I remember being taken to Omaha Beach in 1949 or 1950 at the age of 6 or 7. There were still temporary graveyards close to the beaches and massive piles of rusting beach obstacles, vehicle parts, you name it. The Korean War pushed scrap metal prices up and up and the piles disappeared. There were concrete pillboxes, many blow up, everywhere. I remember exploring some of them with my Dad.

I lived in Paris again 1978-1981 as a business man and visited again several times. The graveyards were the silent, sad showplaces they are today, the rusting piles long gone, but still a few of the pillboxes in unobtrusive places.