After breakfast, we'll start the day at Pointe du Hoc, strolling around the massive gun batteries and shell craters at the objective seized by Rudder and his Rangers. There will be plenty of visible signs of the vicious battle that was waged here on D-Day and the days beyond, from deep bomb craters to massive, battered bunkers, riddled with direct hits from naval gunfire. While the guns had been moved, it was still a formidable objective, and the battle for this strategic spot lasted for two brutal days of combat.

Then we’ll head over to Omaha Beach, before we visit the cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer to pay respects to the men who died in this important operation. The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel. It covers 172.5 acres and contains the remains of 9,388 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. Included are graves of Army Air Corps crews shot down over France as early as 1942 and four American women. Notable gravestones will include the Niland brothers (whose story sparked "Saving Private Ryan"), General Roosevelt and his younger brother Quentin - killed in WWI, and one "Salty" Harris, former NCO of Easy Company who, after serving as a pathfinder, was killed during the fighting to take Carentan.

Once we finish up at the cemetery, we’ll make the drive to Bruges, Belgium. We'll make a stop or two along the way, as there are several key locations of military significance as we head towards Belgium.

Upon arriving into Bruges, you'll have the afternoon to relax and enjoy the food, beer, and gorgeous sights of one of Europe's most beloved old cities. Once one of the most prosperous cities in Europe, it was cut off from the sea and ended up becoming frozen in time. It's a remarkable preservation of the Old World. It will be a welcome reset after our time in Normandy, with our next leg focusing on Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.

OVERNIGHT: BRUGES