Annie Sickling ('12) joined 12 other Upper School students on Whitefield's first European spring break trip. They visited London and parts of France, led by Meghan Magee, Upper School French teacher, and Erika Mosteller, Upper School history teacher. Here are Annie's thoughts about their visit to Normandy.
Reflecting On The Past
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Annie at Omaha Beach
There is not a soul in sight, the sand is not the normal, pure white, soft to the touch sand but more of a dark, rusty color and reaches out for what seems like a mile before the ocean crosses at the shoreline and the sandbar stretches even farther beyond that. It’s bitter with 45 degree temperatures, winds at 30 mph, and a solemn nature in the air. Any passer-by would never set foot on this beach on this kind of day, however I can’t find myself to step away and get back on the gigantic charter bus that is waiting for me. My classmates are playing down by the water, laughing and splashing each other trying to make one another chilled to the bone, but I cannot find myself to go even close to the water because I would be overcome with overwhelming emotions and I would just look silly and dramatic. I had taken over 400 pictures from the trip already but as I stand in the sand with my hands in my florescent pink wind breaker pockets, smiling but irritated that my hair is flying in my eyes, ears, and mouth, I cannot help but think that this picture is unlike the other 400 pictures I had taken previous to this stopover on our way to Paris.
I feel completely stolid yet emotional trying to take in all the excitement yet personal attachment of being on the same beach as my grandfathers had fought on 70 years prior to my visit. Throughout my childhood, I was numb to the fact that I did not know my grandfather on my mother’s side, Gunner my mom calls him, and barely knew my grandfather on my father’s side, Pop-Pop. Apparently from what I know from stories and pictures I was best friends, almost inseparable, from Pop-Pop who was an aerial bomber in World War II. I get my thick, blonde hair, deep smile, and compassionate heart from him. Gunner was a second
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Pont du hoc craters
lieutenant of the US Army which means that he stormed Omaha Beach and, just like ‘Private Ryan’, watched his fellow men get blown up right next to him.
After seeing and walking on the actual beach that Gunner stormed and Pop-Pop flew over in WWII, I was debating whether I could handle anymore WWII territories. But of course, it was only 2 pm and there was more to see! My group went to the territory of the German army which was an area on top of a cliff that was between both Omaha and Utah beaches and the Germans had cannons that could reach both American beaches. After a long gravel path, the guys, and I came upon an area with massive holes in the ground. These holes were preserved pits where the American aerial bombers bombed the German army. Pop-Pop was assigned this area and these massive holes were caused by the same bombs that Pop-Pop dropped. The guys and I walked around the grassy cliff, running in these massive holes, and exploring inside all the German bunkers with some bunkers still intact but some crumbled inside of itself by a bomb. Running around in the holes from the bombs that he dropped on the Germans was absolutely surreal and almost unbelievable.
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Students on Europe spring break trip
Being where both my grandfathers risked their lives for this country in WWII made me feel closer to them than ever before. On that beach, I felt their presence more than ever before and this is where I truly felt that they are my angels looking over me. It’s unfortunate that I have never met Gunner and Pop-Pop died when I was 8, but I feel like this experience was even more powerful through the fact that they are deceased. Through this experience on the Normandy beaches, I learned that life is way too short to sweat the small things or take life too seriously. Being on the very beach that hundreds of thousands of lives were taken in the matter of hours made me realize that life is a blessing from the Lord and all of us need to take advantage of every moment and opportunity.
Reflecting On The Past
Annie at Omaha BeachThere is not a soul in sight, the sand is not the normal, pure white, soft to the touch sand but more of a dark, rusty color and reaches out for what seems like a mile before the ocean crosses at the shoreline and the sandbar stretches even farther beyond that. It’s bitter with 45 degree temperatures, winds at 30 mph, and a solemn nature in the air. Any passer-by would never set foot on this beach on this kind of day, however I can’t find myself to step away and get back on the gigantic charter bus that is waiting for me. My classmates are playing down by the water, laughing and splashing each other trying to make one another chilled to the bone, but I cannot find myself to go even close to the water because I would be overcome with overwhelming emotions and I would just look silly and dramatic. I had taken over 400 pictures from the trip already but as I stand in the sand with my hands in my florescent pink wind breaker pockets, smiling but irritated that my hair is flying in my eyes, ears, and mouth, I cannot help but think that this picture is unlike the other 400 pictures I had taken previous to this stopover on our way to Paris.
I feel completely stolid yet emotional trying to take in all the excitement yet personal attachment of being on the same beach as my grandfathers had fought on 70 years prior to my visit. Throughout my childhood, I was numb to the fact that I did not know my grandfather on my mother’s side, Gunner my mom calls him, and barely knew my grandfather on my father’s side, Pop-Pop. Apparently from what I know from stories and pictures I was best friends, almost inseparable, from Pop-Pop who was an aerial bomber in World War II. I get my thick, blonde hair, deep smile, and compassionate heart from him. Gunner was a second
Pont du hoc craterslieutenant of the US Army which means that he stormed Omaha Beach and, just like ‘Private Ryan’, watched his fellow men get blown up right next to him.
After seeing and walking on the actual beach that Gunner stormed and Pop-Pop flew over in WWII, I was debating whether I could handle anymore WWII territories. But of course, it was only 2 pm and there was more to see! My group went to the territory of the German army which was an area on top of a cliff that was between both Omaha and Utah beaches and the Germans had cannons that could reach both American beaches. After a long gravel path, the guys, and I came upon an area with massive holes in the ground. These holes were preserved pits where the American aerial bombers bombed the German army. Pop-Pop was assigned this area and these massive holes were caused by the same bombs that Pop-Pop dropped. The guys and I walked around the grassy cliff, running in these massive holes, and exploring inside all the German bunkers with some bunkers still intact but some crumbled inside of itself by a bomb. Running around in the holes from the bombs that he dropped on the Germans was absolutely surreal and almost unbelievable.
Students on Europe spring break tripBeing where both my grandfathers risked their lives for this country in WWII made me feel closer to them than ever before. On that beach, I felt their presence more than ever before and this is where I truly felt that they are my angels looking over me. It’s unfortunate that I have never met Gunner and Pop-Pop died when I was 8, but I feel like this experience was even more powerful through the fact that they are deceased. Through this experience on the Normandy beaches, I learned that life is way too short to sweat the small things or take life too seriously. Being on the very beach that hundreds of thousands of lives were taken in the matter of hours made me realize that life is a blessing from the Lord and all of us need to take advantage of every moment and opportunity.