Ouest France-January 2012 Friday the 13th
Dick Winters is chosen as a symbol for a monument-Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Richard D. Winters
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Utah Beach museum, a monument which is entirely financed by the Americans will be inaugurated on June 6th between Saint Marie du Mont and Utah Beach.
The site chosen is symbolic as from it one can see the ocean where the American troops landed and also the village of Brécourt where the famous Easy Company of the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne proved itself.
The monument is dedicated to all of the American units who participated on D-Day. To symbolize their courage the effigy of Richard Dick Winters was chosen, an outstanding officer from Easy Company, who passed away on January 2, 2011, at the age of 93.
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Ouest France-January 2012 Friday the 13th
Museum renovations: The Dewhurst brothers add 400 000$ -Saint-Marie-du-Mont
The museum being closed in the winter, work crews are back on the site. The objective: to redraw the museums access this will be part of a new parking lot and a long walkway. As for the old parking area it has been transformed into dunes in view of the `Grand Site` project all which should be completed for the museum`s reopening on February 1st.
Pleased with the 2011 season that started June 6th after the museums transformation, Charles De Valavielle, who is assistant to the mayor and in charge of the museum, doesn`t expect less with this full season in 2012: «We were worried about how the visitor would react to a story which is told differently but is still the same» The 89 528 visitors from last season have reassured him and he doesn`t hide that «I`m more ambitious for this second season». With no less than 100 000 visitors expected since great effort has gone into the new museum displays.
«What would make you happy for the 50th? »
The 2012 season should also be exceptional on a affective level. The museum, created in 1962 by Michel De Valavielle (Charles`s father) will be celebrating its 50 year anniversary on June 6th. Today`s building has little in common with the German blockhouse that the original museum was created in. But the spirit that Michel De Valavielle started is more than present: an undying recognition to the American liberators and to continue telling the story of what happened here on June 6th, 1944. «We have put in the aviators in the forefront who in the past were left on the sidelines» For the visitor to understand one has to go further in the story to explain why Utah`s objective was a port.