Commemorating The 80th Anniversary of D-Day
“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.”
Dwight Eisenhower, “Order of the Day,” June 5, 1944
Eighty years after General Eisenhower wrote these words on the eve of D-Day, a group of 78 guests from The Chautauqua Institution, The Great Courses, and HISTORY Travel™ boarded a river ship in Paris to begin a weeklong journey along the Seine that concluded at the official ceremonies of D-Day at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. In the presence of Presidents Biden and Macron and other heads of state, guests witnessed 14 U.S. veterans earn France’s highest order of merit, the Légion d’honneur.
Jason Smigel, Senior Vice President for Content Development at The Great Courses said, “The 80th D-Day Tour was not just a trip; it was an immersive educational event that was as stunning as it was impactful. Traveling the same towns and paths where Allied forces landed, seeing the remnants of the Mulberry Harbors, and exploring the landscapes of Normandy gave me a profound appreciation for the enormity of the D-Day operations and the bravery of those involved. Like our other trips over the past year, offering our customers the in-person element was a perfect culmination of our mission “To offer the most engaging, enriching, and trusted learning experiences to the world.”
For ATA’s Program Team, the planning for this trip began two years ago and involved several site visits to France and a strong working relationship with the American Embassy in Paris. “D-Day was such a pivotal moment in history,” Emma Impavido, ATA’s Senior Director of Educational Programs, said. “I feel proud to play a small part in helping to continue honoring and commemorating the heroes who landed in Normandy on June 6th. I also feel a strong connection to the location, having been born in Portsmouth, where many of those men set sail from. After many months or years of planning and organizing our D-Day tours and no matter how many times I have visited the D-Day sites, it is incredibly moving to stand on those beaches and try to imagine what those men went through. And, I am always touched how the Normandy people are still grateful for what the allies did, now 80 years ago.”
Senior Program Manager Samantha Barrie added, “Anytime we work on trips, we take on the weight of expectations. Rarely do we also take on the weight of history and sacrifice. Working on D-Day tours, I can’t help but feel dual responsibilities—to provide an outstanding educational and logistical experience to our travelers, and to honor the sacrifice that so many made to preserve democracy. It is a privilege to work on these trips and help keep the heroism of these men and women alive even after they are gone.”
Academic Travel Abroad operates military history trips across Europe every year. On major anniversary years we operate specialty programs and work to secure access to official commemorative ceremonies for travelers.
