“The Americans on D-Day” coincides with the 65th anniversary of D-Day and the Normandy invasion.

“D-Day became a focus point of my interest, and I decided to live a dream and move to France and take people all around these areas,” explained Seibold. “And the producer and director of WW2-Reflections said ‘why don’t we put one of your tours on film in Normandy’.”

Seibold noted that WW2-Reflections had assembled a remarkable and accurate collection of soldier’s testimony, stories and witnesses who survived one of America’s most bloody battles in war history. Siebold, donning American and sometimes German uniforms, hops into an early model Army Jeep much like General George Patton rode in as he walks you visually shows and tells you what brave solider endured.

The film uses smart graphics and extensive use of veterans’ recollections, as well as invaluable assistance from Dale Dye, a retired U.S. Marine captain who founded Warriors, Inc. – which specializes in training actors for war-themed film and television productions. Dye was in France researching an upcoming film project and worked with Siebold on historical accuracy. “We are thrilled that he has supported this tour film,” Producer Richard Lanni said.

“The Americans On D-Day provides an exciting insight into one of the most pivotal events of the 20th century,” said Captain Dye. “I’m really proud to have a hand in this effort to provide a foxhole-level view of what happened in Normandy on June 6, 1944.”

“I’ve seen a lot of tour videos that purport to give viewers an insight into what gallant Americans endured and accomplished on D-Day, but this one really hits the mark. The Americans On D-Day provides a stirring, GI-level look at one of the most momentous battles of World War II,” explained Dye.

On the trailer for the tour film Dye said, “I am a big fan of Normandy Tour Guide and Historian Ellwood von Seibold, who takes you for a ride in his 1943 Dodge Command Jeep for the D-Day landings in the real time, you’ll see the uniforms they wore and the weapons they used.”

“If you can’t afford a trip to tour the battlefields of Normandy, just get a copy of The Americans On D-Day and you’ll get a stirring look at events that changed the course of World War II in Europe. Ellwood von Seibold knows his history and how to present it to people in an exciting, understandable fashion. The insights and revelations in this work are extremely valuable to everyone interested in military history.”

“We wanted to show a snapshot of that ‘Day of Days’ through the individual soldier’s eye,” Lanni said. “Ellwood, who is an incredible 62-year-old, who put on all the different uniforms, allowed he to be suspended on a rope ladder over a cliff, ran out of the freezing water on Omaha Beach at 6.30 a.m., crawled through hedgerows and shinned up trees.”

The production shot its first interviews in 2007 with Howard Manoian, a veteran of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne who landed in Normandy on D-Day and returned many years later to live in the country that he helped liberate.

“With the addition of archive footage and stills we have turned this interview into a short biographical documentary under the title of ‘A Soldier’s Journey,’ which we also hope to launch for the 65th anniversary,” Lanni said.

Manoian was recently named a recipient of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government. He will be presented with the award in June at St. Mere Eglise, where U.S. paratroopers suffered heavy losses during the Normandy invasion.

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EANA presents the ongoing matters of the environment in an informative yet exciting way, enabling younger generations to learn how best to look after the world they live in. Interactive activities in La Grande Halle provide the perfect combination of learning and fun, and the Big Bang Cinema allows guests to discover the creation and evolution of our planet.

Three magnificent gardens, seasonal shows and art exhibitions, an outdoor Green Theatre and the recently renovated Valasse abbey are just some of the attractions that make EANA such a fun, dynamic place for every age group.

Our wonderful facilities include two restaurants that serve local, organic, sustainable food, and a family picnic area. Free parking can be enjoyed by all guests, including some spaces for caravans. The park is also fully equipped with facilities for disabled people.

Visit the EANA (French language) website for more information.

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Allied Forces had seen combat here, i.e. in Normandy coming from the countries of the US, UK, Free French Forces, and Canada on the 6th of June 1944. After a few weeks of invasion, participation from forces of Poland, Belgium, Greece, Netherlands, and Czechoslovakia followed. Majority of these countries provided naval and air support as well. Other supporters included Royal Norwegian Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force, and Royal Australian Air Force.

Normandy’s invasion started with overnight glider and parachute landings, immense air attacks, bombardments on the naval front, and amphibious landing. D-Day forces got deployed from the bases along southern coast of the UK. Portsmouth is the most significant amongst these bases.

Allied Operations

The main objective behind these operations was creation of a lodgment which would be affixed in Cane, and in Cherbourg later. There would be an involvement of around 6900 vessels in this invasion, under command of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, inclusive of 4100 landing craft. The landings were supported by around 12000 aircrafts, under the leadership of Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, inclusive of 1000 transports for flying in parachute troops. Bombs of around 10000 tons could be dropped as against German defenses. Around 14000 sorties could be flown.

Vehicles used

Certain more abnormal Allied preparations were inclusive of armored vehicles that were exclusively adapted for assault. These forces had been developed under Major General Percy Hobart’s leadership. These vehicles, inclusive of Duplex Drive Sherman tanks, mine-clearing tanks, road-lying tanks, bridge-laying tanks, Churchill Crocodile, AVRE, i.e. Royal Engineers equipped with huge-caliber mortar, etc. were all created to destroy concrete emplacements. Certain amount of prior testing pertaining to these vehicles was undertaken in Yorkshire, UK at Kirkham Priory. Most of these vehicles could be operated through small teams belonging to 79th Armored Division of the British army.

Planning of invasion

Allied Forces had carried out the rehearsal of their roles (for D-Day) much before invasion. On 28th of April, 1944, in English Coast’s southern coast, 638 soldiers of the US, along with sailors got killed when the German torpedo boats happened to surprise a landing exercise, known as Exercise Tiger. In months that followed invasion, an exercise called deception operation was conducted by the Allies. Operation Fortitude’s aim was that of misleading Germans with regards to place and date of invasion. History witnessed several leaks before the D-Day. Amongst these leaks was one of the crosswords coming out in The Herald and Review, just 6 days prior to beach landings. Certain answers comprised of Gold, Neptune, Overlord, and the other terms which were the key factors in terms of invasions. These instances were declared to be merely coincidental by the government of US later.

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