SUTTON Travels

03 September 2021

World War II Remembered Understanding WWII by Travel

World War II Remembered

Understanding WWII by Travel

Each September I am remined of the Second World War. The war began 1 September 1939 and ended 2 September 1945 thus it lasted 6 years and 1 day.

This page contains links to places that tell the story of World War II. I will update the page as I visit other locations around the world.

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I was born in London, England. For me, World War II is personal because my parents, grandparents, and most of my family lived through the war in London or wherever they were sent to defend my homeland. And World War II partly explains why I live in America and not England.

We lived in a house where my mother was trapped in a closet beneath the stairs when a nearby German bomb blast shattered windows and buckled the floor. During my childhood, World War II was an historic family marker—family events were told in terms of “before the war” or “after the war.”

After the US entered the war, an American soldier and one of my mother’s sisters fell in love. They married at a London church near in England. My aunt joined him in America and, a decade later, my American uncle sponsored us when my parents decided to emigrate.

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United Kingdom

Imperial War Museum, London England World War II commands considerable space in the history of British wars.

Imperial War Museum North - Manchester

HMS Belfast, River Thames, London, England

Churchill War Rooms, London, England

Bletchley Park, England Discover the role of British and allied intelligence efforts to break enemy codes.

Castletown D-Day Centre, Portland, England - Interactive Museum of the Dockyard where Americans embarked for Normandy

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge England

Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, England See stories of the British Navy at war.

Royal Army Museum, London, England Learn the history of the British Army.

Royal Air Force Museum, London, England See the planes that fought in the Battle of Britain and note the tribute to the United States Air Force.

European Continent

D-Day Overview and Timeline

France

Pegasus Bridge, Benouville, Normandy, France

Utah Beach Normandy, France

Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France

Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France

The Battle of Merville Gun Battery

Grand Bunker Museum, Ouistreham, Normandy, France

Hungary: Shoes on the Danube Memorial, Budapest

United States

The United States officially entered World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. The US led the allies in defeating the Axis of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

World War II Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana.

This massive complex tells the story of America at War in Europe and the Pacific in large buildings full of artefacts and audio-visual presentations.

The Road to Berlin

The Road to Tokyo

D-Day at the World War II Museum

Boeing Center at the World War II Museum

World War II Memorial, Washington, DC

Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC

Truman Library and Museum, Independence Missouri

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31 August 2021

Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

After arriving, we walked along the South Rim with our friends who hadn't seen the park before.

It was an incredibly hot day despite the date of 20 October 1995. We decided to view the canyon from a plane. The photos don't do the experience justice.

The size is incredible-- a mile deep and 18 miles wide at points. It's hard to see the ribbon of the Colorado River below.

We didn't see a lot of wildlife.

Park notes

It's an incredibly busy park so to stay in the park requires advanced booking.

It is possible to camp in the park.

You can arrive by train-see previous post about the Grand Canyon Railway.

Access can vary depending on the time of year.

There are a lot of trails down into the canyon.

Flyover tours include planes and helicopters

More information at the website

If hiking in the canyon, the trails can be steep so hiking shoes or boots and trekking poles are helpful. Travel gear note.

You might like this book if you are exploring National Parks

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Google Map of Grand Canyon National Park

30 August 2021

Grand Canyon Railway Arizona

All aboard for the trip from Williams Arizona to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Our photos are from 30 August 1997.

Looking above the cars as we cross the high desert.

And a look out the window on a curve.

A wild west show is part of the entertainment.

A final look at a classic locomotive.

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Notes

The history of the Grand Canyon Railway dates to 17 September 1901.

The 65 mile route cost $3.95

Supplies for building Grand Canyon Village were delivered by train.

The popularity of automobiles ended train service in 1968.

But, passenger service resumed 17 September 1989.

Link to train website

29 August 2021

Steamboat Springs Colorado

Steamboat Springs is a quiet Colorado city worth a visit if you enjoy hikes or biking along a river where you can see and smell the hot springs.

Here's a short video of the bubbling springs to help you get a sense of what you would see along the banks of the Yampa River. You'll miss the Sulphur smell until technology improves to record that.

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Pike's Peak Colorado

Pike's Peak is situated on land previously inhabited by the Ute tribe. It's height at 14,115 feet makes it simply outstanding. The Ute people called it Tava (Sun Mountain).

A European named Zebulon Pike headed up the mountain some 200 years ago thus the current name, Pike's Peak.

I began my recent drive up the mountain from the Magnuson hotel in Manitou Springs, which I can easily recommend as a good place to stay.

I paid a $15 fee to use the highway to the top. I was warned to turn off my air conditioning by a ranger who pointed to an unhappy group waiting on the steam to subside from their SUV.

It's a winding road to the top and many turns have no guard rails so, good to keep your eyes on the road. There are turnouts for people who want a break. I decided to stop later and headed for a spot at the top.

There is a new visitor center and portable toilets nearby.

The parking area is dirt surrounded by rocks and boulders but there's a path from one side to the other.

Some arrive by way of the Cog railroad. I was going to take that trip but after walking around the top, I decided against another trip up the mountain. The first cog railway was completed in 1891. You can board this in Manitou Springs.

Although there were a lot of cars in the parking area, it seems someone was always leaving. I did not see backed up traffic when I was there 22 August, 2021.

After walking about and taking a few photos, I headed back down the mountain. The good advice was to use low gear to avoid burning out your breaks. After a few thousand feet, there's a mandatory break check. I pulled over for about 20 minutes and drove mostly in first or second gear.

I pulled over a few times to let the speeders zip ahead in their sports cars. For the most part, the drivers were cautious and there were no hassles with my nine-year-old car.

Learn more at the Pike's Peak website

Here's a brief YouTube video of the Cog Railway cars descending the mountain.

28 August 2021

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is so named because of the dark canyon walls.

I entered the south rim and hiked a number of off-road trails to various points overlooking the Gunnison River that winds a path far below the rim.

This park is new--established as a park in 1999.

Most of the rim trails are easy going.

The view named the painted wall because of the colors and figures changes color according to the sunlight. The photo below illustrates the immense height of this old wall compared to famous tall structures.