an open sky that Rachel could jump.  We watched the wind kick up and the sky clear and close off and on as we drove to the Drop Zone at La Fière Bridge.  Rachel and the Knights were at the airport so we were to act as the ground support on site.  As we approached the DZ people would not move out of our way, but walked down the middle of the street in front of us.  We reached a gendarme (policeman) and showed him our pass, even though if he had looked at our dash he would have seen it there, so he let us through.  We crawled along behind, and went through two more gendarmes who, at first, did not want to let us through.  Finally we obtained an escort to the DZ and got set up about 2:00 perilously close to the scheduled jump!

Pulling flag detail.  I was so proud to do even this little thing.

I dropped all my belongings nearby and assumed the task of holding the windsock (a long pennant flag) pole for the next two hours.  Miraculously, my back and leg held up beautifully despite standing that long in one spot!  There were around 3,000 people lining the DZ and the street.  The three of us, Cody, Amy and I formed a great bond as I knew so little and asked questions while holding my pole.  Cody was such a warm, friendly guy, always happy to talk and never impatient with any of my many questions--or jokes.  Amy knew a lot because she skydives and we laughed and waited. 

C130s doing a low fly over.  It is so thrilling.

I stood there with one hand on the pole and one with the camera non-stop the whole two hours.  The wind was measuring sustained about 16 mph gusting to 22 (getting a bit high for jumping).  It was a cold wind--well not really cold but just not a warm wind.  We were not shivering but during the entire time, I had no need to use the toilet, was not hungry or thirsty.  I was often the first to spot a plane and since they were all over the sky it was quite a feat.

It's Rachel's plane!  The suspense is tremendous.

We watched the first static-line (big mushroom parachute, no control, landing very hard) jumpers jump and land.  The winds drove them to the ground so hard that we watched as two ambulances carried injured away.  A chute got caught in a tree and was still there when we left.  It was great to see and hear the clapping as the soldiers, chutes bundled in hand, reached the crowd after walking from their point of impact and across several fields.  It happened every time!

"Jumper is out."  That means Rachel is in the air!

I was the first to spot Rachel’s plane.  What I did not know is that it also carried (in addition to the four Golden Knights and Ambassador Rivkin) about 25 static-line jumpers who boarded their C130 in hopes of jumping, their plane having an engine malfunction.  Unfortunately they ended up canceling their jump altogether due to high winds and cloud cover.  On the second pass the streamers got dropped.  They blew way over into a field across the crowds. 

The wind blew her away and we watch her disappear.

When Rachel’s pass came, I heard Cody say, “Jumper is out.”  I was not the first to see her chute open.  I knew she was high but when I finally saw her I knew she was not far enough upwind.  She came and came and it was clear that she was not going to make it into the DZ, in fact she was blown completely over the crowds, the houses and out of sight.  She ended up landing in a field where quite a few astonished children watched her land.  They ran over to her to “help” her collect her chute.  They posed beneath it with Rachel while one of the children’s mom snapped a picture.  Not one of them knew English.  It has become a favorite photo!  She ran and then was found (the police saw where she had landed) her after a small search.  They transported her by car to the DZ just in time to see the Ambassador land. 

The French children raced over to Rachel's aid and happily posed for this photo.  They were amazed to see she was a girl!

The videographers, John and Aaron as well as Noah with Mr. Rivkin nailed a perfect landing.  Before the ambassador got to his feet, all the press people came rushing up to them.  By the time two hours passed, it hit the French newspapers, even on Sunday!  While the hubbub was going on, Cody took the windsock pole and told me to go greet my daughter and take some pictures.  As soon as Rachel and I saw each other, we embraced and sobbed.  She said it was the most incredible experience and I said it was so amazing from where I was.  After a long embrace I gave her back to the team to finish out the rest of their mission.

 I got to watch but never got to actually meet Mr. Rivkin.  Just standing in his circle while he thanked the team for the unforgettable day was completely amazing.  He is a government dignitary and I got to stand and hear him converse with them!  After all of the hubbub died down, a special ceremony across the road commenced.  The French army contingency sang as they entered the staging area, and actually had been singing along the street up to there.  All the while a part of me was swept away with the beautiful haunting tune the soldiers sang as they marched in formation. 

