Omaha Beach was one of the beaches where Operation Overlord (aka D-Day) took place. The others were Gold, Sword, Juno, and Utah.
In July 1956, not long after the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach was officially dedicated, my parents took my sister and me there.
My dad was in the Marines during WWII. He never talked about it. But I know my uncle Abbey was in the Army in Normandy. I remember as we got closer to Omaha Beach, we saw cemeteries with black crosses. My dad said that was where German soldiers were buried. That made an impression on me.
When we arrived at Omaha Beach, my dad wanted to walk around alone. Even though he was never in Europe during the war, it didn't matter. It affected him greatly. We walked through fields of white crosses, as far as you could see.
Then we went and stood overlooking the beach, where you could look out and imagine that fleet of every size of boat imaginable, coming across the English Channel. It gave me chills as a child and it still does.
In 1956, there was a small memorial, not like there is now. All I remember are the crosses and flags, and looking out at the water.
It wasn't until many years later that I learned about the poem that was broadcast, signaling the Normandy invasion was on.