We spotted the Muellers and it was just like a family reunion with kisses and great welcomes.  The Americans were already up there and behind came a German marching band and stopped in the sidelines to stand for the program.  The Muellers stood with me while speeches were made.  Louis did a bit of interpreting for me while the story was told of the airborne invasion on DDay.  The ambassador spoke mostly in French (which I hear he learned for this assignment as ambassador, knowing just a little French already).  He speaks excellently, so much so you would never know he has recently been a student of the language!  The head of the US defense (I don't know his name or his actual title) came also and gave an incredible speech; such an expression of goodwill and gratitude for the 1944 DDay soldiers and for the gift of this yearly celebration to honor them by France. 

Then the German band played the national anthems of America, Denmark, Germany, Britain, Canada and France.  I was so moved.  It was beautiful.  The Golden Knights stood in front of the audience and were mentioned in the speeches!  We watched medics assist with ambulance and gurney a man who had fainted during the speeches while the ceremony continued uninhibited.  It did not seem to disrupt anything even though a great deal was done to assist him and take him away.  It was far away enough from us that we only saw the loading into the ambulance and the arrival and departure of the wagon.  

This is Cody, our wonderful shepherd.

We bid the Muellers goodbye with another fete of hugs, kisses and fond wishes.  Isabella could not come because of her painful feet.  So we offered her our love which they all promised to convey.  What lovely people they are.  How dear they are to me. 

The most wonderful family, the Muellers.

A memory of great treasure was Cody.  We have been with him all this weekend and he has been so gracious, happy, cheerful, helpful…he’s pretty laid back, so even-keeled.  No issues, it seemed, would ever bother him.  He had brought water, sandwiches and chips for us.  I ate half of a sandwich after the jump and ceremony, a water and a bag of chips just before we went out to dinner.  What a bright spot he was in this already incredible day.

French soldiers singing a beautiful melody as they enter the arena.

Another detail was that while Rachel was parachuting down, voices over Cody’s walkie talkie commenced.  Suddenly I heard Rachel’s voice speeking to the jump master in the plane, “I’m off the drop zone…double it!!” meaning to double the distance that she jumped past the DZ because the wind will blow you to where she ended up!  Indeed that instruction caused the success of the rest of the team. 

Our view of the ceremony.

I purchased two books from Vivian at the La Fière Bed and Breakfast, plus a cammo scarf like the ones the airborne would make by cutting off a swatch from their parachute canopy after they landed.  I am sure it was partly to disable the parachute for use by the enemy, or for use in first aid or other need, but tradition has it that it was to show that the wearer was a seasoned combatant.  In any case, Louis had shown us a real one he had from WW2.  The one I bought reminded me of his, even though mine is not authentic. 

         Ambassador Rivkin expressed his gratitude and thrill over the tandem jump he was able to do because of the Golden Knights.  So he invited us to the US Embassy in Paris as his personal guests on Tuesday.                 

US Ambassador Charles Rivkin posing with the team by La Fiere Bridge.

I got to sit with the three chief staff members for the ambassador (who was himself unable to wait) while they waited for the DVD of Rivkin’s jump.  While up to that moment I had been a nobody to them, that conversation changed everything.  They learned all about me and I asked them tons of questions and learned about each of them.  Our mutual delight in the visit we had created a whole different attitude as they said their goodbyes.  Hands reached out to me and I could feel their respect for me being Rachel’s mom and the Eureka, CA music teacher.  I told them that even though they were not in uniform, they serve our country in ways that keep friendships around the world open in areas as essential as our soldiers in the work of world peace.  They were a little surprised at such an expression of gratitude.  I know it meant a lot.

           

I will never forget you, Vivian.

     We got back to Valognes and ate at a café, the only one open.  Rachel and I always order the same thing on the menu and tonight it was a pork cut with mushrooms and a delicious sauce, salad and crème brule again!  I'll miss the crème brule big time.

            We have been without hot water since last night so we all went to the office to ask why.  The lady, the good English speaker, explained that the plumber (means repair man) does not work on Sunday.  So we will have hot water tomorrow night.  She was very sorry but gave us all free breakfast for tomorrow morning to make up for two days of cold showers.  We must be there between 7:30-9:30 only.

This is taken from my travel journal.

It may be that June 6 is the real DDay, but for us this was it.

They celebrate on the Sunday closest to the 6th.